Church leaders, NGOs unite to help railway families

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For Immediate Release on July 7, 2006

Church leaders, NGOs unite to help railway families

Empowered by His Eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales and Metropolitan Bishops, Church priests and members of non-government organizations (NGOs) met yesterday at the Caritas-Manila to consolidate views on railway tracks issues for the sake of 26,000 families who were dislocated and some 100,000 families who will be dislocated due to the Northrail and Southrail Projects.

Fr. Anton C.T. Pascual, Executive Director of Caritas-Manila, opened the discussion saying that the Church will now directly appeal to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because recent efforts to dialog with housing and government officials have not helped in any important way. “Dahil maraming paikot-ikot didiretsuhin na natin si Gloria! Ang kakausap sa kanya ay mga Obispo para ihain ang isyu ng home along the riles. Si Cardinal Rosales naman ay nagbigay ng matinding pagsuporta sa atin dito,” Fr. Pascual said.

The Metropolitan Bishops who will likely meet PGMA includes Bishops Deogracias Iñiguez, Francisco San Diego, Jessie Mercado and Leo Drona of the dioceses of Caloocan, Pasig, Parañaque and San Pablo, Laguna.

Recently, Cardinal Rosales sent Fr. Pascual on his behalf to visit the relocation sites and meet government officials to personally see the condition of the relocation sites and how the relocated families are doing and coping.

“Despite the efforts of Cardinal Rosales to call the government’s attention to the inadequacies of the relocation program, the officials haven’t responded positively in deeds,” according to the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a non-government organization conducting research in relocation sites. “We have asked housing officials including Vice President Noli de Castro to defer relocation until the sites are ready, but they have refused,” the UPA added.

Fr. Benito B. Tuazon, parish priest of St. Alphonsus in Magallanes, encouraged the group together with Metropolitan Bishops to visit the relocation site in Cabuyao, Laguna. “Ang nagsasalita para sa mga tao ay NGOs at negative ang tingin sa kanila ng gubyerno. But we can talk about it based on our experience on what we saw and what we have heard if we go to the relocation sites. Let’s take videos and pictures, interview people so that they can see the situation for themselves. Housing officials will give answers as if we do not know what’s really happening,” Fr. Tuazon points out.

Identified problems of the North and South relocation sites are lack of social services in terms of livelihood, sanitation, security, education, health, potable water and electricity. Hence, the following are the positions agreed upon for the relocated families: Remove the health-hazardous dumpsite at the Cabuyao relocation site; Fast track social services in the relocation sites; Have a longer grace period for the amortization of housing loans; Assign police outpost at the relocation sites. And for those who will soon be relocated: Start improving relocation sites with social services; Do not be strict with cut-off dates or census dates; Have a moratorium on demolitions until the relocation sites are ready; Find in-city or near-city relocation; Define the guidelines for ‘voluntary’ relocation.

Other priests who shared their views were Msgr. Cesar Pagulayan, Msgr. Celso Ditan, Fr. Jose Antonio Paras, Fr. Enrico Martin Adoviso, Fr. Allan Lopez of the parishes of Sto Rosario, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. John Bosco, Most Holy Trinity and San Lorenzo.

NGOs who participated at the meeting includes UPA, Partneship of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), Institute on Church and Social Issues (ICSI), Foundation for the Development of the Urban Poor (FDUP), Damayan ng mga Maralitang Pilipinong Api (DAMPA), Grassroots Women Empowerment Center (GWEC), Homeless People’s Federation and Bantay Riles. -30-

Taguig City railway dwellers fight against eviction

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For Immediate Release on June 6, 2006

Taguig City railway dwellers fight against eviction

Railway dwellers along Skyway East Service Road, Tenement in Taguig City were threatened to be demolished by the FTI Satellite Office of the Camp Badminton in FTI Complex, Western Bicutan yesterday morning but the affected families refused to be demolish.

“Ito ay taliwas sa mga pahayag ng City government na walang isasagawang demolisyon kung walang sapat at makataong relokasyon,” said Rowena Gepanaga, a resident.

Gepanaga argued that the demolition of their houses will be unlawful since the FTI Satellite Office does not have certificate of compliance (COC) from the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) and that the property is owned by the Philippine National Railway (PNR) and not within the jurisdiction of the Public Order Safety Office.

