'Demolition, a growing trend under the Aquino administration,' says Kadamay (New threats of demolition noted days after PNoy's SONA )

NEWS l July 31, 2011

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines--Threats of eviction from their communities for urban poor settlers continue days after Aquino's second SONA after the Office of the City Architect of Tacloban City issued an order of eviction to not less that 700 families living in the bayside area of Brgy 37 Reclamation Area. The residents expected the demolition as early as tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, city mayor Alfred Romualdez cleaned up his hands on the possibility of illegal demolition, as the residents sought for a court order to come with the demolition. According to the LGU, there is no need for a court order since it has considered the residents of Brgy 37 as illegal settlers long time ago.

The area occupied by the residents will give way to a new fishport that the mayor said is essential to the city's much-needed development.

Meanwhile, Peter Grefiel, head of Kadamay-Tacloban City called on the residents to maintain their barricade and defer the ambition of the Romualdez of Tacloban a "highly urbanized city" at the expense of its poor constituency.

Call to PNoy
Carlito Badion, national vice chair of Kadamay and lead convenor of Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon calls on PNoy and DILG Secretary Robredo to immediately mediate on the issue to avoid more violence from erupting.

"PNoy must immediately act in halting the demolition in Tacloban, and stop the growing trend of demolition of urban poor communities under his administration," said Badion.

"This growing trend has entailed deaths and violence as long as the basic rights of the urban poor for decent housing and livelihood are being denied by the state," he added.

"The expected inaction of DILG and Malacanang regarding the impending demolition in Taclabon City will only add to more casualties due to violent demolitions initiated by the government that have already resulted to some 35,000 settlers homeless, women and children included, in the first year of Aquino in office, according to the group.

Public-Private Partnership
Kadamay and AKD have recently slammed Aquino's Public-Private Partnership as behind the growing trend of massive demolitions of urban poor communities. Aquino's agenda for the urban poor is nothing but demolition and eviction of urban poor settlers from their communities. This to give way to economic development projects implemented by the government in joint venture with local and foreign businesses, according to the group.

"We have lost three barricade leaders to date killed in defense of their lands and houses in urban poor communities this year alone. Two of them slain by Araneta-hired security personnel in Pangarap Village in Metro Manila just days before Aquino's Second SONA." said Badion.

"State impunity only suggests a certain degree of connivance between the government and the private businessmen to eradicate the cities with urban poor settlers, and throwing them to far-flung relocation sites that lack of livelihood and basic facilities to survive.

"It is in this light that more demolition-related casualties, deaths included, are to be expected as Aquino remains a fanatic of privatization as his administration's main pillar of economic development," Badion ended.

Reference: Carlito Badion, National Vice Chairperson (09393873736)