Krus ng kanilang kahilingan, iprinusisyon ng mga maralita sa kanilang bersyon ng kalbaryo

 

Apat na krus na sumisimbolo sa mga sularinanin at kahilingan ng maralitang Pilipino ang pinasan ng mga miyembro ng Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) at Partido Manggagawa (PM) sa kanilang bersyon ng ng “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” na ginanap sa Maynila kaninang umaga.

Nagkita-kita sa ang may 500 myembro ng AMP at PM sa may Sta. Cruz Church sa Maynila dala ang apat na krus na pasan-pasan nila sa ginanap na martsa-prusisyon patungong Mendiola.

Ayon kay Ramil Cangayao, lead convenor at tagapagsalita ng AMP, ang apat na krus ay sumisimbolo sa apat na kahilingan ng maralita tulad ng (1) Disente, abot-kaya at ligtas na komunidad; (2) Trabaho at kabuhayan, (3) Subsidyo sa pagkain, at (3) Universal healthcare

Ayon kay Cangayao, malabong maging ‘predominantly middle class society’ ang Pilipinas sa taong 2040 na siyang ibinibida ng pamahalaan sa Ambisyon Natin 2040 kung mismong pinakabatayang pangangailangan ng mahihirap ay hindi matutugunan tulad ng pabahay, trabaho, pagkain, at kalusugan.

“Mahirap mangarap ng malayo kung ang malapit at kagyat na pangangailangan ay hindi mismo maihakbang. Kung kasali ang maralita sa Ambisyon, kami ang dapat unang makaramdam nito sa kanyang unang mga taon,” sambit ni Cangayao.

Ayon sa AMP, humigit kumulang sa anim (6) na milyon ang housing needs ng mga Pilipino bukod sa mahigit 2 milyong backlog at sa planong Build-Build-Build (BBB) ay hindi naman prayoridad ang abot-kaya at disenteng pabahay sa mahihirap kundi mga big ticket projects tulad ng kalsada, airports, riles, subway, at iba pa na baka maging daan pa sa dislokasyon ng maraming mahihirap na pamilya sa mga tatamaan ng proyekto.

Malawak pa rin umano ang problema sa kawalan at kalulangan ng trabaho at ang laganap na endo sa sektor paggagawa.  Hirap na hirap din ang mahihirap sa mataas na presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin na sa halip na bumaba ay lalo pang tumaas dahil sa implementasyon ng TRAIN law.

Gaundin sa problema sa kalusugan dahil kahit umano may anunsyo na hindi tatanggihan ang mahihirap sa mga ospital ay nananatiling mahal ang serbisyong medikal, lalo na ng mga hindi saklaw ng philhealth, insurance, at iba pang ayuda.  Kaya hinihiling ng maralita ang universal healthcare o maaring pakinabangan anumang oras at saan man.

Nanawagan ang grupo na unahin ng gubyernong Duterte ang solusyon sa mga nabanggit na problema ng mahihirap kaysa sa interes ng negosyo at mga dayuhang investor na interesado sa BBB ng pamahalaan.

“Ilagay ang pondo ng gubyerno sa pabahay, trabaho, pakain, at kalusugan ng mga Pilipino. Maging ang lokal at dayunang puhununan ay magandang dito rin ilaan,” pagtatapos ni Cangayao.

Marso 27, 2018

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP)

Life under PNoy is daily sacrifice for workers – labor group

PRESS RELEASE

14 April 2014

The Filipino masses got a brief respite in yesterday’s convincing victory of their Pambansang Kamao over Timothy Bradley, yet such a moment of glory cannot gloss over the fact that life remains a difficult fight for survival under the present administration. 

 

In their traditional rendition of “Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa at Maralita” held this morning at Mendiola, members of the labor group, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), called the attention of the Aquino administration on several issues where ordinary workers were practically and perpetually “crucified”. 

 

These issues include the problems of unemployment, contractualization, and the deepening inequality between the rich and the poor.

 

“In truth the ‘tuwid na daan’ was a tricky road to trek.  It remains a “kalbaryo” -- a daily sacrifice for ordinary workers who are continuously denied the rights and opportunity to live a decent life,” said PM Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda. 

 

Miranda said life under the Aquino administration remains a difficult fight for survival to both men and women who carry the burden of jobs crisis characterized by rising unemployment, low-wage and contractual work arrangements. 

