“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-

Urban Poor To Celebrate “Kalbaryo” with Cardinal Rosales

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

Urban Poor To Celebrate “Kalbaryo” with Cardinal Rosales

31 March 2009. In observance of the Lenten season, some 3,000 urban poor people from all over Metro Manila will march on April 1 towards Quiapo Church.

The urban poor are celebrating their 23rd “Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod” with the theme “Time for Change”.

Mass with Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales and other priests and bishops will be held in the Quiapo Church at 3:00 PM.

The passion and resurrection will be re-enacted in song and dance, directed by Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). All the dancers and singers are urban poor people.

Michael Sta. Rosa, who will be Jesus in the march, has been practicing for several days in preparation for his role.

The 26-year-old Sta. Rosa will ride on a horse from Liwasang Bonifacio to Plaza Miranda.

He is worried about the horse he is going to ride in the Palaspas reenactment, the story about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before his Passion. “Wala pang practice. Ngayon pa lang ako sasakay ng kabayo. Ngayon lang magiging Kristo,” Sta. Rosa explained.

Sta. Rosa said he used to watch “Senakulo” in the past but he finds the “Kalbaryo” unusual because the verses talk about urban poor issues in addition to the Senakulo verses.

He said it’s okay and he is happy that he was chosen to play the role although he also feels uneasy as he commits mistakes. “Ayos lang, happy. Masyadong kinakabahan. Minsan nagkakamali sa pagbigkas.”

Sta. Rosa will read the Charter of the Urban Poor which contains the issues the poor think must be agreed upon with the government and civil society: policies on evictions, for example, land tenure security, basic services for all, decent houses, jobs and food.

The Charter was composed by hundreds of community leaders, with the help of several NGOs, such as, Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM) and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE).

The Kalbaryo of the Urban Poor started in 1987. Over the years it has taken place in different places: in Leveriza; on top of the old Smokey Mountain; in the Cabuyao relocation area; in urban poor areas along the Pasig River; but most often in Mendiola.

According to Alicia Murphy, UPA field coordinator, “Kalbaryo” started due to the looming problems of urban poverty. “Ang problema kasi ng maralita ay mukhang di nababago. At lalong lumalala, napakadaming mga demolisyon etc. So kailangang I-highlight yung kanilang mga karaingan. Lalong-lalo na napakapangit kasi ng public image ng maralitang tagalungsod, minsan hindi naiinatindihan ng madla kaya kahit na meron ng ginagawang pang-aabuso sa kanila, violation of human rights, hindi naiintindihan ng publiko.”

“Kaya ang ginawa, siguro kailangang magsama-sama ang mga maralita para ipahayag kung ano ang kanilang kalagayan at kung ano ang kanilang mga pinapangarap sa buhay. Yung pinaka pangarap nila ay magkaroon ng kahit isang munting tahanan na mabubuhay ng marangal ang kanilang pamilya. At saka rin para magkaroon ng pagbabago yung imahe nila, na hindi sila yung pampabigat sa pamahalaan, na sila ay kuta ng mga magnanakaw, na wala silang silbi, mga ganoon. Dahil sila ay nagsisikap na maging mabuting tao. Karamihan sa kanila ay ganyan,” Ms. Murphy added.

The Kalbaryo has tried to show that God has a “preferential” love of the poor and also that the sufferings of Jesus Christ in his passion and death are repeated in the sufferings of the urban poor. Also, that Jesus’ resurrection is repeated in an initial way in the actions of the poor to organize themselves and seek non violent democratic solutions to their problems, such as forced evictions, hunger, joblessness, substandard housing, over-expensive water and light, poor schools, criminality, corruption and violence.

“Karamihan, halos lahat naman ng mga nasa urban poor areas ay mga Kristiyano lahat iyan. At naniniwala sila sa kapangyarihan ng Panginoon na matulungan sila. Ang kanila ngang mungkahi ay ikino-connect nila ang paghihirap nila sa paghihirap ni Kristo. Na habang sila ay inaapi, habang sila ay hindi naiintindihan, kasama nila si Kristo na naghihirap. Habang walang pagbabago sa mundo, walang pagbabago lalong lalo na sa mga dukha, patuloy na pinahihirapan natin si Kristo,” Ms. Murphy explained.

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Media Advisory - Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod 2009

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod

In observance of the Lenten season, the urban poor are celebrating their 23rd Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod on Wednesday (April 1, 2009) with the theme “Time for Change”.

Some 3,000 or more urban poor people and others from all over Metro Manila are expected to gather at Liwasang Bonifacio beginning at 10:00 AM.

Around 11:00 AM, the urban poor will march (from Liwasang Bonifacio to Plaza Miranda) with Jesus in triumph on a horse, and the crowds celebrating as they did on his entry into Jerusalem.

There will be a program of song, dance and contemporary drama at 1:00 PM, and a reading of the Charter of the Urban Poor which contains the issues the poor think must be agreed upon with the government and civil society: policies on evictions, for example, land tenure security, basic services for all, decent houses, jobs and food.

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales of Manila will say Mass at 3:00 PM in Quiapo Church with other priest and bishops. Mayor Alfredo Lim is also expected to attend the Mass.

“Kalbaryo” shows that the sufferings and death of Jesus on his journey to Calvary are repeated in the sufferings of the poor, and his resurrection is repeated in the efforts of the poor to free themselves from poverty.

Photo ops: During the procession, urban poor will carry a cross measuring 30 feet. The Last Supper, Palm Sunday, Via Crucis, Scourging at the Pillar, Crucifixion and the Resurrection will be reenacted by urban poor dancers, singers and actors with street plays.