New leadership told: uphold poor's right to shelter, livelihood

NEWS RELEASE
13 May 2010

The country's incoming leadership -- in particular president apparent Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III, and Quezon City mayor- and vice mayor-elect, Herbert Bautista and Joy Belmonte, respectively -- were challenged today to "uphold the poor's right to shelter and livelihood", after the outgoing Arroyo administration has "severely degraded" these for the past nine years.

This was expressed by hundreds of North Triangle, Quezon City urban poor that marched from Agham Road to the National Housing Authority (NHA) office at Elliptical Road, to renew their calls against the Quezon City-Central Business District (QC-CBD) project and the impending demolition of their homes.



The QC-CBD aims to build a Makati-style business district in the area covered by the North and East Triangles, threatening to displace around 25,000 urban poor families. It is a national government project by the Arroyo administration and is considered a 'legacy project' of outgoing city mayor Feliciano 'Sonny' Belmonte.

Led by the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) and local groups Anakpawis-North Triangle Chapter, Nagkakaisang Naninirahan sa North Triangle (N3T) Alliance, San Roque Community Council (SRCC), United Muslim Association, and others, the residents called for the junking of the "pro-foreign" and "anti-poor" project, as well as for the government to attend first to the housing and livelihood needs of the poor.

The groups also condemned and called for a stop to the "voluntary demolitions" currently being implemented by the NHA and subsequent relocation to Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal.

"Now it is time for these new leaders to own up to the promises they made during the campaign," said Carlito Badion, Kadamay vice chair. "This early, they have to show that they are committed to uplifting the conditions of the poor -- and reversing the severe damage done by the Arroyo administration." ##

Reference Carlito Badion, Vice Chair, Kadamay | 0939.387.3736
For further details, please contact Jon Vincent Marin, Kadamay  PIO | 0910.975.7660