Asian Urban Poor Leaders Unite Against Evictions

Press Release
October 8, 2010


“No to evictions and Yes to adequate housing” were the words of Asian urban poor leaders in a press conference held on Friday, October 8, 9:00 AM at Tree House Restaurant, Matalino St., Brgy. Central District, Quezon City. The twenty-one Asian leaders in their native dress linked arms with Filipino urban poor as a way of solidarity against eviction.

This was organized by Coordinator of Leaders and Organizers of Community Organizations in Asia (Locoa), in cooperation with Task Force Anti Eviction composed of Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE).

Jeff Wong, Adviser to Four Regions Slum Network in Thailand said, “Asian urban poor leaders and NGOs are here in observation of World Habitat Month, the time of year when urban poor citizens all over the world reassert their right to live in the city.”

“There are an estimated one billion urban poor around the world. In LOCOA member countries, as in most all Asian countries, the most pressing problem is the situation of forced evictions of slum communities. We are optimistic that through international cooperation we can enforce citizens’ right to adequate housing,” he added.

According to Task Force Anti Eviction, there is a trend in Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces, that when there is intention to evict a big number of families it is not accompanied by a comprehensive housing plan for the affected families. This manifests a disregard for the housing rights of the poor and must be given a second look by the present government.
“On the100th day of President Noynoy Aquino and in observation of habitat month, we urge him to look at the problem of the urban poor and study the plans of his administration in implementing projects affecting the poor. One example is the intended Ferry boat terminal project in Laguna which will lead to eviction of fisherfolk. But we are very hopeful that the President will heed the call of the people,” said COM training director France Clavecillas.
Philippine Task Force Anti Eviction and with the rest of 10 Asian country members of Locoa (Korea, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Taiwan, Japan, and Burma) called on their respective national governments to declare a moratorium on evictions and include the “people’s plan” being offered as an option to be included in the government’s response to eviction threats.
Sadaruddin, a community organizer of Urban Poor Consortium in Indonesia, shared their recent success in resisting eviction. The provincial government passed a law in 2007 allowing the residents of Surabaya, united in the people’s organization Stren Kali, to do on-site development. He said, “There the slogan, ‘renovation not relocation’ was listened by the government.” Unfortunately, in 2009, the national government changed the policy regarding buffer zones along the rivers, so the communities are once again facing the threat of forced eviction today. Nevertheless, the people remain committed to continuing their struggle until they attain permanent security of tenure.

Felomina Cinco, president of Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Legarda and residing along the stretch of Estero de San Miguel said, “We are still facing eviction despite our persistent presentation of our proposed housing plan. But with the workshop together with other Asian urban poor leaders, we regained hope and were inspired by the experience of struggle of our urban poor friends in Stren Kali who, like us, are determined to carry forth with their fight for the right to carry out upgrading and remain on site.

For her part, Fides Bagasao, LOCOA coordinator said, “This event aims to strengthen the appeal of the Filipino urban poor to the new government to be a defender and promoter of housing rights of the poor, unlike the previous administration which was internationally notorious for its massive and often violent demolitions. We are all united in the goal of improving the quality of life of the poor. We will collectively work to ensure better habitat for today’s and future generations.” -30-

Urban Poor Elated As Comelec Bans Evictions

Press Release
April 29, 2010

Thousands of urban poor voters were elated when the Commission on Elections declared that it supports the need to ban all evictions during election period. They said this is in the interest of ensuring all citizens are able to vote. Evictions can lead to the disenfranchisement of voters.

Evicted poor people lose their residence rights because they are moved far from their original residence.

Jennyln David, residing in Manggahan Floodway Pasig City and affected by E.O 854 of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said, “I am one of the signatories in our petition-letter appealing to the Comelec to halt evictions and demolitions during the election period and we are very happy that the Comelec law department heeded our call. This gives us the courage to face demolition teams without fear in the days before election.”

“We hope the Pasig local government will listen to the Comelec because the agencies are pushing us to vacate our community despite the danger that we will be disenfranchised,” she added.

Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE), said that it is clear in the laws cited by the Comelec legal department that demolitions and evictions threaten the exercise of the right of suffrage of urban poor voters and with Comelec’s support we will ensure that not a single voter will be denied this right.

UPA is happy with the response of the Comelec legal Department but hopes that the Commission En Banc will rule on the matter and order suspension of demolitions and evictions during the election period. The residents at Estero Dela Concordia who joined in submitting the petition letter were demolished by MMDA April 15, 2010 without a certificate of compliance from the Manila LGU.

