Tucuma residents appeal to Catholic Church for support

Press Release

April 29, 2012

Tucuma Federation

The residents of the depressed community of Tucuma in Barangay Merville, Paranaque City appealed to the Catholic Church for support in its land dispute. Leaders of the Tucuma Federation will meet with Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, who also heads the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, today to present their case and request.

“The social teachings of the Catholic Church put forward that people should be first before profit. Applied to our case, this means that the housing and livelihood needs of some 1,000 families are a priority over the private property claims of the Molave Development Corporation which wants to profit by speculation over a long-idled land,” explained Ramil Asturias, Tucuma Federation president.

Tomorrow a long march or Lakbayan will banner the call “Stop to demolitions, Housing and jobs for all.” Some 500 workers, youth and poor from Metro Manila and Calabarzon will lead the “Lakbayan para sa Pabahay at Trabaho” which will start by 3:00 p.m. at Baclaran Church and end by 8:00 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Church in Balic-Balic.

The marchers will stay overnight at the Holy Trinity Church then join on May 1 the huge 20,000-strong “historic” rally by the newly-formed Nagkaisa, which unites the country’s major labor center for the first time since the 1980’s. Among the eight major demands of Nagkaisa’s Labor Day rally will be reform of the socialized housing program of the government and a moratorium on demolitions.

Asturias will propose to Bishop Pabillo that the Catholic Church call for an extension of the temporary suspension of the demolitions ordered by DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. The suspension will only last until the regulations on demolitions are assessed and affirmed. “We however want that the moratorium last until the socialized housing of the government is reviewed and reformed. The government’s housing policy for the poor is profit not service-oriented,” Asturias insisted.

Renato Magtubo, Partido ng Manggagawa chairperson, welcomed Robredo’s suspension of demolitions but also pushed for an extension. “Suspending demolitions until new rules are drafted merely scratches the surface of the problem. The government needs to address the root cause of lack of housing for the poor. The housing program is tied up with the jobs and wages policy. The low wages in the country, as attested by a recent report of the ILO, means that the poor have barely enough income for food much less rent or amortization on housing,” he said.

Magtubo revealed that the number of informal settlers was estimated at half a million families by a HUDCC study in 2007 while the housing backlog is assumed to be 3.7 million units.

Tucuma residents welcome suspension of demolitions but wants moratorium extended till housing program reformed

Press Release

April 28, 2012

Tucuma Federation

The residents of the depressed community of Tucuma in Barangay Merville, Parañaque who have been preparing to fight off an eviction heaved a sigh of relief and welcomed the temporary suspension of demolitions ordered by DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo hours after they held a rally and sought a dialogue with his office yesterday.

“We however call on Sec. Robredo to extend the moratorium till the housing and even jobs policy of the government is reviewed and reformed,” Ramil Asturias, Tucuma Federation president said. This was in reaction to reports that the suspension will only last until the regulations on demolitions are assessed and affirmed.

Leaders of Tucuma Federation together with residents of NIA compound in Quezon City and West Bicutan who face similar land disputes staged the rally and were met with a DILG official named Clarion Paz-Tanghal who received the letter on behalf of Sec. Robredo. Asturias appealed to Robredo to facilitate negotiations between Tucuma Federation, the landowner Molave Development Corporation and Parañaque  Mayor Florencio Bernabe.

Renato Magtubo, Partido ng Manggagawa chairperson, supported Asturias’ position and said that “Suspending demolitions until new rules are drafted merely scratches the surface of the problem. The government needs to address the root cause of lack of housing for the poor. The housing program is tied up with the jobs and wages policy. The low wages in the country, as attested by a recent report of the ILO, means that the poor have barely enough income for food much less rent or amortization on housing.”

Magtubo announced that a long march or Lakbayan from Calabarzon to Manila will be held on the eve of Labor Day and banner the call “Stop to demolitions, Housing and jobs for all.” Some 400 workers, youth and poor from Cavite, Laguna and Batangas will march from Zapote early in the morning of April 30 then merge with a contingent from Metro Manila by 3:00 p.m. in Baclaran and stay overnight at the Holy Trinity Church in Balic-Balic. On May 1, the “Lakbayan para sa Pabahay at Trabaho” will join the huge 20,000-strong “historic” rally by the newly-formed Nagkaisa, which unites the country’s major labor center for the first time since the 1980’s.

Magtubo revealed that the number of informal settlers was estimated at half a million families by a HUDCC study in 2007 while the housing backlog is assumed to be 3.7 million units. “Tucuma’s fight is the fight of all. Decent housing is a right not a privilege of all Filipinos. Violent evictions must be prohibited. Land disputes must be resolved through negotiations without the threat of violence, deceit or bribery. Residents must be relocated to better living conditions to ensure that negotiations end peacefully in agreement,” he insisted.

National moratorium on demolitions needed to avoid repeat of Davao incident –labor group

PRESS RELEASE

02 July 2011

The unfortunate, violent face-off between the furious Inday (Mayor Sara Duterte) and the hapless Sheriff (Abe Andres) could have been avoided if there had been a declared national moratorium on demolitions, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) said in a statement.

According to PM Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda, violent confrontations between the informal settlers and the demolition team are normal occurrence whenever an eviction or demolition order is enforced either by the court or by the government itself.  And in many instances, a hapless sheriff who has no personal discretion at all to either withhold or press on with the order coming from his/her bosses, ends up getting the ire of angry residents, or in this recent case in Davao – a brutal hit from the mayor’s furious fist.

“As a party of ordinary labourers, we cannot help but sympathize with Sheriff Abe Andres for the humiliating experience he suffered from the hands of Mayor Inday.  Yet we also recognize the firm resolve of Mayor Duterte in addressing the problem of her constituents in an appropriate manner and to prevent the expected outbreak of violence,” explained Miranda.   

