[On the anniversary of the ‘Battle of EDSA] Lack of livelihood in the relocation aids in North Triangle victory vs demolition—urban poor group

RELEASE l September 23, 2011

QUEZON CITY — A year after the victorious EDSA barricade of the residents od San Roque, North Triangle, demolition threats continue to hound some 7,000 families remaining in the community according to an urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay). Included to this number are some 2,000 families who are comprised of new residents and those who came back from the relocation sites.

According to data of the National Housing Authority (NHA), the actual number of those who have transferred to the relocation sites in Montalban, Rizal and Gaya-gaya, Bulacan is more than 5,000 families, almost half of the 11,000-family community population. NHA has started its relocation program for the residents early last year. The lack of sustainable source of livelihood and employment, according to Jocy Lopes, Kadamay North Triangle spokesperson, is the main reason why relocatees preferred to come back to San Roque.

“They are deceived by the NHA that there will be livelihood programs as part of the relocation package. There are for livelihood trainings, but how can they start the livelihood projects when they don’t have the capital?" Lopes adds.

According to Ricky Indicio, leader of San Roque Vendor’s Association, a local vendors’ group in San Roque, “some of our members who relocated their families to Montalban have came back to San Roque because of the high cost of the rental of stall in the market in the relocation area.

Selling of housing units
According to Kadamay, selling of relocation units becomes the new business in the relocation area. A housing unit costs P20,000-P100,000 depending on their location on the area. The most expensive ones are those at the front of the housing blocks where the buyer can start a new business. Some relocatees serve as middlemen where they earn P1,000 to P10,000.

The government should anticipate this kind of problem of housing units being sold, because they don’t offer decent livelihood programs with the relocation package, said Carlito Badion, national vice chair of Kadamay, also a resident Kasiglahan Village in Montalban for more than a decade after his house was buried in garbage in Payatas. “The government remains futile with its housing program especially for the poor. Instead of assisting the poor to have decent housings, the government in connivance with housing developers are even earning from the poor."

As relocatees come back to San Roque, it seems nothing has changed in the community since September 23 last year. Our earning in the market has come back to normal as before,” says the leader of the vendors’ group.

REFERENCE: Jocy Lopez, Kadamay North Triangle Spokesperson l 09291117470
Carlito Badion, Kadamay National Vice Chair, AKD Lead Convenor l 09393873736