PRESS RELEASE l 29 DECEMBER 2011
KALIPUNAN NG DAMAYANG MAHIHIRAP
Militant Center of Urban Poor in the Philippines
Reference: Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national secretary general (0921.392.7457)
QUEZON CITY, Philippines--An urban poor group, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) has slammed the idiotic and criminal neglect of the Aquino government over its failure to heed warnings as early as last year by several groups that Cagayan de Oro was doomed to suffer Ondoy-like floods. It also blamed the recent tragedy on the government's lack of sincerity to address the worsening housing problem of Filipino urban poor nationwide, especially those who live along riverbanks and other danger zones.
Members of Kadamay in Metro Manila with Anakpawis Partylist will be joining at 6pm today simultaneous candle lighting actions in Davao City and Cagayan de Oro City for the victims of large-scale mining and ilegal logging in Mindanao.
"Does Aquno has the sincerity and capacity to prevent another Sendong-like disaster while his governement has only offered demolition of homes, among other sufferings, to the urban poor," Ricky Indecio says, Kadamay spokesperson says.
“Malacañang has already admitted it turned deaf on the warnings issued by the Climate Change Congress of the Philippines (CCCP) which has clearly pointed out the need to put into place disaster prevention mechanisms in Cagayan de Oro City, for three times since Aquino assumed his post,” Indecio adds.
Relocation fund
According to Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national secretary general, "the recent report of the Aquino government to allot budget P10.55 billion relocation program for those who live in danger areas and slum areas is too late, as the government has never sincerely addressed the squatting problem ever since Ondoy. And we doubt that this fund would ever be for the benefit the urban poor."
"Either the residents would reject the relocation offer to far-flung relocation sites because of lack of livelihood opportunities, or the P10 billion relocation funds would only fall into hands of a few politicians and non-government organizations that are in connivance with big low-cost housing firms," she says.
"Meanwhile, in-city relocation plan has remained on the drawing board," she adds.
Criminal minds
"It is not the stubbornness or the 'criminal minds' of the urban poor that made them decide to live in danger areas," Arellano explains.
"They are forced to live along river banks because their income cannot make them avail of a house in city's residential areas that seem to be only for the elite or the middle class, while danger areas give them easy access to their sources of livelihood,” she adds.
The Aquino administration should address the basic problem of lack of regular employment and decent wages for the millions of urban poor nationwide so they can afford decent housing in the urban centers, the group says.
"Unless this is resolved, no relocation program will answer the squatter problem in the country, and avoid another tragedy brought by Ondoy and Sendong," Arellano adds.
The group says, Aquino should as well address the 'faulty' land reform program in the country.
As landlessness in the countryside drives hundreds of thousands of peasants into urban centers nationwide each year, Arellano says, the limited employment in the cities will only force the urban poor to live on city spaces free from monthly rentals, or where housing rentals is less costly.
A sad event to end the year
Kadamay considers 2011 as one of the saddest years for the urban poor. The year is marked by counts of big fires on urban poor communities, massive demolition of homes, and relocation of thousands of urban poor families to far-flung relocation sites where their lives have been worse than ever.
"This year, we have lost hundreds of lives from a natural disaster that is triggered by man-made activities. While the government has been protecting the big mining and logging firms, hundreds of thousands of Filipino urban poor families living along riverbanks remain susceptible to big flash floods," Arellano says.
"The tragedy in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City is comparable to Ormoc flash flood brought by Typhoon Uring in 1999, and the 2000 Payatas tragedy. Lost of thousands of lives could have been avoided had it not for the greed of a few," she adds.
“The Aquino administration has done nothing for the urban poor but demolition of our homes, unending price hikes, meager wages and massive unemployment. But he has been a die-hard supporter of big mining and logging firms and foreign businessmen who are robbing the country of its natural resources,“ he says.
The group calls on the Aquino administration to stop all the operations of large-scale mining and logging firms all over the country. As well as full-assistance and rehabilitation of urban poor communities and families ravaged by Sendong. ###
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