Anti-demolition network to PNoy: Act as father to your people [Warns of more deaths and HRVs related to demolition]

RELEASE l September 14, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—A network of citizens against demolition of urban poor communities in a statement, today pleads to the president to stop the demolition rampage of his government and private groups against the urban poor sector. Estrelieta Bagasbas, national spokesperson of Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon (AKD), says: “PNoy should act as a father to every Filipino, much more to the deprived urban poor population who every day face threats to their livelihood and eviction from their residence.”

A man died in a demolition attempt yesterday in Makati City, while two individuals were injured. The incident makes the death toll related to demolition to four after Aquino assumed his post as the chief executive.

"Does PNoy care when people are killed, women and children are hurt or open-fired at by armed guards? Has he done anything to prevent these gross human right violations?” Bagasbas asks.

Worst demolition cases
AKD has been receiving reports of demolition threats from different urban poor communities nationwide on a weekly basis since August, tagging Quezon City as the worst place for urban poor settlers. The worst case so far are those of residents being open-fired at by private security guards in Maa in Davao City, and in Pangarap Village in Caloocan City where two barricade leaders were slain.

The alliance says some 360,000 families will be evicted from their communities in the coming months and years as the government pursues its priority development projects as part of the Public-Private Partnership program (PPP).

Why they resist
“As a father, PNoy should know why we resist leaving our communities? He should know why we choose not to take the relocation offers? It is simply because we don’t want our families to starve to death,” according to Bagasbas.

Bagasbas, who is a resident from North Triangle, QC, and a widow with two teenage children, cites the case of about half of some 5,000 residents from San Roque, North Triangle who were relocated by the National Housing Authority to Montalban and Bulacan sites but came back to the community. According to her, some even sold the units that they received.

“As a father, he should protect our interest, and not the interest of foreign investors and big businessmen for the sake of ‘economic development’?” she adds.

“As a resident of San Roque for almost three decades, I’ve seen how such development has robbed us of our livelihood and homes, without giving back anything to the residents in return. Look at Trinoma. By its completion, thousands became homeless and were thrown to Montalban. And who benefit from it now, only the Ayalas. The mall can’t even provide us with regular jobs.”

This month, the remaining 7,000 families living in San Roque are once again threatened by another wave of demolition. The residents, who had barricaded EDSA in September last year and created a 7-hour long traffic jam at EDSA, will be ready to barricade the highway once again according to Bagasbas. “Nothing has changed with the offer except for the P5,000 in addition to the P10,000 financial assistance and a housing unit in Montalban, Rizal,” she cites.

"But we don't aim to antagonize the public with our barricade, we are only driven by the situation," she adds.

“The president has become deaf to our call, and he prefers to protect the interest of the few and the privileged. If he would really be the father that this nation needs, we would be the stubborn kids. A black sheep is bred by an irresponsible parent,” she ends.###

Reference: Carlito Badion, Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon Lead Convener l 09393873736