KALBARYO NG MARALITA 2012 (End the Calvary of the Poor)

Urban Poor Associates

25-A Mabuhay Street, Brgy. Central, Q.C.            Tel.: 4264118 / 4264119 / 4267615              Fax: 4264118

Ref:  Princess L. Asuncion          Mobile phone: 0908 1967450          http://urbanpoorassociates.blogspot.com

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Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Urban poor groups will hold their annual Kalbaryo ng Maralita on April 3 (Tuesday) from 8 AM to 12 Noon.  It will be called “Karabaryo” a caravan of the poor people. They will begin with the staging of the Stations of the Cross at the National Housing Authority (NHA), Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), World Bank, and the Ninoy Aquino Monument, Makati.

At each stop there will be singers. Seven men will carry big crosses, everyone else will wear Jesus masks. They will say prayers for each station. They will also give the written prayers to the respective agencies.  There will be a special prayer for peace at the Ninoy Aquino monument.

Task Force Anti-Eviction which is composed of housing right’s group, chose NHA as its first station because until now NHA doesn’t seem to understand the real meaning of social housing, the people say.  PRRC continues to remove thousands of settlers living along waterways. People want the World Bank to strengthen its accountability to the people. The people believe that the Ninoy Aquino Monument is a symbol of a transformed society. They believe it will remind President Noynoy Aquino that this is the time to produce concrete solutions to the problems of the poor.

The Kalbaryo reminds Philippine society that the suffering of Jesus in His Passion and death are repeated today in the sufferings imposed on the poor by forced evictions, homelessness, hunger, landlessness, injustice, joblessness, lack of dignity and powerlessness.

Photo ops: The procession will be led by 7 men bearing the crosses of the poor families. There will be photo ops at the Stations of the Cross along the way.

Date: April 3, 2012 (Tuesday)

Time: Gather at 8:00 AM

Assembly point: Quezon City Hall

Please Cover.

KARABARYO 2012

April 3, 2012

7:00 – 8:00                                         Assembly time at Quezon City Hall

8:00 – 8:15                                         March to NHA (National Housing Authority)

8:15 – 8:30                                         Program at NHA

8:30 – 8:45                                         Travel time to PRRC (Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission)

8:45 – 9:00                                         from Shell  Station – Walk to PRRC

9:00 – 9:15                                         Program at PRRC

9:15 – 9:45                                         Travel time to World Bank – Ortigas

9:45 – 10:00                                      Ortigas – Walk to World Bank

10:00- 10:30                                      World Bank Program

10:30 -11:15                                      Travel Time

11:15 – 11:30                                     Walk from Peninsula Hotel to the

 Ninoy Aquino Monument

11:30 – 11:45                                     Program at the Ninoy Aquino Monument

President Benigno Aquino III Asked to End the Calvary of the poor

19 April 2011. Women carrying a heavy wooden 30 feet cross led five thousand crowd from Plaza Miranda to Mendiola to ask President Benigno Aquino III to end their calvary as they re-enacted today the passion and death of Jesus Christ. With them were members of Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE) including Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE).

Photo Slide-show:

This Lenten season marked the 25th year of Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod. “Kalbaryo” shows that the sufferings and death of Jesus are repeated in the sufferings of the poor, and his resurrection is repeated in the efforts of the poor to free themselves from the scourge of poverty.

VIDEOS:

PART 1 OF 2


PART 2 OF 2


(Videos of the Calvary were also posted on Maypaki's blog. Just click here.)

Felomina Cinco, president of Nagkakaisang Mamamayan ng Legarda said, “25 years of Kalbaryo we are still poor. We are still threatened with demolitions. We are still victims of injustices. We are still struggling to get the support of the government to give us land security.”

“We carry this huge cross even if it pains us because it is nothing compared to our day to day sufferings and nothing compared to the thought of losing our homes. This suffering is what we want the president to see because we believe he has the power to change our lives and so that he will realize that this is the time to act and solve the issues of the poor. ”

This year’s theme “Homes free from demolitions and resilient to disasters with secure livelihood and sustainable future,” reflects UPA’s 2009 study that every hour two urban poor families lost their homes and in a week 277 families were evicted from their community. In the same year, thousands of urban poor lost their homes due to typhoon Ondoy. Recently a series of fires broke out in urban poor areas.

