[Asked to withdraw its joint-venture deal with NHA for a business district in QC] Ayala Land Inc, new target of North Triangle residents’ protests

RELEASE l October 3, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—After throwing mud at the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub and Trinoma, residents of North Triangle whose homes are bound to be demolished to give way for the Quezon City Central Business District vowed to mount even greater pressure on Ayala Land, Inc. until it withdraws its P22-billion joint-venture project with the National Housing Authority.

September 23 Movement leader Estrelieta Bagasbas said: “We have long lost hope that the government through the National Housing Authority would listen to our demand. It’s time to realign our efforts to target the Ayala Land, Inc who just the same would benefit from the implementation of the QCCBD.”

The National Housing Authority claims itself as the owner of the 29.1 hectares of land at the North Triangle area where an approximately 7,000 families of informal settlers continue to reside despite several attempts by the government to evict them from their homes. Since last year, NHA has transferred not less than 5,000 families to relocation sites in Montalban and Bulacan, but almost half of them have returned to the community according to an urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap.

“We will never stop until Ayala withdraw its joint-venture deal with the NHA for the QCCBD,” said Bagasbas. The residents announced their plan to storm other business establishments of the ALI in the days to come. Recently, they tagged Ayala as land grabber.

Reference: Estrelieta Bagasbas, September 23 Movement chairperson (09291117470)