Residents of North Triangle fend off demolition squads hired by the local authority to fence the community ['We will thwart every effort by the authority to drive the residence away from North Triangle']

PRESS RELEASE l 16 Oct 2011

Quezon City, Philippines--Agitated residents and member of Kadamay North Triangle and Anakbayan San Roque thwarted this afternoon the effort of the local authority to fence the community of urban poor settler along Agham Road in front of the Office of the Ombudsman. Some 50 civilians hired by the local government unit tried to install the fence with barbed wire but were collectively fended off by the residents at around 1:45 p.m. Two were hurt from the side of the residents during the incident as they attempted to get the barbed wire from the demolition squad.

Jocy Lopez, chair of Kadamay North Triangle said "this shows that whatever the means of the government to weaken the resistance of the residents against demolition and the Quezon City Central Business District, it is doomed to fail because they have the support of the majority of the residents."

Some 7,000 families still have their homes in the Sitio San Roque, more than a year after the National Housing Authority (NHA) started its relocation process of residents into Montalban relocation sites. Some 2,000 families according to Lopez have come back to the community, some even sold their relocation units which shows the real picture of the housing program of the government.

Sustainable source of livelihood and extreme poverty is the reason why many relocatees came back to San Roque. "It is also the reason why we remain in San Roque. We know the urban poor will never benefit from QCCBD, only the Ayalas and the big local and foreign businesses," Lopez added.###

Reference: Jocy Lopez, Kadamay North Triangle chairperson (c/o Val Jayson Dimayuga, 09126490392)