TFAE said the government is just finding more and more ways to evict people or drive them away from the city, including the clean up of Manila Bay which will displace 129, 606 families. But the spirit of the urban poor never wavers because they know that the president just like a mother will play a big role to provide them with decent housing and a sustainable future.

Around 10 AM the group had their contemporary prayer, children performed manong pawikan, and the highlight was the reading of Kalatas which contains the results of the technical working group created by the president to study the concerns and proposals of the urban poor.

Written in the Kalatas are urban poor issues with specific solutions like the revocation of Executive Order 854 in Lupang Arenda; Building of Medium Rise Buildings to house informal settlers in Navotas Fishport; Implementation of a proposed development plan in Baseco; and implementation of the housing design by Palafox Architects in 5 esteros in Manila.

In the Kalatas the group asked the President to continue the moratorium on evictions and to issue an Executive Order about the covenant he signed during the campaign period on March 6, 2010 and the promises he gave in a meeting with urban poor and housing rights group last December 23, 2010.

In parting Jose Morales, President of Ugnayang Lakas ng Apektadong Pamilya (ULAP) said, “We utter everything through our prayer. All together we kneel and pause for a 2 minutes silence for our personal requests to the Lord. But all of us only want two things: a happy family and a place free of demolitions.”

Kalbaryo as a tradition has united the urban and rural poor in seeking to build a society of justice and prosperity for all. Anti-poor policies and strategies are still in existence, hence the continuous creation of slums in urban areas. If no serious action is taken, such tragedy will mean the poorest are getting poorer. The urban poor want a stop to government unjust actions. The Kalbaryo is a gentle way of reminding us of our obligations to our brothers and sisters. -30-

Kalatas (click image below to enlarge):

MEDIA ADVISORY: Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Taga-Lungsod 2011

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

This Lenten season will mark the 25th year of Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Tagalungsod on April 19, Holy Tuesday with the theme “Homes free from demolitions and resilient to disasters with secure livelihood and sustainable future.”

Some 5000 or more urban poor people and others from all over Metro Manila are expected to gather at Plaza Miranda beginning at 8:00 AM.

Around 9:00 AM, the urban poor will start the march from Plaza Miranda to Mendiola This will be led by 50 women carrying a 30 feet cross as women carry the biggest burden in times of eviction. The procession will have a trail of crowd following the seven men wearing Christ mask and carrying small crosses that symbolize the Passion of Christ, but each corresponds to the issues of the poor, in particular their housing rights.

There will be a program of contemporary prayer, children performances and the reading of Kalatas which contains the results of the technical working group created by President Benigno Aquino III to study the concerns and proposals of the urban poor.

“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.

Urban Poor say, “We will be bringing clocks to signify that this is the time ‘Oras na!’ that the government must act on the calvary of the poor.”

Photo ops: During the procession, urban poor women will carry a cross measuring 30 feet. The Via Crucis, Children’s performances, and the big crowd bringing placards and clocks.

Date: April 19, 2011 (HOLY TUESDAY)

Time: 8:30 to 11:00 AM

Venue: Plaza Miranda to Mendiola

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Sufferings of Christ, Kalbaryo of the Urban Poor

Press Release
March 30, 2010

Fifteen young urban poor wearing Christ masks re-enacted the passion and death of Jesus Christ today in Makati city’s business district, a place that the poor consider a symbol of wealth in Metro Manila and where one does not see the worsening problems of poverty, violence, and oppression. With them were members of housing rights organizations including Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise Foundation (COPE).

This Lenten season marked the 24th year of Kalbaryo with a theme “What Have You Done to my Brothers and Sisters”? A 24 years of struggle of the urban poor sector against evictions, homelessness, hunger, injustice, joblessness, lack of dignity and powerlessness.

No big changes have happened in the condition of the poor during the 24 years. Through the Kalbaryo the actors delivered a message that Christ is judging us on what we have done to our urban poor brothers and sisters. Jesus tells us in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 25) where he is speaking of the hungry, homeless, and persecuted, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me.” Thus, it shows that the suffering of Jesus should remind us of the sufferings of the poor.

