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-
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Urban Poor Call for Justice and Demand Adequate Relocation
Press Release
April 27, 2010
Over one thousand urban poor people marched from Quezon City Hall to National Housing Authority (NHA) today, April 27, 2010, to demand for adequate relocation of the 312 families, who were forcefully evicted from Road 10 Navotas and to criticize police brutality against the poor, in particular the midnight dispersal of the campers in front of NHA last April 13, 2010. With them were members of Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) including the Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Urban Poor Associates (UPA).
Led by the Road 10 evicted families, the group carried a 20 feet tall cross which symbolizes the sufferings and oppression of the urban poor and the eventual triumph of the sector, like Christ who suffered and victoriously redeemed the sins of the world on the cross. The group said, through eviction and dispersal suffering, they are creating a world of justice and peace for all. Also, they re-enacted the violent eviction and dispersal of the Road 10 residents of Navotas.
This protest with a theme “Justice for Road 10 Navotas, Justice for all Urban Poor” marked solidarity among the urban poor sector. “Many urban poor from different parts of Metro Manila including urban poor communities in Rizal joined us today because they knew what happened to us, how our women in the barricades were brutally hit by the police and water cannoned during demolition,” said Prescilda Juanich, President of Road 10 Navotas Samahang Pinagbuklod ng Pagkakaisa. “ We all see the great need of our presence to call for justice against the violation of our human rights and to condemn government housing agencies such as, NHA for its negligence of its duty to provide housing for the poor and its callousness to use violence to disperse our peaceful assembly at dawn last April 13.”
Road 10 Navotas is one of the 11 priority areas that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo promised to relocate in Montalban during a dialogue with urban poor representatives last August 1, 2008. The president herself instructed government agencies to provide 300 million pesos for the housing of the 11 priority areas. Until now the evicted Road 10 residents do not have houses prepared for them.
Juanich said, “We exhausted all efforts to make sure that we will be provided with adequate relocation way back two years ago. Now, NHA should move to convene a high level Inter-Agency Committee meeting to address our problem. After all, it is their mandate and obligation to seek solutions to the problem of housing the poor.”
UPA monitored that the government housing backlog is about 2,610,404 and the new estimates of housing need for 2011 to 2016 is 5, 247, 381, an obligation left to fulfill by the successor of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
For his part, UPA Deputy Coordinator Teodoro Añana said, “urban poor comprised 50% of our population and only few were given decent houses. Housing agencies need to be reformed by changing its leadership because for the past years they are proven incompetent and incapable of providing housing services to the poor and not only that, they also use violence against the urban poor.”
Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) observed that the government violates the urban poor constitutional rights indiscriminately and with impunity. Despite cases filed against government agencies no one seems to be punished. Even the urban poor people’s right of free speech and peaceful assembly are being curtailed through violent dispersal just like what happened to the residents of Road 10 Navotas. TFAE and Road 10 residents will file a complaint against NHA at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to secure justice and they hope that this will be a test case against a government agency that violates the rights of the people.-30-
April 27, 2010
Over one thousand urban poor people marched from Quezon City Hall to National Housing Authority (NHA) today, April 27, 2010, to demand for adequate relocation of the 312 families, who were forcefully evicted from Road 10 Navotas and to criticize police brutality against the poor, in particular the midnight dispersal of the campers in front of NHA last April 13, 2010. With them were members of Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) including the Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Urban Poor Associates (UPA).
Led by the Road 10 evicted families, the group carried a 20 feet tall cross which symbolizes the sufferings and oppression of the urban poor and the eventual triumph of the sector, like Christ who suffered and victoriously redeemed the sins of the world on the cross. The group said, through eviction and dispersal suffering, they are creating a world of justice and peace for all. Also, they re-enacted the violent eviction and dispersal of the Road 10 residents of Navotas.
This protest with a theme “Justice for Road 10 Navotas, Justice for all Urban Poor” marked solidarity among the urban poor sector. “Many urban poor from different parts of Metro Manila including urban poor communities in Rizal joined us today because they knew what happened to us, how our women in the barricades were brutally hit by the police and water cannoned during demolition,” said Prescilda Juanich, President of Road 10 Navotas Samahang Pinagbuklod ng Pagkakaisa. “ We all see the great need of our presence to call for justice against the violation of our human rights and to condemn government housing agencies such as, NHA for its negligence of its duty to provide housing for the poor and its callousness to use violence to disperse our peaceful assembly at dawn last April 13.”
Road 10 Navotas is one of the 11 priority areas that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo promised to relocate in Montalban during a dialogue with urban poor representatives last August 1, 2008. The president herself instructed government agencies to provide 300 million pesos for the housing of the 11 priority areas. Until now the evicted Road 10 residents do not have houses prepared for them.
Juanich said, “We exhausted all efforts to make sure that we will be provided with adequate relocation way back two years ago. Now, NHA should move to convene a high level Inter-Agency Committee meeting to address our problem. After all, it is their mandate and obligation to seek solutions to the problem of housing the poor.”
UPA monitored that the government housing backlog is about 2,610,404 and the new estimates of housing need for 2011 to 2016 is 5, 247, 381, an obligation left to fulfill by the successor of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
For his part, UPA Deputy Coordinator Teodoro Añana said, “urban poor comprised 50% of our population and only few were given decent houses. Housing agencies need to be reformed by changing its leadership because for the past years they are proven incompetent and incapable of providing housing services to the poor and not only that, they also use violence against the urban poor.”
Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) observed that the government violates the urban poor constitutional rights indiscriminately and with impunity. Despite cases filed against government agencies no one seems to be punished. Even the urban poor people’s right of free speech and peaceful assembly are being curtailed through violent dispersal just like what happened to the residents of Road 10 Navotas. TFAE and Road 10 residents will file a complaint against NHA at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to secure justice and they hope that this will be a test case against a government agency that violates the rights of the people.-30-
Saturday, April 3, 2010
“Salubong”
Urban Poor Re-enacted the Meeting of the Risen Jesus and Mary
Press Release
April 3, 2010
Two thousand urban poor showed up on F. Legaspi Bridge (former Javier Bridge) Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, to watch Mary and Jesus puppets re-enacting their first meeting after the resurrection. Mary and Jesus approached each other riding rafts on Manggahan Floodway, accompanied by 50 children wearing angel costumes. With them were members of Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) including Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Urban Poor Associates (UPA), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE).
This very traditional ceremony situates itself in the concrete problem faced by the residents living along the Manggahan Floodway. On December 4, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo revoked two presidential proclamations promising security of tenure to 100,000 informal settlers along Manggahan Floodway and in Taytay, Rizal through Executive Order No. 854.
This E.O 854 caused trouble to the residents because they are threatened with eviction and hundreds of them are relocated in distant settlement in Calauan, Laguna, which does not provide basic services and job opportunities.
“We strongly object to the issuance of E.O 854. We talked to all the agencies involved in the implementation of the E.O. but it seems no one is listening to our concerns. This day, through the Salubong we are showing our determination, just like the resurrection of Jesus we have high hopes that we will be saved from the looming eviction and that the government could reflect on this Lenten season to do changes favorable to the Manggahan residents,” said Vicky Morante, President of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Kababaihan sa Floodway Inc.
“This salubong is also a form of Manggahan resident’ united prayer and a one voice, asking Jesus to spare us from losing our homes,” she added.
At 4:00 PM, urban poor cheered when children wearing angel costumes removed the black veil of Mary when she finally met with the Risen Jesus. People say they felt there are so many problems in the country that they must give time to the happy events in their faith including the resurrection of Jesus and the Salubong.
For her part, Jennilyn David, resident in Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, said, “We are shouting no to demolition and no to distant relocation while marching to Legaspi bridge because if eviction and distant relocation will push through it is not just our homes that will be taken from us. It also poses other problems such as disenfranchisement.”
A Task Force Anti- Eviction study says that unless we stop the current eviction trend in Metro Manila the number of evicted families will dramatically rise. The number of evictions will grow until there are 59 families evicted every hour. In one day, 1,410 families will be rendered homeless and in a week there will be 9,873 evicted urban poor families. The total number of families scheduled to be evicted by the government is 404, 781. The looming evictions will not solve the issue of poverty in the country but will make the poor poorer. -30-
Press Release
April 3, 2010
Two thousand urban poor showed up on F. Legaspi Bridge (former Javier Bridge) Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, to watch Mary and Jesus puppets re-enacting their first meeting after the resurrection. Mary and Jesus approached each other riding rafts on Manggahan Floodway, accompanied by 50 children wearing angel costumes. With them were members of Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) including Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Urban Poor Associates (UPA), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE).
This very traditional ceremony situates itself in the concrete problem faced by the residents living along the Manggahan Floodway. On December 4, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo revoked two presidential proclamations promising security of tenure to 100,000 informal settlers along Manggahan Floodway and in Taytay, Rizal through Executive Order No. 854.
This E.O 854 caused trouble to the residents because they are threatened with eviction and hundreds of them are relocated in distant settlement in Calauan, Laguna, which does not provide basic services and job opportunities.
“We strongly object to the issuance of E.O 854. We talked to all the agencies involved in the implementation of the E.O. but it seems no one is listening to our concerns. This day, through the Salubong we are showing our determination, just like the resurrection of Jesus we have high hopes that we will be saved from the looming eviction and that the government could reflect on this Lenten season to do changes favorable to the Manggahan residents,” said Vicky Morante, President of Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Kababaihan sa Floodway Inc.
“This salubong is also a form of Manggahan resident’ united prayer and a one voice, asking Jesus to spare us from losing our homes,” she added.
At 4:00 PM, urban poor cheered when children wearing angel costumes removed the black veil of Mary when she finally met with the Risen Jesus. People say they felt there are so many problems in the country that they must give time to the happy events in their faith including the resurrection of Jesus and the Salubong.
For her part, Jennilyn David, resident in Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, said, “We are shouting no to demolition and no to distant relocation while marching to Legaspi bridge because if eviction and distant relocation will push through it is not just our homes that will be taken from us. It also poses other problems such as disenfranchisement.”
A Task Force Anti- Eviction study says that unless we stop the current eviction trend in Metro Manila the number of evicted families will dramatically rise. The number of evictions will grow until there are 59 families evicted every hour. In one day, 1,410 families will be rendered homeless and in a week there will be 9,873 evicted urban poor families. The total number of families scheduled to be evicted by the government is 404, 781. The looming evictions will not solve the issue of poverty in the country but will make the poor poorer. -30-
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