“Sang-ayon sa huling pagpupulong na ginanap noong ika-11 ng Mayo 2006 at dinaluhan ng iba’t ibang people’s organization, hindi rin ito sang-ayon sa napagkasunduan sa kung saan nabanggit ng Vice Mayor na walang isasagawang paglilikas ang local na pamahalaan,” Gepanaga added.

The informal settlers were informed on April 20 that their houses will be demolished within 30 days for the creation of the FTI Transport Terminal along East Service Road. The demolition notice never mentioned relocation sites and instead threatened that the local government will enlist the help of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to undertake the demolition if the residents did not vacate or self-demolish.

Engineer Jose Varquez of the PNR Real Estate Department, speaking in behalf of PNR General Manager Jose Ma. Sarasola II, told the residents on a meeting May 17 at the HUDCC boardroom that only the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) has been tasked as the over-all agency in charge in the demolition/relocation of settlers being affected by the Southrail project.

The Urban Poor Associates, a non-government organization working on urban poor issues, pressed on the PCUP, PNR, NHA, and HUDCC to look unto the problems of the railway dwellers. “The demolition being initiated by the FTI Satellite office is a gross maneuver to force the railway dwellers to accept instead a distant relocation site in Cabuyao, Laguna which is the focus of complaints for its state of unpreparedness.”

“Is the South Korean government which funds the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project (NSLP) aware that the local government is intervening with the demolition of houses along the railways without relocation which is also a violation of the international law?” the UPA asked. -30-

Informal settlers file for TRO against U.P. Diliman

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For Immediate Release on June 1, 2006

Informal settlers file for TRO against U.P. Diliman

Informal settlers within the University of the Philippines (U.P.) compound in Diliman, Quezon City have asked the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on May 29 for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against U.P. to forestall any further acts of eviction and demolition in the absence of an adequate relocation.

The case with prayer for TRO and Preliminary Injunction is set for raffle today, June 1, 2:00 PM, before the session hall of honorable Natividad G. Dizon, Executive Judge of QC Hall of Justice’s Branch 106.

Petitioner Fernando V. Bunuan and Rodolfo J. Rojas of Pook Dagohoy in U.P. Campus said respondents U.P., with Ida May J. La’O in her capacity as Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs, have threatened to demolish their homes without offering them relocation sites.

They argued that the demolition is in violation with the constitutional mandate enshrined in the Social Justice provisions of Article XIII, Section 10, 1987 Constitution. They said U.P. must also comply with the section 28 of the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Petitioners, with the help of Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Maralita (NALAMA), a people’s organization from 20 barangays within U. P. Campus, filed for a TRO after they were informed on April 26 by respondents U.P. that their houses will be demolished within 30 days to give way for the University’s campaign against dengue by clearing all legal impediments along canals and its 3-meter easement. According to the demolition notice signed by Ida May J. La’O, U.P. is exempted from the coverage of UDHA, citing the Supreme Court decision on Advincula vs. Court of Appeals, GR# 136378 (December 4, 2000). Hence, evicted families, according to the notice, will not receive financial assistance or relocation.

However, the claim of U.P. that they are not covered by R.A. 7279 is false and incorrect, according to the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a non-government organization dealing with issues directly affecting the lives of the marginalized and underprivileged. “Hindi totoong naglabas ng desisyon ang Korte Suprema na nagsasabing ang U.P. ay exempted sa batas ng UDHA, sapagkat hindi nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na maisampa ang kaso sa takdang panahon ayon sa batas,” said Atty. Bienvenido A. Salinas 2nd, coordinator of UPA’s legal unit, St. Thomas More Law Center.

The Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor (PCUP) has rendered on November 19, 2003 an opinion to the effect that U.P. is not exempted from the coverage of R.A. 7279 (UDHA).

According to the Urban Poor Affairs Office (UPAO), there are currently about 25,000 informal settler families occupying 11% to 15% of the 493-hectare University. -30-

PGMA urged to discuss extrajudicial killings with the Pope

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For Immediate Release on June 30, 2006

PGMA urged to discuss extrajudicial killings with the Pope

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has asked President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to inform His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI of the numerous extrajudicial killings taking place in the Philippines and see if he congratulates her with another “well done”.

In a letter to PGMA dated June 29, AHRC stated that the percentage of killings in the Philippines ranks among the highest in Asia and Pope Benedict will naturally have a keen interest in this matter, with the first commandment being 'thou shall not kill'.

