Manila: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is exhausting all efforts to expedite the release of compensation for Marawi siege victims, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday. During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Pangandaman admitted that the distribution of the compensation is 'a bit slow' because of the high number of claimants. 'Napakarami po ng claimants. Napakadami. Hindi po madali (There are so many claimants. They are many. It's not easy),' Pangandaman said. 'We're still finalizing the total amount of compensation na kinakailangan nating mabayaran (that we need to give). That's important,' she added. She said the government has released a guideline to ensure the immediate release of compensation. The guideline was crafted after the matter was discussed during the previous Cabinet meeting presided over by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Pangandaman said. 'The money is still there. We have been meeting with them quite very early para mas mapabilis po (so we can expedite [the r elease]),' she said. In September, Pangandaman approved the release of a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the PHP1 billion worth of compensation benefitting 574 victims of the 2017 Marawi siege. The compensation covers claims for partially and totally damaged buildings, as well as for the lives lost during the conflict. The funding would be sourced from the 2024 budget. Source: Philippines News Agency