Urban Poor Associates
Ref:
Princess Asuncion Mobile
phone: 0908 1967450
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About five hundred urban poor assembled today in Anda Circle, Bonifacio drive at 5PM to
celebrate world habitat month. The group with their colorful placards calling
for decent housing marched to the Ninoy and Cory Aquino monument in Padre
Burgos Street, Roxas Boulevard.
The Task Force Anti-Eviction composed of various people’s
organizations and NGOs such as the Urban Poor Associates (UPA) and Community
Organizers Multiversity (COM) said the Ninoy and Cory monument is a reminder to
everyone to help the poorest of the poor of our country through mass actions to
support a call for decent and affordable housing in the city.
TFAE together with the people
held a small program at the monument. Some of them rendered songs and dances.
At 7PM, 500 people all together lit the candles that brighten the night. They
read a statement that encourages everyone to participate in promoting adequate
housing a priority.
The group also prayed that the
government help in the rehabilitation of the communities and to provide mass
housing to the thousands victims of disasters in Bohol and arm conflicts in
Zamboanga.
Jeorgie Tenolete, president of
Kabalikat in Baseco, Tondo, said, “Our community in Baseco has been long
proclaimed but without the help of civil society it would not be able to
survive threats of demolition. We are asking the government to implement the
Baseco Development Plan to show its sincerity.”
“We also asked our authorities to
ensure that our brother and sisters who suffered from calamity and war may not
just get aid but safe and affordable housing, Tenolete added”
UPA data shows that there are 100,000
families living on waterways that are threatened of eviction.
Liza Condino, COM community
organizer of fisher folk in Laguna Lake said, “the government plans of building
a dike-road around the lake has a good intention to avoid flooding in the lake
side, but it will cause the relocation of 45,000 families in far areas.”
Condino reiterated that they do
not oppose the flood control project but it is important the government involve
the people in planning the project and to explain to them that a massive moving
of people will do tremendous harm to families. She wants to secure that the
families can decide their own future.
TFAE also demanded that the
President hasten the implementation of the covenant he signed with the urban
poor on March 6, 2010 at Del Pan Sports Complex.
Ricardo Narcilla, president of
United Chrislam along the waterway of Estero De San Miguel, urged the President
to fast track the four on-site housing projects in Estero De San Miguel, Quiapo
and San Sebastian.
Narcilla added, “Our neighbors,
about 88 families, were already demolished. We fear that we will also be
evicted if the housing project will not be started within the year. We know
that our president hands are full, but we needed him for the implementation of
the project.”
TFAE
is also lobbying for the House Bill No. 2791 filed by 16 congressmen lead by
COOP-NATTCO Representative Cresente Paez. It seeks to amend several sections of
UDHA to strengthen the protected right of every Filipino to a decent home, and
provide sanctions upon those who violate the mandate of the law.
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