Urban Poor Still Search for Shelter

16 December 2010 (Thursday). Three thousand urban poor people marched from Carlos Palanca St. to Mendiola today repeating the question asked by Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem: "Do you have a decent place where we can stay?"

Young urban poor acted as Mary and Joseph led the crowd to Mendiola to remind President Benigno Aquino III that the poor are still searching for shelter. Through Panunuluyan they are knocking on the Palace door, asking the president to grant their request to meet him to discuss their pressing worries and to urge him implement the covenant he signed during the campaign period.

Participants include children, old people, victims of demolitions, scavengers, relocated railroad families, people’s organizations, various non-government organizations, friends and supporters.

The theme of this year’s Panunuluyan is “Si Maria at ang mga Mahihirap ay patuloy na naghahanap ng Matutuluyan”. For more than two decades, urban poor group reenacted the old tradition of Joseph and Mary going from place to place looking for a place to settle in and where Mary can have a baby with the modern problem of homelessness of the people.

The Panunuluyan is sponsored by members of Task Force Anti-Eviction composed of non-government organizations such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE), with the help of various NGOs and people’s organizations.

According to UPA, there are thousand of homeless families in Metro Manila mainly because of forced evictions, illegal demolitions, and other concerns such as lack of access to affordable housing, high cost of living, labor contractualization, rural to urban migration displacements due to armed conflict and graft and corruption.

“We are afraid that the number of homeless people will grow in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas, if the 300,000 families threatened with eviction will consent to be removed without adequate relocation,” said UPA Deputy Coordinator Ted Añana.

UPA demolition monitoring shows that most of the families who will be forcibly evicted are those living along the waterways and estuaries to give way for the rehabilitation of the Pasig River. But urban poor people living along waterways have had been proposing an alternative housing solution. They sought the help of Palafox architects who created a design of housing along the waterways that will not interfere with the cleaning of the river, and the people living on the esteros will have a decent place to dwell in the city.

Añana concluded, “There are many efforts done by the urban poor. But it is just placed in a backseat. We have high hopes that the new administration will consider the proposal of the people and that the president will heed our call to implement the covenant he signed during the campaign period.” -30-

Panunuluyan ng Maralitang Tagalungsod 2010

We are having our annual Panunuluyan of the Urban Poor again on the morning of December 16, 2010 (Thursday) from 8:00 to 11:00 AM.

Panunuluyan recreates the search of Joseph and Mary for shelter where Jesus might be born. We see this event in the light of the urban poor people’s search for homes, peace and a decent life. The theme of the celebration, “Si Maria at ang mga mahihirap ay patuloy na naghahanap ng Matutuluyan.”

Beginning at 8:00Am, about 3,000 urban poor will march from Carlos Palanca Street (Near Quinta Market) to P. Casal Street and on to Mendiola.

The celebration will be led by 200 urban poor women and men portraying Mama Mary and Joseph. There will be a mobile stage for the reenactment of the search of Joseph and Mary for a place to dwell in.

Urban poor say, “Through this Panunuluyan, we want to show the President that we want to meet with him to discuss our present worries and to push for the covenant he signed during the campaign period to be implemented.”

Photo ops: 200 women will dance and end the dance by holding up the 200 baby dolls, demanding a better life for their children. There will be three walking billboards labeled (1) “Have you forgotten us?” referring to the difficulty they have had meeting the president; (2) The covenant signed by the President and the poor during the campaign period; (3) “We are still here” saying we are still suffering in the slums.

Date: December 16, 2010 (Thursday)

Time: 8:00 to 11:00 AM

Assembly Point: Carlos Palanca St.

Please Cover.

PRESS STATEMENT NG TASK FORCE ANTI-EVICTION – ARAW NG MGA BAYANI

IKA-31 NG AGOSTO, 2009


Sa panahon na may krisis pang-ekonomiya ang buong mundo, MAKATAONG PAMUMUHAY
PARA SA MARALITA ang tugon. HINDI DEMOLISYON.

