KALBARYO NG MARALITANG TAGALUNGSOD 2006: PAANYAYA SA DAAN NG KRUS

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Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE on April 12, 2006

KALBARYO NG MARALITANG TAGALUNGSOD 2006: PAANYAYA SA DAAN NG KRUS

WHAT: Hundreds of poor families dislocated by the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project will hold their calvary for a special Holy Week observance called “Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod” (Calvary of the Urban Poor). The Kalbaryo serves as a gathering of the poor to show their sufferings to the rest of the country and protest the worsening poverty, violence and oppression. The Urban Poor Associates, a non-government organization which holds annual Kalbaryo since 1987 to depict the sacrifices of the poor, this time aim to press the government to immediately address the concerns of the evicted families. The main theme of this year’s Kalbaryo is “Paanyaya sa Daan ng Krus” (Invitation to the Way of the Cross).

WHERE: It will be conducted at the government shabby relocation site nicely named Southville Housing Project in Cabuyao, Laguna. There will be stations of the cross in Block 41, 44, 46, 63 and 57.



WHEN: The Kalbaryo will start at 9:00 AM and will end around 11:00 AM at the foot of a fast growing dumpsite a few meters from the relocation site on April 14, 2006 (Good Friday).

WHY: The government’s ambition is to remove poor families along the Northrail and Southrail tracks. An estimated 150,000 to 180,000 families will be displaced – a truly record breaking feat in our poor nation’s history of displacements. Some 21,000 families (18,000 on the Northrail and 3,000 on the Southrail) have already been displaced. However, many families are very dissatisfied with the government’s relocation plans and the methods it uses to get people to move to the relocation site.

HOW: The procession will be led by singers and 7 men each bear the 7 crosses of the poor families. The 7 crosses symbolized evicted families problems on potable water, electricity, school, livelihood, food, transportation and health). They will be followed by costumed Jesus Christ, 2 Roman soldiers and Virgin Mary. Prayers, songs and reflection will be led by 2 priests. Urban poor, especially children, will reenact the Kalbaryo.

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