[On the anniversary of the “Battle of EDSA”] North Triangle residents renew vow to defend their homes against demolition

RELEASE l September 23, 2011

QUEZON CITY, Philippines—A year after the triumphant EDSA barricade of North Triangle residents, demolition threats continues to hound the not less than 7,000 families remaining in the community, according a militant urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay). Today is the first year anniversary of what the group calls as the ‘Battle of EDSA’ where the North Triangle residents created a 7-hour stand-off at EDSA against members of demolition team hires by the National Housing Authority, police and SWAT.

Members of the group relive today the "Battle of EDSA" by holding a 5-min blocking of the highway. According to the Estrelieta ‘Ka Inday’ Bagasbas, leader of September 23 Movement, a local coalition of residents and an ally of Kadamay, “the act is to show that they are willing to barricade EDSA once again anytime if the government persists in demolishing their homes. After this, the residents marched to the main office of National Housing Authority where they threw mud at the gate of the agency.

“San Roque mud is all they can get. They can never take away our land as long as we can speak and hold a protest,” according to Ka Inday. NHA claims the parcel of land at the North Triangle area, occupied by some 11,000 families before NHA started its relocation program for the residents. For this, the residents tag NHA and Ayala as ‘urban land grabbers’.

“How can we agree with the demolition of our homes when the Quezon City Central Business District (QCCBD) that will rise on this land would only benefit a few rich and the foreign investors. That project will only enrich the few businessmen especially Ayala, while it will exploit hundreds of workers with jobs that are not permanent and with measly salary,” adds the leader.

According to CONTRA-CBD, an alliance of those affected by the said project, NHA signed a joint-venture project with Ayala to finance the development of the area that costs some P22 billion. Part of the project is the construction of high-rise building for big businesses as well as shopping malls, and private educational institutions and medical centers.

To jump start the project, government agencies, schools and hospital on the North and East Triangle areas will be transferred if not abolished, as in the case of the national office of NFA, affecting the jobs of thousands of employees. Around 24,000 families of urban poor settlers from seven communities in five barangays will be relocated to Montalban and Bulacan relocation sites due to the project. The main chunk of these urban poor settlers comes from San Roque.

REFERENCE: Estrelieta ‘Ka Inday’ Bagasbas, September 23 Movement Chair l 09291117470
Carlito Badion, Kadamay National Vice Chair, AKD Lead Convenor l 09393873736