Inilabas kailan lamang ang Executive Order 803, isang ehekutibong aksyon na nagtakda ng gampaning papel at gawain ng Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee (MMIAC). Ang itinakdang namumuno nito ay ang Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)na ang mandato ay manggiba ng mga bahay ng mga Maralita. Hindi mandato ng MMDA ang magtayo ng disenteng pabahay para sa mga maralita. Mandato ito ng National Housing Authority. May mali sa lipunan natin sa pagtrato sa problema ng panirahanan. Matagal nang isinisigaw ang MAKATAONG PAMUMUHAY PARA SA MARALITA. HINDI DEMOLISYON ANG TUGON SA GUTOM, SA KAWALANG TRABAHO AT SA KAWALANG BAHAY AT LUPA.

Ang E.O. 803 ay taliwas sa kabutihan para sa mga Maralita. Sa representasyon na lamang ng mga Maralita sa MIMIAC na itinakda ng E.O. 803, pakitang-tao lamang ang sinasabi nito. Ang MIMIAC ang magtutukoy ng kinatawan na galing sa Maralita. Bakit ganun? Bakit hindi 50% ng MIMIAC ang boses ng mga Maralita kung para sa mga Maralita nga ang MIMIAC? Kahit na ang manera ng pagdidisisyon sa MIMIAC ay hindi malinaw.

Ang Pasig River ay kadugtong ng ating buhay bilang mga mamamayan at obligasyon nating lahat ang linisin ito. Madumi ito dahil walang maayos na DRAINAGE SYSTEM ANG METRO MANILA. Madumi ito dahil ang mga PABRIKA sa paligid nito ay hindi maayos ang pagtapon ng kanilang dumi. Bakit ang unang iniisip sa paglinis ng Ilog Pasig ay ang paggiba ng mga bahay ng mga Maralita? Kabayanihan ba ito? Kung pupwedeng tumayo sa libingan sina Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, Tandang Sora at iba pang nagmahal ng bayang ito dadagundong ang sigaw na HINDI. HINDI KABAYANIHAN ANG PAGYURAK SA MGA KARAPATANG PANTAO NG MGA MARALITA.

Kamakailan lamang may mga demolisyon sa Quezon City na hindi sumunod sa isinasaad sa walong MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS ng Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA). At marami ang nakaambang demolisyon sa mga tinatawag ng gobierno na DANGER AREAS. Gigibain ang mga bahay sa danger areas pero walang programa para sa makataong pabahay. Maling mali ang mga nangyayaring ito. Biruin niyo, pagkatapos gibain ang mga bahay ng mga maralita, ang mga bata ay nagtatanong: Saan po ba tayo titira ngayong gabi? Paano po kung umulan dito sa kalsada?

MAKATAONG PABAHAY, HINDI DEMOLISYON. ITO ANG PANAWAGAN NAMIN NGAYON AT BUKAS.

MAGBUO NG MAS MAKA-MARALITA AT MAKATARUNGANG PROGRAMA PARA SA MGA MARALITA. PALITAN ANG NILALAMAN NG E.O. DAHIL HINDI ITO ANG DIWA NG MAKATAONG PABAHAY PARA SA MARALITA.



TASK FORCE ANTI-EVICTION
IKA-31 NG AGOSTO 2009
ARAW NG MGA BAYANI
c/o COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS MULTIVERSITY
No. 18, Marunong STREET, Barangay Central, Quezon City
Tel. No. 9220246; Mobile Phone: (Jessica) 09297406771

Members of urban poor communities mark National Heroes Day

08/31/2009 | 12:44 PM



100 protesters march toward Mendiola to mark National Heroes Day

08/31/2009 | 10:54 AM

Evicted urban poor settlers picket HUDCC office

** NEWS RELEASE *** NEWS RELEASE *** NEWS RELEASE **

Evicted urban poor settlers picket HUDCC office

11 August 2009 (Tuesday). Some 300 people picketed the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) this morning to protest the government agency’s inaction in providing relocation to thousands of urban poor families affected by demolitions and forced evictions. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised the people August 1 last year she would relocate them to Rodriguez (Montalban).

Singing songs of protest, the demonstrators gathered at the Ninoy Aquino monument at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. Some of them had boxes shaped like houses on their heads that they said symbolize their right to shelter. Beginning at 9:00 AM the group marched toward the HUDCC office at the Banco de Oro building.

Carrying banners bearing “Where is the relocation? Are you listening Mr. Vice President?” they called the attention of Vice President Noli de Castro, concurrent HUDCC Chair, to address the problem of the evicted families and the president’s promise.

