Urban poor throw mud at the PPP Center [Condemn PPP Center as the “brainchild of massive demolition of urban poor communities']

RELEASE l 25 OCTOBER 2011
ALYANSA KONTRA DEMOLISYON
REFERENCE: Carlito Badion, AKD Lead Convenor (09393873736)

QUEZON CITY—After staging a camp out at the National Housing Authority, urban pooor groups under Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon (AKD), a national alliance against demolitions and forced evictions march today to the main office of Public-Private Partnership center.

The anti demolition network calls PPP, the Aquino administration's economic framework, as the 'brainchild of massive demolitions of urban poor cimmunities.' Some 361,000 families are due to be evicted because of different PPP projects in Metro Manila alone that only benefit the foreign and big local businessmen, according to the network.

Residents of North and East Traingle form CONTRACBD, an alliance of urban poor groups and government emloyees affected by the implementation of Quezon City Cerntral Business District (QCCBD) lead the march. Residents of Sitio San Roque in North Triangle are threatened by a possible demolition on the 27th of October.

After arriving at the PPP Center, urban poor leaders, throw mud at the marker in front of the agency. According toCarlito Badion, lead convenor of AKD, “PPP Center should be dismatled because it will only bury the already suffering Filipinos into bigger debt to other countries.”

Baddion adds, “PPP will only serve the interest of foreign and big local corporations while leaving thousands of urban poor families homeless.”

Badion blames PPP as behind the gradual abandonment of the governemnt of its responsibility to provide its citsizes with basic social services, as dictated by the IMF and World Bank. “The privatization and budget cuts on the social services will only worsen the condition of the toiling masses. It will only spur bigger social unrest as seen on television happening overseas, Badion said.

Badion calls on the governemnt to realign the multi-billion PPP fund to provision of basic social services including secure and decent housing programs, education and medical services. “Also, the fund should be used in creating permanent employment opportunities for the poor, and not the contractual and irregular jobs offered by the PPP projects, “ Badion ends. ###