 

According to the Social Weather Station (SWS) 27 out of 100 adult Filipinos were considered unemployed in December 2013.  The same survey also showed that unemployment was highest among women (35.9%) and among youth (52.3%) under the age group 18-24.

 

And for those who are employed, added Miranda, the working conditions remain very harsh with millions of workers living a slave-like subsistence under contractual work arrangements while their bosses join the club of the world’s top billionaires. 

 

According to PM’s own study, the workers real wage increased by mere 14% between 2006 and 2013 while the net worth of the country’s 10 richest capitalists increased by 1,005%. 

 

The group likewise lambasted the government for failing to address the problems of high power rates, the high cost of basic goods and services, as well as the deteriorating state of our mass transport system particularly the MRT and LRT.

 

The group, together with the labor coalition Nagkaisa!, are now preparing their forces for a major nationwide action on Labor Day.

Urban poor suffering highlighted in “Kalbaryo ng Maralita”

Press Release
March 30, 2010

Poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment were highlighted in a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” held today by militant urban poor. “There are more than 18 million urban poor out of 90 million Filipinos and their numbers keep growing due to migration from rural areas and grinding poverty in the cities. The social volcano will explode unless government on the grievances of millions of poor and hungry,” warned Renato Magtubo, chairperson of the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

More than a 100 members of PM and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino participated in the yearly ritual of “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. The march started at 9:00 a.m. from Palasan along Sucat Road in Parañaque and ended in a program at the Baclaran Church around 12:00 noon. Some of the marchers carried makeshift crosses and wore symbolic crown of thorns on their heads. The program was conducted like a traditional “pasyon.”

The urban poor challenged the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the urban poor. “We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty or fighting corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, an AMP. The group cited government estimates of some 300,000 homeless families living in so-called danger zones and thus threatened with demolition.

“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.

In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.

Magtubo asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”

The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.

Pagdurusa ng mahihirap ilalahad bukas sa “Kalbaryo ng Maralita”

Radio Release
March 29, 2010

Kahirapan, kagutuman, kawalan ng pabahay at trabaho ang pinatingkad na mga suliranin sa isang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” na ilulunsad ng militanteng mga grupo bukas ng umaga. “May lagpas 18 milyong maralitang tagalungsod at bawat araw ay lumalaki ang kanilang bilang bunga ng migrasyon mula sa mga probinsya at ng grabeng kahirapan sa kalunsuran,” paliwanag ni Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng party-list na Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Higit sa 100 kasapi ng PM at Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) ang sasama sa taunang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” Ang AMP ay isang network ng mga samahan ng maralita sa Metro Manila, Central Luzon at Southern Tagalog. Ang martsa ay magsisimula ng 9:00 nu sa McDonald’s Kabihasnan sa Parañaque at magtatapos sa Simbahan ng Baclaran bandang alas dose. Magdadala ang ilang militante na mga krus na gawa sa karton at mga koronang tinik na gawa sa papel. Ang programa sa Simbahan ng Baclaran ay itutulad naman sa isang pasyon.

Hinamon ng mga maralita ang mga presidentiables na maglahad ng plataporma na tutugon sa mga karaingan ng maralita. “Sawa na kami sa abstraktong mga islogan tungkol sa pagtatapos ng kahirapan at paglaban sa korupsyon bilang ugat ng kahirapan. Ang gusto namin ay konkretong programa na tutugon sa kawalan ng trabaho, pagkain, pabahay at kita na pasaning mga krus ng mahihirap,” dagdag ni Robert Labrador, isang lider ng AMP.

Sa Kalbaryo ay ilalahad bilang mga sundalong Romano ang mga pulis ng Parañaque at mga gwardya ng Amvel Subdivision habang itutulad sa mga Pariseo si Mike Velarde ng El Shaddai. Pagsasalarawan ito ng serye ng demolisyong naganap kung kailan lamang sa Palasan sa Parañaque, isang komunidad malapit sa lugar na pinagsimulan ng Kalbaryo. Pinangunahan ng mga pulis ng Parañaque at gwardya ng Amvel ang demolisyon habang inaakusahan ng mga residente ng Palasan si Velarde bilang utak ng demolisyon. Ang Amvel ang inamin ni Velarde na siyang dahilan kung bakit ipinalihis niya ang kontrobersyal na C5 extension road.

