Urban poor group condemns violent Paranaque demolition, use of deadly force

Press Release

April 24, 2012

Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino

The urban poor group Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) and the labor party Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) condemned the violent demolition at the Silverio Compound in Paranaque and assailed the use of deadly force by the police. “Heads must roll for the death of one resident from police gunfire and the brutality accompanying the arrest of scores protesters,” said Ramil Cangayao, spokesperson of the AMP. AMP is an alliance of urban poor associations in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon.

Meanwhile Renato Magtubo, PM national chair, asserted that “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.”

Cangayao expressed the fear that violence may erupt once more in Paranaque since another demolition has been scheduled on Thursday at the Tucuma community in Barangay Merville. Ramil Asturias, president of the Tucuma Federation, declared that they will defend their community from any attempt at demolition.

The Tucuma residents are planning a rally at the Paranaque city hall tomorrow to appeal for a stop to the scheduled demolition. Tucuma Federation is an affiliate of the AMP.

Magtubo explained that one of the demands of the coming Labor Day rally is a moratorium on demolitions. Some 20,000 workers and urban poor under the umbrella of the newly-formed Nagkaisa will march along Espana to Mendiola to highlight the issues of job contractualization, low wages, high prices of oil and power and violent demolitions, among others. Some 40 labor organizations established the Nagkaisa, among them the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Federation of Free Workers, Alliance of Progressive Labor and PM.

Militant urban poor group opposes forced relocation

Press Release
October 5, 2009
Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino


The urtban poor group Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino opposes the governments’ forcible relocation that will affect thousand of families living in major water ways and Laguna Lake.

“The governments’ plan of forcible relocation will be a man made disaster that comes on top of the natural catastrophe brought about by tropical storm Ondoy. We hold on our basic right to decent shelter, thus we are calling on the government to create an inter-agency committee with representation from the affected families to ensure decent relocation as declared in the Urban Development and Housing Act,” Romy Cabugnason, AMP, Chairman, stated.

The government proposes to relocate families in Calauan, Laguna and San Miguel, Bulacan. Calauan, Laguna is also a resettlement area to families from PNR, and was already reported for lack of basic services such as water, power, health, education and means of livelihood.

Cabugnason added that, “We were never anti-development as this elite government wish to project, only that we know that we have the right for a decent shelter instead of forcible relocation in some area without employment and/or basic services. Decent shelter is a basic policy of the government that Secretary of Defense Gilbert Teodoro Jr., should have known as he aspires to be head the state.”

“The Filipino unity is inspiring we know that we are not facing the tragedy of tropical storm Ondoy alone. But then, since we are from the danger zone the government should not put us in harm by putting us in the death zone,” Cabugnason ended.

Paranaque residents march to City Hall to demand in-city relocation

Press Release
February 19, 2009
Alyansa ng Mamamayan ng Paranaque

Around 1,000 Paranaque residents marched this afternoon from SM Bicutan to the City Hall in time for a City Council meeting to demand in-city relocation for communities that were victims of demolitions or are under threat of one. They held placards calling for “Katiyakan sa Paninirahan, Kasiguruhan sa Kabuhayan!”

“We appeal to the Paranaque City Council to heed the cry of their constituents. We demand in-city relocation because our jobs will be displaced if we are forced to move to the provinces. This is not the time for the government to destroy the homes and livelihood of the poor with tens of thousands being laid off and prices of basic goods escalating,” argued Romy Cabugnason of the Alyansa ng Mamamayan ng Paranaque (AMP).

Leaders of AMP addressed the City Council regarding their demand. They also sought an ordinance affirming the expropriation of a disputed lot in Brgy. Merville. Urban poor residents who had occupied the lot were being harassed by the barangay captain who had blocked entry points to the disputed area.

Members of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) in Paranaque also supported the mobilization. PM is spearheading a campaign for a moratorium on demolitions and evictions.

“We ask the government to issue a moratorium on demolitions and evictions together with a condonation of penalties and interests on low-cost and socialized housing loans. The least that the state could do during a crisis is to refrain from destroying the houses and livelihood of the poor. The only exception to the ban on demolitions is when relocation is negotiated with and agreed upon by the affected communities,” stated Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson.

Last Monday, some 300 Bacoor residents held a picket and dialogue at their City Hall to demand relocation and assistance. A week before, last February 10 another 300 relocatees from Sapang Palay, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan held a protest at the main office of the National Housing Authority to demand condonation of interests and penalties. Next week hundreds of Cavite residents who are affected by the R-1 road extension project in Bacoor and Kawit are mobilizing for a dialogue with the provincial government.

On February 24 and 25, a two-day Lakbayan will be launched by workers and the poor to call for a 5-point bailout package. The bailout of workers and poor calls for a subsidy for displaced workers; tax refund for wage earners; expansion and reform of the state employment program; extension of Philhealth coverage to the recently laid off; and a moratorium on demolitions and evictions.