“The Kalbaryo of the urban poor started in 1986. Over the years it has taken place in different places: in Leveriza; on top of the old Smokey Mountain; in Cabuyao relocation area; in urban poor places where eviction and oppression are imminent,” said UPA Deputy Coordinator Teodoro Añana. “But this year, massive demolitions are happening in all parts of Metro Manila even when it is a presidential election year. So through this Kalbaryo we want to show images of the sufferings of the poor and Jesus. It is also a non violent democratic way of seeking solutions to the urban poor problems.”

UPA, a non-government organization that focuses on evictions of urban poor people, found out that every hour two urban poor families lost their homes and were evicted from their community. That means in one day 40 families are rendered homeless and in a week, a total of 277 urban poor families made homeless. Most of the eviction cases are done by forcibly and turned violent. Human rights violations during eviction and demolition are not recorded by government agencies.

Last March 22, 2010 the urban poor groups sought the help of Commission on Election (Comelec) to ban demolition during the election period as this could result to the disenfranchisement of thousands of urban poor voters. At 2:00 PM today, the groups ended their Kalbaryo by revisiting the Comelec’s office to follow up on the commission’s response to their petition—appeal for a demolition moratorium. The urban poor group also submitted a letter to Atty. Ferdinand Rafanan, the legal department head of Comelec requesting for a dialog with him to discuss urban poor people’s concern about their suffrage.

Añana concluded, “We believe there can be no solution to the country’s problem unless the poor, who are at least 50% of the population, are involved in the reform process. This can only be concretely done by exercising their right to vote and electing leaders who will change the condition of the urban poor. Because demolition and relocation threaten this reform process, the urban poor sector will never get tired of waiting for Comelec’s action on this matter. They want Comelec’s answer during the Kalbaryo. Only 42 days are left before the May 10 election. What is important is the poor should be involved in all the phases of reform—in voting, planning, in the implementation and in the enjoyment of the good results of reform”

Kalbaryo as a tradition has united the urban and rural poor in seeking to build a society of justice and prosperity for all. Anti-poor policies and strategies are still in existence, hence the continuous creation of slums in urban areas. If no serious action is taken, such tragedy will mean the poorest are getting poorer. The urban poor want a stop to government unjust actions. The Kalbaryo is a gentle way of reminding us of our obligations to our brothers and sisters. -30-

Kalbaryo ng Maralitang Taga-Lungsod

MEDIA ADVISORY

In observance of the Lenten Season, the urban poor will hold their 24th year of Kalbaryo with a theme, “What Have You Done to My Brothers and Sisters”. This will show that the sufferings of Jesus should remind us of the sufferings of the poor.

The celebration of the annual Kalbaryo will be on March 30, 2010. The celebration will be led by men and women wearing Christ Masks. The urban poor actors will carry signs containing quotes from the bible. There will also be a small tableau of a child sleeping on cardboard and a mother begging while holding her baby.

Also this year, the urban poor will depict “Salubong” on April 3, 2010 (Black Saturday) in Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, where 60,000 urban poor are being evicted because of the President’s issuance of Executive Order 854.

Program
Date Scenarios
Kalbaryo
March 30 (Tuesday)
Makati City At 10:00 AM, six Christs, one woman and baby, one young boy will be at the Philippine Stock Exchange in Makati lining up in the main door. There will be music and a drama about the condition of the poor.

Then they will walk to Ayala Ave. in a single file in rhythmic way. They cross to the Ninoy Aquino monument and stand there looking at the traffic.

Next, they will go to the Rustan’s Mall and do the same action as at the Stock Exchange.

At 2:00 PM, the last stop of the Kalbaryo is at the Comission on Election (Comelec) office in Intramuros. Christ will reiterate the message that demolitions should be banned during election period as they can disenfranchise thousands of urban poor voters.

Salubong
April 3 (Black Saturday)
Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City At 4:00 PM, 2000 urban poor people will meet at the F. Legazpi Bridge (former Javier Bridge) Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City, to watch Mary and Christ puppets riding rafts on the floodway and meeting one another, accompanied by 50 children wearing angel costumes.

Then at 5:30 pm, the participants will go to Purok 6 East bank road, Sta. Lucia, Manggahan Floodway, Pasig City for a prayer service.

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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.

-30-

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.