UPA Legal Counsel Bienvenido Salinas said, “We always believed that we would not be mistaken in asking the Comelec to ban demolitions and distant relocation. It proves that the individual’s right to vote is supreme over any government project if it threatens one’s right to suffrage. It also shows that disenfranchisement is an issue that has the same importance as political candidates’ concerns or automation problems. Now, we urge all government agencies and units concerned to observe the sanctity of the election process and the pre-eminence of the citizens right to vote.

TFAE concluded that, “Urban poor voters given the chance to vote by the Comelec will exercise their right to vote to make the May 10 election meaningful for themselves and for their children. They will elect leaders that will truly serve the best interests of the country.”-30-

Sufferings of Christ, Kalbaryo of the Urban Poor

Press Release
March 30, 2010

Fifteen young urban poor wearing Christ masks re-enacted the passion and death of Jesus Christ today in Makati city’s business district, a place that the poor consider a symbol of wealth in Metro Manila and where one does not see the worsening problems of poverty, violence, and oppression. With them were members of housing rights organizations including Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE).

This Lenten season marked the 24th year of Kalbaryo with a theme “What Have You Done to my Brothers and Sisters”? A 24 years of struggle of the urban poor sector against evictions, homelessness, hunger, injustice, joblessness, lack of dignity and powerlessness.

No big changes have happened in the condition of the poor during the 24 years. Through the Kalbaryo the actors delivered a message that Christ is judging us on what we have done to our urban poor brothers and sisters. Jesus tells us in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 25) where he is speaking of the hungry, homeless, and persecuted, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me.” Thus, it shows that the suffering of Jesus should remind us of the sufferings of the poor.

“The Kalbaryo of the urban poor started in 1986. Over the years it has taken place in different places: in Leveriza; on top of the old Smokey Mountain; in Cabuyao relocation area; in urban poor places where eviction and oppression are imminent,” said UPA Deputy Coordinator Teodoro Añana. “But this year, massive demolitions are happening in all parts of Metro Manila even when it is a presidential election year. So through this Kalbaryo we want to show images of the sufferings of the poor and Jesus. It is also a non violent democratic way of seeking solutions to the urban poor problems.”

UPA, a non-government organization that focuses on evictions of urban poor people, found out that every hour two urban poor families lost their homes and were evicted from their community. That means in one day 40 families are rendered homeless and in a week, a total of 277 urban poor families made homeless. Most of the eviction cases are done by forcibly and turned violent. Human rights violations during eviction and demolition are not recorded by government agencies.

Last March 22, 2010 the urban poor groups sought the help of Commission on Election (Comelec) to ban demolition during the election period as this could result to the disenfranchisement of thousands of urban poor voters. At 2:00 PM today, the groups ended their Kalbaryo by revisiting the Comelec’s office to follow up on the commission’s response to their petition—appeal for a demolition moratorium. The urban poor group also submitted a letter to Atty. Ferdinand Rafanan, the legal department head of Comelec requesting for a dialog with him to discuss urban poor people’s concern about their suffrage.

Añana concluded, “We believe there can be no solution to the country’s problem unless the poor, who are at least 50% of the population, are involved in the reform process. This can only be concretely done by exercising their right to vote and electing leaders who will change the condition of the urban poor. Because demolition and relocation threaten this reform process, the urban poor sector will never get tired of waiting for Comelec’s action on this matter. They want Comelec’s answer during the Kalbaryo. Only 42 days are left before the May 10 election. What is important is the poor should be involved in all the phases of reform—in voting, planning, in the implementation and in the enjoyment of the good results of reform”

Kalbaryo as a tradition has united the urban and rural poor in seeking to build a society of justice and prosperity for all. Anti-poor policies and strategies are still in existence, hence the continuous creation of slums in urban areas. If no serious action is taken, such tragedy will mean the poorest are getting poorer. The urban poor want a stop to government unjust actions. The Kalbaryo is a gentle way of reminding us of our obligations to our brothers and sisters. -30-

Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Taga-Lungsod

MEDIA ADVISORY

In observance of the Lenten Season, the urban poor will hold their 24th year of Kalbaryo with a theme, “What Have You Done to My Brothers and Sisters”. This will show that the sufferings of Jesus should remind us of the sufferings of the poor.

The celebration of the annual Kalbaryo will be on March 30, 2010. The celebration will be led by men and women wearing Christ Masks. The urban poor actors will carry signs containing quotes from the bible. There will also be a small tableau of a child sleeping on cardboard and a mother begging while holding her baby.

