Urban poor group slams plan for a 50B-peso EDSA expressway, PPP

RELEASE l SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—After the Department of Public Works and Highway announced its plan to build an elevated expressway on EDSA to lessen traffic congestion, urban poor group immediately slammed the proposal saying “taxpayer’s money should instead be spent to provide more urgent needs of the public. And because it is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project, the public will shoulder the added toll fees, while the multinational contractors will feast on the profit.”

Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap said this in the light of unabated oil price hikes that are reflected on the prices of basic commodities, more demolition threats of urban poor communities in the absence of decent housing program for the victims, and the impending MRT-LRT fare hikes all due to the Aquino’s PPP.

According to the militant group, the 50-billion pesos for the new expressway could be used instead to subsidize housing projects more than enough to provide the housing needs of half-a-million informal settlers in Metro Manila, and thousands of new classrooms and medical centers, critically needed by the metro population.

“Surely, traffic congestion is less likely to be a problem of the urban poor nowadays who don’t have foods on their table, or those who are threatened by eviction from their homes,” cited Carlito Badion, national vice chair of Kadamay. “The new expressway would even mean less profit for the mobile vendors that the government can’t even assure of more secure jobs.”

According to Badion, the proposed project shows who the priorities are of the Aquino government.

“Aquino’s PPP projects, mostly infrastructure ones, are primarily to benefit the upper class portion of the population, the businessmen and foreign investors. But while some of the urban poor in Metro Manila are provided with short-term jobs, most end up homeless,” Badion clarified.

“While the government is utilizing more regressive tax schemes, meaning more taxes are paid by the poor like the EVAT and sin taxes, rather than from big businesses and foreign-owned companies, government projects must address the needs of the rather needy and repressed sectors in the society.

“The government should not account the new jobs created through PPP, mostly related to building constructions, to address the widespread unemployment and underemployment in the urban centers. The workers receive below minimum wage from their contractor-companies, not even enough to supply their family’s food consumption, and these works only last for three to six months on a contractual basis,” said the leader.

Lastly, Kadamay pointed out the hopeless situation of thousands of residents living in a big community along EDSA, in North Triangle, Quezon City.

“While the government can't even subsidize a decent housing project for the residents, it has allotted billions of pesos for a new business district to rise in the area occupied by the settlers. The government is even prepared to handle the worst form of resistance by the settlers who are to be transferred to far-flung relocation sites in Montalban and Bulacan,” Badion added.

“It is at the heart of the city that the urban poor can somehow find income to go by their daily needs. For all the taxes that the urban poor have contributed to the national treasury, the government should assure them of a secure housing program and employment, just as how the government provides a secure environment and expensive infrastructure projects for the big local and multinational businesses,” he ended.

Reference: Carlito Badion, Kadamay National Vice Chair l 09393873736