Anti-demolition alliance calls for a nationwide moratorium on demolition; QC Socialized Housing Tax ordinance slammed

PRESS RELEASE l 14 NOVEMBER 2011
REFERENCES:Carlito Badion, Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon national convener, 09393873736 (on NHA camp-out, Saranggani demolition); Sisel Cari, Kadamay QC Chairperson, 09228761807 (on SHT ordinance)

QUEZON CITY, Philippines—Some 300 members from various urban poor groups in Metro Manila at 9 a.m today storm QC city hall and slam Socialized Housing Tax Ordinance, the new city ordinance recently passed by the Bautista administration to collect taxes from QC residents purportedly to make socialized housing for the city’s urban poor population.

According to Sisel Cari, chairperson of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap Quezon City Chapter, the Socialized Housing Tax ordinance will never benefit the urban poor population, as Mayor Herbert claims, because of the very highly selective process in determining its beneficiaries. “We are told that if were are non-Pag-Ibig or SSS members and receive less than P12,500 of monthly income, we cannot avail of the housing program.”

“Of the estimated 232,430 urban poor families, very small portions of the urban poor population are Pag-Ibig and SSS card holders. Enough to say that this ordinance will actually never benefit the majority of QC population who are the urban poor and needing LGU assistance. Pa-pogi lang talaga si Bistek,” said the leader.

The protesters also slam the demolition spree of the Bautista administration. The protesters composed of those affected by different projects including the QCCBD, C5 North Extension Project, Aqueduct and clearing of waterways (esteros) that entail demolition of urban poor communities assert to the police and guards and hold a program at the city hall ground.

NHA Occupation
After the program, the protesters march to the main office of the National Housing Authority (NHA) along Elliptical road and build a slum house at the gate of the agency. The occupation of the said agency is spearheaded by Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon, a national alliance against demolition based in Metro Manila. The alliance cites cases of left-and-right blows of demolition almost in every urban center nationwide, including in the lone-district of Saranggani province of Representative Manny Pacquiao.

Carlito Badion, convenor of AKD, said that even in Saranggani some 325 families are due to be demolished to give way to a port privatization project from the reports that they receive. “After his victory yesterday, we now call on our national boxing champ to knock-out too all those businessmen and local politicians who robbed of his constituents their rights to land and decent home,” Badion says.

“We are calling on every urban poor that are affected by the Aquino administration’s demolition spree nationwide to occupy NHA offices in their localities, until a nationwide moratorium on demolition is clinched. We look forward for support especially from Pacman to lobby for it in the Congress as the session starts today,” he adds. The group also asks for assistance from the champ for the passage of HB 5443 in Congress that aims to repeal Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA), a law that legitimizes demolition.

The NHA occupations will last until Nov 30, which the militants considered as Araw ng Anakpawis (Day of the Toiling Masses) as tribute to a tribute to the great revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio, when thousands of urban poor, workers and other sectors are expected to march to Mendiola. ###