Philippines typhoon rebuilding may cost 50 percent more this year than estimated

MANILA (Reuters) - The cost of typhoon reconstruction this year could reach 138 billion pesos (1.88 billion pounds), more than 50 percent higher than initially estimated, as the Philippines seeks to build back better and put in safeguards for future disasters, the budget secretary said on Thursday.

The total cost of a four-year reconstruction effort may also end up steeper than the current estimate of 361 billion pesos, Florencio Abad said.