PRESS RELEASE I July 25, 2011
NORTH TRIANGLE, QC—Hundreds of urban poor residents belonging to Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap and Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon march from their communities in Quezon City to Batasang Pambansa. They wore red shirts and red bandannas as head gear as they condemn the killing of 2 barricade leaders in a demolition in Pangarap Village early this morning. The demonstrators prepared two life-size cast coffins to come with the march.
The new victims of demolition-related violence under the Aquino administration are Sol Gomez and Mel Fortadez, community leaders who defend their land against the aggression of the Araneta family.
Estrelieta Bagasbas, AKD national spokesperson, said Aquino has the record of the most violent demolitions in the history of the urban poor sector. She added that Aquino not only leads in terms of the gravity of demolition cases but also in the number of families affected by the demolition spree. The group has recently labeled Aquino 'Demolition King.'
The alliance has noted around 35,000 urban poor in Metro Manila alone was relocated to far-flung relocation sites that lack basic failities and social services, and the livelihood programs that the government has promised.
PPP
Aquino's Public-Private Partnership, the program which he introduced on his first State of the Nation Address, permits the demolition of urban poor communities to give way to development projects that favor big foreign and local businesses in the pursuant to neo-liberal policies.
“Where is the place of urban poor in Aquino's development program?” Bagasbas, who is also a community leader from North Triangle asked.
The Aquino administration has committed gross human rights violation its implemention of demoliton of urban poor communities nationwide in favor of foriegn and local capitalists, said Bagasbas.
“One year is enough for the urban poor to see that this administration is pro-capitalist and anti-poor in its stand. On his second SONA, we are declaring an all-out-war against the adminstration's impunity and its gross human right record against the urban poor,” she adds.
The violent demolition in North Triangle in September last year is a result of the residents' fierce resistance against the implementation of the World Bank-proposed Ayala-funded Quezon City-Central Business District. Ayala Techno-Hub in Diliman is part the business district that covers 250 hectares of urban land at the heart of the city. The project will wipe out seven communities of urban poor settlers, as the government offers relocation unit and P5,000-cash to around 20,000 families living in the area.
Twisted housing programs
Of the 5,000 residents who transferred to Montalban relocation sites, almost half went back to San Roque (North Triangle), and sold their housing units. Most complained the lack of livelihood that the government has promised them.
The worst type of life is in the relocation areas as only those who have jobs in Metro Manila can survive it, said a resident who left the relocation, sold his unit and went back to his old community.
There is a big anomaly behind the housing programs of the administration with top governement officials, may or may not be known to the president, AKD spokesperson stated.
Aquino's grandiose plan for the urban poor
In a statement in May, Aquino announced his grandiose plan to relocate half-a-million informal settler families in Metro Manila to nearby provinces. Among the administration's priority bills is the creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD), that according to government officials shall solve the long-standing housing problem in urban centers nationwide.
It is important for the thousands of urban poor nationwide that are and will be facing eviction from their communities under the Aquino administration to unite and demand the president to end its fascist treatment of urban poor settlers, Bagasbas said.
Reference: Estrelieta Bagasbas, AKD National Spokesperson, September23Movement Chairperson (09126490392)
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