Urban poor to challenge presidentiables in “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” tomorrow

Press Release
March 29, 2010

Militant urban poor will hold tomorrow a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” to air their grievances about poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment. They will also challenge the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the millions of poor and hungry Filipinos.

“We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty and corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, a leader of the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP). AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

More than a 100 members of AMP and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) will hold the yearly tradition of a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” They will march tomorrow morning Palasan in Parañaque to the Baclaran Church.

“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.

Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”

In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.

The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.

Thousands of urban poor rally at Paranaque City Hall for a moratorium on demolitions

Press Release
March 26, 2009
Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

More than a thousand urban poor residents assembled at two different points in Paranaque then marched on to the City Hall to demand a moratorium on demolitions. The protesters held a whole-day program at the grounds of the City Hall and then petitioned the City Council which met at 4 p.m.

“We are asking the City Council of Paranaque to pass an ordinance in accordance with the resolution of the Commission on Human Rights recommending to LGU’s that they implement a moratorium in evictions and demolitions in consideration of the impact of the crisis on the poor,” explained Nena Olbina, a leader of the Alyansa ng Maralita sa Paranaque (AMP), a coalition of community organizations in the city.

The group is referring to the CHR Resolution (1v) No. A2008-052 entitled “Recommending the imposition of a moratorium on evictions and demolitions of structures using for dwelling purposes and other measures to protect the right to housing.”

One group assembled around 7 a.m. at SM Bicutan while another party met around the same time at 7-11 in Kabihasnan. According to the AMP, three depressed communities in Paranaque—Meliton and Sitio Wakas in Brgy. San Dionisio in District 2 and Tambo in District 1—are scheduled for immediate demolition.

According to Romy Cabugnason, a leader of the Tucuma Federation, “Paranaque is not alone if it passes the ordinance for a moratorium. The cities of Pasay and Quezon already have similar local laws.”

The rallies at NHA last Tuesday and in Paranaque today are both build up activities for the "Kalbaryo ng Maralita" in the coming Holy Week. The “Kalbaryo ng Maralita’ is an annual protest to highlight the plight and struggles of the urban poor.

The last rally at the Paranaque City Hall on February 19 was marred with violence when a security guard in one of the subdivisions fired a warning shot as the rally passed by.

Urban poor picket NHA to demand condonation of interests and penalties

Press Release
March 24, 2009
Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Some 200 residents of Bagong Silang, Caloocan City and Sapang Palay in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan trooped this morning to the main office of the National Housing Authority to press for condonation of onerous interests and penalties on their housing loans. While the protesters were picketing the NHA premises, their leaders held a dialogue with housing officials.

“A condonation of penalties and interests on low-cost and socialized housing loans together with a moratorium on demolitions and evictions must be declared. The least that the government could do in a time of crisis is to refrain from destroying the houses and livelihood of the poor,” declared Jess Panis, spokesperson of the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP).

The rally assembled around 9 a.m. at Philcoa then marched round the Quezon Memorial Cirle before ending with a picket at the NHA main office. The bulk of the rallyists came from the AMP, Zone One Tondo Organization and Partido ng Manggagawa in Bagong Silang and Sapang Palay.

“We are the Pinoy version of ‘subprime homeowners’ who must be bailed out similar to Barack Obama’s plan to rescue poor Americans who are burdened with mortgages and threatened with foreclosure. Demolitions can only be permitted when relocation is negotiated with and agreed upon by the affected communities,” insisted Panis.

The groups are also calling for pro-poor implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the recently passed Republic Act 9507 providing for a loan restructuring and condonation program for socialized and low-cost homeowners. They allege that in the absence of an IRR, housing agencies are foreclosing houses of residents who would otherwise have benefited from the law.

The picket-protest at the NHA was the second time in two months that residents from relocation areas raised the demand for condonation of interests and penalties. It is also a prelude to a thousand-strong mobilization on Thursday by community organizations at the Paranaque City Hall. They will demand a stop to a series of demolitions in the city that has affected hundreds of families in depressed communities.

The rallies at NHA today and in Paranaque on Thursday are both build up activities for the ‘Kalbaryo ng Maralita’ in the coming Holy Week. The “Kalbaryo ng Maralita’ is an annual protest to highlight the plight and struggles of the urban poor.