Also this year, the urban poor will depict “Salubong” on April 3, 2010 (Black Saturday) in Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, where 60,000 urban poor are being evicted because of the President’s issuance of Executive Order 854.

Program
Date Scenarios
Kalbaryo
March 30 (Tuesday)
Makati City At 10:00 AM, six Christs, one woman and baby, one young boy will be at the Philippine Stock Exchange in Makati lining up in the main door. There will be music and a drama about the condition of the poor.

Then they will walk to Ayala Ave. in a single file in rhythmic way. They cross to the Ninoy Aquino monument and stand there looking at the traffic.

Next, they will go to the Rustan’s Mall and do the same action as at the Stock Exchange.

At 2:00 PM, the last stop of the Kalbaryo is at the Comission on Election (Comelec) office in Intramuros. Christ will reiterate the message that demolitions should be banned during election period as they can disenfranchise thousands of urban poor voters.

Salubong
April 3 (Black Saturday)
Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City At 4:00 PM, 2000 urban poor people will meet at the F. Legazpi Bridge (former Javier Bridge) Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, to watch Mary and Christ puppets riding rafts on the floodway and meeting one another, accompanied by 50 children wearing angel costumes.

Then at 5:30 pm, the participants will go to Purok 6 East bank road, Sta. Lucia, Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City for a prayer service.

Please Cover.

Urban Poor Ask the Comelec to Ban Demolition

Five hundred urban poor people marched to Comelec and filed a petition-letter to ban demolitions during the election period. The people’s organization and housing rights organizations including Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE), brought with them a 1-meter high improvised Precinct Count Optical Scanner machine that emits a big ballot saying, “No to Demolition”. The group also changed the meaning of PCOS to People’s Concern Over Suffrage.

UPA, a non-government organization that concentrates on evictions of urban poor people, pointed out that there are 804,562 urban poor voters that could be disenfranchised because of the on-going massive demolition and distant relocation conducted by the government.

UPA Legal Counsel Bienvenido Salinas said, “This May 2010 election is expected to create change in the Philippine Governance and it is people’s right to exercise their right to vote and to elect leaders. Hence not a single voter should be denied this right. Forced evictions and relocating informal settlers to distant places in time of election is unlawful as they will surely disenfranchise members of the urban poor. Hence, we urge Comelec, the most powerful government agency during elections to ban demolitions and distant relocation.”

One of the basic human rights recognized in the international instruments of human rights is the right to vote as guaranteed by the Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The said right is reiterated in Section 1, Article V of the Philippine Constitution.

Estrella Terencio, president of UPSAI and former railway dweller in Makati was relocated in 2006 to give way to the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project said, “When we were forcibly relocated to Cabuyao, Laguna more or less we had 4000 voters prepared for the 2007 election. But only 400 were able to vote because most of us were not yet settled in the relocation site and did not have the required six-month residency.”

“Political candidates in Makati even filed a petition for exclusion against us who were relocated to Southville Cabuyao, claiming that we had ceased to be bonafide residents of Makati City. We are one with all the urban poor facing demolition in calling on the Comelec to ban demolitions because we know that they could also be disenfranchised just as we experienced in the last election”, she added.

Nilo Cosino, residing in Manggahan Floodway Pasig City and affected by the E.O 854 of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said, “The government rehabilitation project of Manggahan Floodway will relocate 24,000 voters along Pasig before the May 10 election to Calauan, Laguna, 100-kilometers away from Pasig. For this reason we are afraid that many of us will not be able to vote because we are registered in Pasig City and the transportation to Pasig to vote would cost P300 round trip, too much for a poor person.”

UPA monitored that beginning this year from January to March 3,043 families have been evicted compared to only one demolition last year in the same period. For example, demolition is taking place in Manggahan Floodway, C-5 Road Project, and Road 10 Navotas which turned violent. If this trend continues for the year, it will go against a commonly held observation that the numbers of evictions and demolition usually go down during a presidential election year.

“In 1998 presidential election a decrease of 107% of families evicted and in 2004 presidential election 366% steep decline of families evicted in Metro Manila was recorded. It is obvious that politicians once considered the urban poor as vote banks but now it is different, because rampant demolition is witnessed during this presidential election year,” said UPA Deputy Coordinator Teodoro Añana.

Añana concluded that, “Many urban poor communities are ready to make the May 10 election meaningful for them and their children. However, some think the evictions are turning out to be a way for politicians to deprive them of their fundamental right to vote and to frustrate their desire for meaningful political change. Together with the urban poor we are asking government, especially the COMELEC, to impose a ban on demolitions for this election year.” -30-