“Your government deserves to take credit for the abolition of the death penalty, together with the many persons, in the Philippines and elsewhere, who have fought for many years to abolish the death sentence. It is a mark of respect for life and recognition that the right to take away life does not belong to any individual or institution. The significance attached to this is lost however, when the same government continues to engage in extrajudicial killings,” the AHRC said.

Pope Benedict will also be interested to know, AHRC added, that priests, nuns and activists from Christian organizations have been among the persons killed.

“The AHRC urges you to bring this matter to the attention of Pope Benedict even at this late stage, and to inform him whether you, as the head of state, are determined to end these killings immediately,” the AHRC’s letter read.

The letter, signed by AHRC Executive Director Basil Fernando, was written after he saw a press photograph of PGMA with Pope Benedict. The caption said the President informed the Pope about the abolition of the death penalty. The AHRC is a regional non-governmental human rights organization of lawyers that has been pressing the Philippine government to effectively stopped extrajudicial killings.

Since the beginning of 2004, it is said that approximately 290 people have been killed in the Philippines in extrajudicial processes.

Human rights defenders in the Philippines, including the Saint Thomas More Law Center of the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), have received death threats for filing cases against government officials violating housing rights. -30-

U.P. workers, teachers, students, urban poor united to stop evictions

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For Immediate Release on June 29, 2006

U.P. workers, teachers, students, urban poor united to stop evictions

Hundreds of people from several community organizations at the University of the Philippines (U.P.) in Diliman, Quezon City joined forces to form the Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan Laban sa Demolisyon sa U.P. (ALMADEM) on a protest rally held at the U.P. Campus this morning. About 500 people marched from Vinzons Hall to gather at the Oblation of the U.P. Administration Building in Quezon Hall. They condemn the on-going demolitions and evictions of informal settlers inside the U.P. Campus.

Present at the rally to express outrage on the U.P Administration’s policy in demolitions are leaders from Nagkakaisang Lakas ng mga Maralita (NALAMA), U.P. Campus Neighborhood Association (UPCNA), University Hotel Worker’s Union (UHWU), All U.P. Workers Union, All U.P. Academic Union, Anakbayan and University Student Council (USC).

The University is known for its activists that safeguard the rights of marginalized sector. However, in this case, the University is a housing right violator, according to the leaders. “Nasaan na ang mga ideolohiyang itinuro ng Unibersidad sa karapatang pantao? Tinatalikuran ng administrasyon ng U.P. ang kanyang responsibilidad sa mga apektadong pamilya ng kanilang proyektong nais gawin. Iba na ang posisyon ng U.P. sa usapin ng pagbibigay ng katarungan para sa mga maralita,” said Fred Ajero, spokesperson of NALAMA.

The community organizations believed that there is an urgent need to find workable alternatives to this most impoverishing practice. “Dapat nang itigil ng Administrasyon ng U.P. ang ginagawang pananakot at pagdedemolis. Dapat kilalanin ng Administrasyon ng Unibersidad ang R.A. 7279 (UDHA). Dapat magbaba ng TRO ang korte para sa mga naaapektuhan ng mga demolisyon. Dapat maglaan ng lupa para sa mga maralitang naninirahan dito.”

“The University of the Philippines (UP) is not exempt from complying with the requisites for eviction provided in Section 28 of Republic Act No. 7279, also known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA). Hence UP is not exempt from complying with EO 152 since it provides a mechanism to ensure compliance with Section 28 of the UDHA,” according to the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), a non-government organization working with urban poor issues.

It is clear from the law that eviction and demolition involving the underprivileged and homeless citizens shall be in accordance with law and in a just and humane manner. Article XIII, Section 9 and 10 are two significant provisions in the 1987 Philippine Constitution that protect and promote the interest of the urban poor. UDHA was enacted to implement the two Constitutional provisions.

“While it is true that Section 5 (e) of UDHA provides that lands actually and primarily used for educational purposes are exempt from the coverage of UDHA, the owners/administrators are not exempt from observing the mandatory constitutional requirement. To interpret the law differently would be giving UP administrators a license to evict the poor families in a less than humane and just manner,” the UPA said.

Exemption under Article II, section 5 of UDHA is not absolute. This Section also states that exemption under this section shall not apply when the purpose of these lands has ceased to exist.