Members of Task Force Anti-Eviction, composed of people’s groups and non-government organizations such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM) and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE), met President Arroyo twice last year to ask the government to stop forced evictions and provide adequate relocation. During the August 1 meeting in Malacañang President Arroyo ordered various government agencies including HUDCC to develop the Montalban relocation site with an initial budget of 300 million pesos for 1,500 families evicted and left in the streets.

“Nothing has happened since the meeting. Urban poor communities are constantly threatened with forced evictions without adequate relocation. Evicted families have been living on sidewalks exposed to the elements of heat and rain. What happened to the money and the relocation? What happened to the promise of the president?” the people asked.

According to the UPA annual demolition monitor, some 14 demolition incidents were monitored in 2008 which affected 2,411 families. In the cases monitored, the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) requirements on 30-day notice, consultations and provision of relocation were largely ignored. “Only 741 families or 30.73% were relocated. Some 353 families, including children, women and elderly, were victims of repeated demolition operations,” said lawyer Ritche Esponilla of UPA.

“Every time flashfloods occur in Metro Manila, authorities are quick in pointing fingers to informal settlers as culprit even though the real problem is a city wide poor drainage system, graft and corruption among others. The prompt solution is demolition and forced eviction. The government failed to provide relocation which can be paid through monthly amortization. Without relocation, evicted families rebuild their shanties. This is clearly a waste of time and effort on the part of the government. You cannot expect different results by doing the same action all over again,” Atty. Esponilla pointed out. “It is a sign of insanity,” he said.

In a letter, leaders of people’s organizations asked the Vice President for help. “We believe that as Vice President and HUDCC Chair, you can help the release of initial budget of the Montalban relocation. We are hoping that the budget will be released at the soonest possible time. Please don’t fail us. You are our last hope,” the letter read.

-30-

Urban poor group to picket HUDCC office

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Urban poor group to picket HUDCC office

Some 300 urban poor people will converge at the Ninoy Aquino monument (Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas) in Makati City on Tuesday morning and beginning at 9:00 AM they will march toward the office of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) located at the Banco de Oro Building (Paseo de Roxas corner Makati Avenue) to protest the government agency’s inaction in providing relocation to urban poor families affected by demolitions and forced evictions.

Members of the Task Force Anti-Eviction met President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in August 1 last year and she ordered various government agencies including HUDCC to develop the Montalban relocation site with an initial budget of 300 million pesos. Nothing has happened since. People will ask HUDCC, what happened to the money and the relocation?

Urban poor communities are constantly threatened with forced evictions. Evicted families have been living on sidewalks exposed to the elements of heat and rain. What happened to the promise of the president?

Photo ops: Demonstrators will wear colorful boxes shaped like houses on their heads which symbolize their right to shelter. Songs of protest. Giant slide show.

Date: August 11, 2009 (Tuesday)

Time: 9:00 AM

Assembly Point: Ninoy Aquino monument, Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas

MMDA dismantles houses along C-5

09/02/2008 | 06:42 PM




Informal settlers seek intervention of CHR (Read on at http://tinyurl.com/6afklm

MEDIA ADVISORY: Urban poor groups set to stage protest rally at the NHA office in QC

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Urban poor groups set to stage protest rally at the NHA office in QC

Urban poor groups led by the Task Force Anti-Illegal Demolition (TF-AID) will stage a rally on Monday at the National Housing Authority (NHA) main office in Quezon City to protest the government agency’s non-compliance of the PGMA’s instructions issued January 31st 2008 in Malacañang Palace in a meeting attended by housing officials, urban poor representatives and CBCP representatives Archbishop Diosdado Talamayan and Bishop Ramon Villena.

In that meeting the President agreed to in-city and near-city relocation sites in Taguig, Navotas and Montalban. So the urban poor leaders will ask NHA General Manager Laxa what he has done regarding these sites.

The President also said in that meeting that she has allocated 4 billion pesos for families affected by gov’t infrastructure projects and for families living in danger areas. The TF-AID will ask NHA what happened to the money.

The urban poor leaders say they will report to the CBCP the outcome of the meeting with NHA.

Photo ops: Protesters will line up for porridge (lugaw) to dramatize the situation of urban poor people who will be displaced amid looming food crisis.

