Umbrella Walk for UDHA Amendment

Urban Poor Associates

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

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TFUA umbrella walk calling for UDHA Amendments at Congress.

05 May 2014. Task Force UDHA Amendments composed of Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies Inc (Philssa), Peoples Alternative Study Center for Research and Education in Social Development (Pascres) and various people’s organizations from different cities gathered today in front of congres, senate and other places to push further their call to amend UDHA.

Urban poor groups brought with them umbrella labeled “Amend UDHA Now! Promote Housing Rights!” The mobilization is a peaceful rally reminding the legislatures that the poor are closely monitoring all developments under housing and urban development.

Celia Santos, UPA UDHA Advocacy Officer said, “Umbrella is a symbol of shelter for most of us. It keeps us dry from rain and keeps us from too much heat. Our urban poor advocates wanted a constant reminder that they are bent in pushing UDHA amendments and they thought that there is no other best way but to use their umbrellas labeled with phrases of support UDHA amendments. This umbrella is their walking advertisement to the public to join them with their endeavor.”

The proposed amendments filed by COOP NATCCO party list Rep. Cresente Paez and Camarines Sur Rep. Leonor Robredo House Bill 2791  and Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, Senate Bill 1874 will ensure that the rights of the poor for decent housing will be given a priority.

This bills aims to further secure the urban poor from eviction and demolition of their homes and from relocating them in distant places lacking basic services and livelihood opportunities, thus clarifying the definition of “resettlement areas” that it must be within and/or near city areas.  

It also calls for proper technical study and public consultation before declaring areas as danger zone/high risk area.

This measure will mandate government to set-up a Socialized Housing Commission with quasi-judicial power and authority with all issues arising from the implementation of UDHA law.

Marlon Quirante, President Exodus Homeowners Association , “For the past nine years that we have been pushing for the amendments, this is by far the most number of supports we had from the law makers. The implementation of on-site and near-city resettlement was also given priority. We are also hopeful that our people’s plan for on-site housing in Taytay, Binondo and Caloocan will be granted. We believe that through our proposed UDHA amendments we will secure that poverty alleviation and risk mitigation can be achieved by implementing socialized housings that agreeable among the government and poor people affected. 

Santos concluded, “We urge committees to continue to hold hearings as it move forward having the law amended.”

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UDHA Amendments a Call for Decent Housing

2013 September 10. Urban poor groups from various parts of the metropolis led by Task Force UDHA Amendments joined supportive congress persons in filing a House Bill amending Republic Act No. 7279, the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA).

Authors of the proposed House Bill are Representatives Cresente C. Paez and Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo. Co-authors are Representatives Walden Bello, Ibarra M.  Gutierrez III, Kaka J. Bag-ao, Jose Christopher Y. Belmonte and Benjamin D. Asilo.

The title of the proposed bill is: "An act strengthening and securing the rights of the urban poor against evictions and/or demolitions and to provide adequate housing, amending for this purpose Republic Act No. 7279 otherwise known as 'An act to provide for a comprehensive and continuing urban development and housing program, establish the mechanism for its implementation, and for other purposes' or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992."

This bill aims to further secure the urban poor from eviction and demolition of their homes and from relocating them in distant places lacking basic services and livelihood opportunities, thus clarifying the definition of “resettlement areas” that it must be within and/or near city areas. 

The bill further provides that consultation must be effectively done with the active participation of the affected communities, with the right to offer and counter-offer for relocation sites when reasonable and allowable.  This expands likewise the mandate of the law by requiring developers to develop an area for socialized housing equivalent to at least twenty percent (20%) of the total area or project cost, at the option of the developer, not only on proposed subdivision projects but also on proposed condominiums, memorial parks, golf courses and all other land development projects. 

The bill ensures strengthening the requirements in cases of eviction of informal settlers and demolition of their residential structures and broadening of the penalties on the violation of the Urban Development and Housing Act.

The bill also proposes the creation of the Socialized Housing Commission with quasi-judicial powers and authority with exclusive jurisdiction over all issues arising from the implementation of UDHA Law.

 

Celia Santos, Urban Poor Associates Advocacy officer said, “We have been pushing for UDHA amendments for the past 10 years, this is by far the largest support we ever had. We are hopeful that this bill will pass in due time. The task force with the legislators have only one goal, decent housing for all.”

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