The Philippine government does not see the need for international help in rebuilding southern Philippine city of Zamboanga, which was devastated by the more than two weeks of skirmishes between the military and the Muslim rebel group of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a senior government official said Thursday.

Ricky Carandang, Philippine Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary, said the Aquino administration has sufficient fund for relief and rehabilitation of Zamboanga City and its people. "We have the resources to deal with it," he said in a text message to reporters.

He also said full-blown rehabilitation could not begin until the MNLF forces were ejected in the place and "that's what we are doing now."

Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier said the initial estimate for relief and rehabilitation of Zamboanga City was at 3.89 billion pesos (about 89.46 million US dollars), which could immediately be provided by the government.

The United Nations has expressed concern on the fate of over 100,000 Zamboanga residents displaced by the standoff, declaring the situation there as a humanitarian crisis.

The standoff between Philippine government troops and MNLF members entered its 18th day on Thursday, and government forces have continued to pursue the remnants of MNLF who have civilian hostages with them.