Date: April 21, 2008 (Monday)

Time: 10:00 AM

Venue: In front of the National Housing Authority (NHA) Main Office, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City

Railway people stage rally outside South Korean Embassy

** NEWS RELEASE *** NEWS RELEASE *** NEWS RELEASE **

Railway people stage rally outside South Korean Embassy

25 January 2008. Protesting the refusal of Ambassador Hong Jong-ki to talk with them, about fifty people from railway communities gathered outside the South Korean Embassy in Makati City this morning.

Demonstrators, some of them carrying banners “Mr. Ambassador, speak, listen to us!” patiently waited at the grounds of the Pacific Star Building along Makati Avenue where the embassy is located.

Blue-red-and-yellow paper house boxes, matching the colors of the Philippine flag, were put on some protester’s head to show that a roof over people’s head is a human right.

The groups picketing are people being evicted due to the Northrail Southrail Linkage Project which is funded by the Korean government. Some are residents of the Southville relocation site in Cabuyao, Laguna. They are helped by Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a non-government organization working on urban poverty.

The Korean government has judged the relocation of the families as adequate based on two surveys it funded that were headed by a person employed at the Asian Development Bank.

“The surveys which play such a key role have never been made available to us though we have asked to see them several times. Now the Korean Embassy refuses to talk to us. What are they hiding, we want to know,” said Ted Añana, deputy coordinator of UPA.

“We want to stress that the affected families are not opposed to the railway project. Our only concern is the observance of the rights of the affected families as enunciated by domestic and international laws,” Añana pointed out.

The railway project involves the eviction of 50,000 families from Caloocan City to Calamba, Laguna. About 30,000 families still remain on the tracks. The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) under Vice President Noli de Castro is in charge of the relocation.

After learning that the embassy officials refused to dialog with them, the Koalisyon ng mga Samahan sa Riles Katimugan (KOSARIKA) wrote a letter addressed to Lee Myung-bak, President-elect of Republic of Korea. “Your embassy officials here refuse to dialog with us. It is as if we were not of value.”

“We write this letter to seek your help, since the relocation provided for us is woefully inadequate. We also want the Korean government to make another survey to be done by a university here in a very transparent manner with the results revealed publicly,” the letter read

The Korean government through its Finance and Economy Ministry has expressed concerns regarding the relocation of railway families in a letter sent to KOSARIKA dated May 11, 2007. “Our government is well aware of the importance of the issue of relocating local residents in that project, and we emphasize once more that we plan to continually watch to see whether it is being implemented according to international standards.”

In order to relieve the transportation jam in Metro Manila and at the same time to develop parts of Metro Manila that were becoming slums, South Korea decided in December of 2003 to support the railway project. However it has consistently maintained the position that “preparing and implementing adequate relocation for the residents alongside the railway is a precondition for providing support for the project.”

-30-

Railroad squatters picket South Korean embassy

Evicted railway settlers picket South Korean embassy

S. Korean envoy urged to address plight of 50,000 evicted families

MEDIA ADVISORY : Protest Rally at the South Korean Embassy in Makati

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Protest Rally at the South Korean Embassy in Makati

Leaders of communities affected by the Northrail Southrail Linkage Project being funded by the South Korean government will stage a protest rally to be held in the morning of January 25 (Friday).

Housing rights advocates will convene at the grounds of the Pacific Star Building along Makati Avenue where the South Korean Embassy is located.

The people are protesting the refusal of the Embassy to talk with them unless they coordinate with the office of the Vice President Noli de Castro in the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). The people say they always talk with HUDCC but now want to talk to the Korean government that is funding the railroad project.

We hope that members of the media will cover the event. We wish to assure you that the activity will be peaceful.

Photo ops: Some protesters will be wearing paper house boxes on their heads to show that a roof over people’s head is a human right.

Date: January 25, 2008 (Friday)

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Venue: In front of the South Korean Embassy (Pacific Star Building),
Makati Avenue, Makati City

Squatters protest MMDA demolition in Pasay and Makati

Mahigit 1,000 residente ng Makati at Pasay, nagprotesta laban sa napipintong demolisyon ng MMDA


MMDA dismantles 60 more Pasay, Makati shanties