In fact, added Miranda, “Minus the disposition for brutality, all LGU officials should have the kind of social instinct that Mayor Sara Duterte has.” 

The labor group together with other groups under the Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (KAMP) had been urging the Palace since last year to declare a moratorium on demolitions, evictions and foreclosures on informal settlers while a new comprehensive housing policy is not yet in place.

“If the Masang Pinoy is really his boss, PNoy should likewise have the political will of Mayor Sara.  The President in fact neither needs a fist nor a gun to stop violent demolitions but just a pen for an Executive Order declaring a moratorium,” concludes Miranda.

PM recalled that just recently also, exchange of words occurred between Makati Mayor and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary (DILG) Jessie Robredo when violent confrontations flared up during the demolition of the Laperal compound in Guadalupe.

Several other demolition operations also ended up in violence and resulted eventually to the massive displacement for the cities’ informal settlers.

Violence, demolition threaten Calamba community

Press Release

May 29, 2011

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Shots were fired and stones were hurled at the houses of two leaders of an urban poor community that is being threatened by demolition. The incidents happened late night of Friday as residents of a community at Purok 3, Barangay Makiling in Calamba, Laguna were resting and sleeping.

“We call on Mayor Jun Chipeco of Calamba and newly reappointed DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo to assist the urban poor of Calamba who are being threatened by an illegal demolition,” stated Ramil Cangayo, coordinator of the Calabarzon chapter of Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP), a national network of urban poor organizations that is campaigning for a moratorium on demolitions, reforms in the housing policy and housing security of informal settlers.

At 11:45 pm last Friday three shots were fired at a light bulb in the house of Zeny Martirez, treasurer of the Samahang Magkakapitbahay Magkakaibigan Kapuso (SMMK). The shards fell on the face of her child who sustained injuries. The family recovered two bullet fragments inside their house. Earlier at 10:00 pm stones were thrown at the house of Mike Brendes, auditor of the group. Martirez and Brendes filed a report at the barangay yesterday about the incidents. SMMK leaders suspect the violent harassment is connected to the demolition being threatened by barangay captain Soliman Lajara and a certain Cao of Galaxy Realty Corp which owns the lot on which the community stands.

“Some 86 families are now living in fear because of the harassment and threats. Cao and Lajara are warning the residents that they must leave tomorrow or else be demolished. However there is no demolition order so clearly this is illegal,” Cangayao explained.

The leaders and members of SMMK had staged a rally and held a dialogue with Mayor Chipeco last May 10. Negotiations with the mayor’s office are still ongoing.

Renato Magtubo, national chair of Partido ng Manggagawa, called on President Benigno Aquino III to sign a draft executive order providing for a moratorium on demolitions and evictions. “The spate of violent demolitions in Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Metro Cebu reveal the need for a moratorium on evictions. During the pendency of the moratorium, government must hold an honest dialogue with the urban poor for strategic solution to the problem of housing for the poor,” he explained.

PM and AMP and are involved in the consultations held by the cabinet level task force headed by Secretary Robredo with the mandate to formulate and recommend policy resolutions on the housing issues confronting the urban poor. An executive order for the moratorium drafted as a result of the consultations has remained unsigned by President Aquino.

Paranaque urban poor to march to city hall

Press Release

April 7, 2011

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

Some 100 informal settlers who were recent victims of violent demolitions marched today to the Paranaque city hall to call for a stop to the forcible eviction of the urban poor. The Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) chapter in Paranaque led the march that assembled at 10:00 a.m. in Kabihasnan then proceeded to the city hall in Valley 1.

Ed Casuy, leader of the AMP-Paranaque, said that “We ask the local government of Paranaque for a moratorium on demolitions and evictions. There have been recent demolitions in the city which did not follow the procedures laid down in the law.”

Casuy revealed that on March 30 a violent demolition happened at the community of Cherry East Cul de Sac in Barangay Sun Valley, Paranaque that led to the injury of an old woman. “This is a private land inhabited by informal settlers who were illegally evicted without the processes required by law,” he clarified.

On the same day another demolition occurred at the back of the Lorenzana area at the

Coastal Road

in San Dionisio, Paranaque. Some 76 families were illegally evicted by the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the former Public Estates Authority, and another ten families are still threatened with demolition.

Casuy demanded that the relocation be provided to the displaced urban poor. The protesters brought with them placards with the messages “Moratorium sa Demolisyon at Ebiksyon, Ipatupad!” and “Marahas na Demolisyon at Ebiksyon, Ipatigil!”

Salvacion Hortilano the representative of the victims of violent demolition at the back of Lorenza said, “We ask Mayor Jun Bernabe and the City Council for a dialogue so they can hear our demands. If Lot 5155 in the coastal road is already under the jurisdiction of the City Government of Paranaque, we ask that a parcel of land be provided for the benefit of the informal settlers and not just of the few favored contractors of this administration.” She added, “What is the value of infrastructure projects funded by government money if the poor do not benefit from it?”

AMP is a coalition of urban poor organization in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon that is campaigning for a moratorium on demolitions, reforms in the housing policy and housing security of informal settlers. AMP is a participant in a consultation process initiated by a task force on housing headed by Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government. An output of the consultation process was an executive summary of urban poor demands and a draft order instituting a moratorium that has been forwarded to Malacanang.

Casuy explained that “All these demolitions and evictions are happening due to the fact that a draft executive order for a moratorium remains unsigned by PNoy. The more that PNoy delays signing the draft moratorium order, the more urban poor with be denied the right to decent and secure housing. Akala naming kami ang boss ni PNoy pero bakit wala siyang aksyon sa aming kahilingan at di niya tinototoo ang kanyang pangako?”