Evictions are increasing algebraically, causing a colossal displacement of people. Once demolished, evictees are forced to settle on other lands and may be subject to demolition once again, a hopeless cycle of homelessness. Such is the situation of hundreds of thousands of Filipino families in Metro Manila, according to UPA. -30-

PROTEST RALLY IN U.P. TO STOP FORCED EVICTIONS

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2006

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

PROTEST RALLY IN U.P. TO STOP FORCED EVICTIONS
U.P. workers, students, urban poor united

Community organizations at the University of the Philippines (U.P.) in Diliman, Quezon City are joining forces on a protest rally June 29 (Thursday) to condemn the demolitions and evictions of informal settlers inside the U.P. Campus.

The Nagkakaisang Lakas ng mga Maralita (NALAMA), U.P. Campus Neighborhood Association (UPCNA), University Hotel Worker’s Union (UHWU), All U.P. Workers Union, Anakbayan and University Student Council (USC) formed the Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan Laban sa Demolisyon sa U.P. (ALMADEM) to fight against the U.P. administration’s policy in demolitions.

Thousands of people will gather to express outrage in Vinzons Hall at 8:00 AM. They will march from Vinzons Hall going to the Oblation of the U.P. Administration Building in Quezon Hall at 9:00 AM. The program will start at 10:00 AM.

The community organizations believed that there is an urgent need to find workable alternatives to this most impoverishing practice. “Dapat nang itigil ng Administrasyon ng U.P. ang ginagawang pananakot at pagdedemolis. Dapat kilalanin ng Administrasyon ng Unibersidad ang R.A. 7279 (UDHA). Dapat magbaba ng TRO ang korte para sa mga naaapektuhan ng mga demolisyon. Dapat maglaan ng lupa para sa mga maralitang naninirahan dito,” the community organizations said in a statement.

Photo ops: A cultural presentation will show how forced evictions destroy people’s lives.

What: PROTEST RALLY in U.P.
Date: June 29, 2006 (Thursday)
Time: 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN
Venue: Oblation, Quezon Hall, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City

FORCED EVICTIONS IN U.P. CAMPUS AND ITS SOCIAL IMPERATIVE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2006

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

FORCED EVICTIONS IN U.P. CAMPUS AND ITS SOCIAL IMPERATIVE

Leaders of Nagkakaisang Lakas ng mga Maralita, U.P. Campus Neighborhood Association, University Hotel Worker’s Union, All U.P. Workers Union, Anakbayan and U.P. Student Council will have a PRESS CONFERENCE on June 28 (Wednesday), 10:00 AM at the All U.P. Workers Union Office to question the on-going demolitions in the community.

Following the press conference, at least 3,000 people are expected to participate in a PROTEST RALLY on June 29 (Thursday). Beginning 8:00 AM, they will march from Vinzon’s Hall to the Oblation at the U.P. administration building to condemn the forced evictions.

Informal settlers are seeking a temporary restraining order against the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, to prevent their eviction and the demolition of their houses. However, the U.P. Legal Office is also seeking for the outright dismissal of the petition in the case filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court on the following grounds: 1. that the petition states no cause of action because it states no right violated. 2. that assuming that petitioners are beneficiaries under R.A. 7279, respondent U.P. is not covered by said law.

There are currently about 25,000 informal settler families occupying 11% to 15% of the 493-hectare University.

Amidst the looming weight of Philippine traditional property rights provisions and jurisprudence, where the owner and/or legitimate possessor reign supreme in relation to claiming possessory rights, the need to recognize and realize the evictees’ right to adequate housing and right against forced eviction provide a crucial counterweight.

The mandate to recognize and realize every person’s right to adequate housing and right against forced evictions traces its legal moorings to international covenants, conventions, declarations, the 1987 Constitution, and several statutes. Suffice it to say that these instruments, when juxtaposed with the more appropriate framework for addressing the phenomena of urban poverty and homelessness, point to a balancing of property and housing rights.

Photo ops: The Nagkakaisang Lakas ng mga Maralita (NALAMA), U.P. Campus Neighborhood Association (UPCNA), University Hotel Worker’s Union, All U.P. Workers Union, Anakbayan and U.P. Student Council will form an alliance against forced evictions and it will be shown by leaders holding a shattered picture of a home that will be put together.

What: Press Conference
Date: June 28, 2006 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: All U.P. Workers Union Office, J.P Laurel corner Roces Street, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City (across the U.P. Post Office)