Anti-demolition network stages protest vs demolition in QC [Tags QC as ‘worst place for urban poor settlers’ due to development projects]

NEWS l SEPTEMBER 16, 2011

QUEZON CITY, Philipines— With residents from the North Triangle of QC, an anti-demolition network holds a protest at the QC City hall against the unabated demolition of urban poor communities. Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon says since August this year it has been receiving demolition threats from different communities nationwide on a weekly basis, with Quezon City topping the list with the most number of attempts of evicting its residents.

“QC is the worst place for urban poor to live in,” says Estrelieta Bagasbas, national spokesperson of AKD and Concerned Organizations Opposed to Transfer, Lay-off, Privatization and Demolition due to the Quezon City Central Business District.

“QC residents are faced with left-and-right threats of eviction from their communities in every district of the city, with big communities such the North and East Triangle areas, Old Balara communities along Commonwealth Ave, communities affected by the National Government Center, and a number of communities along creeks in QC.

"Mayor Bautista is geared up to maintain QC's title as the investment hub and business capital of the Philippines, at the expense of its urban poor constituents," Bagasbas adds. According to the city's Urban Poor Affairs Office, the urban poor in QC account for 42 per cent of its population, or some 234,104 families as of August 2010.

24,000 urban poor families homeless due to QCCBD
One of the biggest communities in QC with impending demolition is Sitio San Roque in North Triangle. As early as February last year, NHA has started relocating residents to Montalban resettlement sites to jump start the implementation of the P22B- worth Quezon City Central Business District (QCCBD), which will be the country's biggest and most expensive business district to rival Singapore.

The UP-AyalaLand Technohub and Trinoma are part of this project that by its completion will evict some 24,000 urban poor families from five communities, according report of CONTRA-CBD, an alliance of affected community residents and government employees.

The resistance of the settlers to the project and the relocation program offered by the National Housing Authority has led to a 7-hour stand-off in EDSA, and a score of casualties on the side of the police and the residents.

Blight future for the urban poor
According to AKD, the demolition rampage has already incurred four deaths since Aquino assumes his post as the chief executive, and has left thousands hurt, and homeless. There are cases, according to the group, that protesting residents are being open-fired at by private armed groups.

"The coming months and years will be very blight for the urban poor of QC, as the LGU eyes for more profit and tax-earnings from big businesses," Bagasbas says. “More deaths and casualties related to demolition of urban poor communities shall be expected.”

This will be an early reality to some 70,000 families in QC living in the priorty areas for clearing as designated by the local government including danger areas, and area for investment and priority development. ###

REFERENCE: Carlito Badion, AKD Lead Convener l 09393873736