Corporate vultures come home to roost in the name of “Build Back Better”

The Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap-Tacloban (Kadamay-Tacloban), an organization of urban poor dwellers, today said the Aquino government's Recovery Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) would essentially displace them in favor of corporate interests. “Under the slogan of “Build Back Better,” the Aquino government's RAY is pushing such anti-poor policies like the “no build zones” and “no dwelling zones” to get rid of the urban poor in Tacloban City,” said Kadamay-Tacloban spokesperson Joel Abaño. “The urban poor are asking, “Build Back Better” for whom?”

According to the urban poor organization, the Aquino government hypocritically imposed the “no build zones” and “no dwelling zones” in the name of safety for the affected communities, while encouraging corporations to take advantage of the vacated locations to build their businesses. “The urban poor in Tacloban are being exiled to distant relocation sites and forced to live in substandard housing. They are also uprooted from their means of livelihood, because many are fisherfolk and vendors whose sources of income are near the coastal communities. Meanwhile, nine giant corporations have committed to rehabilitate and reconstruct 16 of 24 development areas, including Tacloban City. The country’s richest families like Gokongwei, Zobel-Ayala, Aboitiz, Pangilinan, Gaisano, and others own these corporations. These families have interests in property development and real estate.”

The Kadamay-Tacloban said corporate interests because of its vital importance to the region eye the city. “For example, Manuel Pangilinan's Metro Pacific Holdings adopted Tacloban City because it is seeking to expand its interests in property development. Enrique Razon is also investing in the city, the major transport hub of Eastern Visayas, because of his interests in ports and storage, as well resorts and casinos located near international seaports and on reclaimed land.”

“The Executive Director of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery is also Danilo Antonio, the chief operating officer of Eton Properties, the real estate holding of tycoon Lucio Tan.”

The Kadamay-Tacloban spokesperspon said the the Aquino government feigns concern for the poor while displacing them in favor of big businesses. “An estimated 10.8 million people will be displaced by the no build zones in Yolanda-afflicted areas. There is no regional masterplan to help determine what the people really need, while corporations have already started their own agenda of recovery and reconstruction work to serve their profit-driven interests .”

Such a plan for massive demolitions by the Aquino government leaves the urban poor no other choice but to fight back. “We denounce the Aquino government's favors to its big business cronies at the expense of the urban poor. If the Aquino government is declaring war on the urban poor, we have no other choice but to defend our homes and livelihood. It is also not only the interests of the urban poor at stake here, but of the people as a whole, who have to contend with their lives being ran by greedy corporations encouraged by privatization and other neoliberal policies. If the government is not for the people, the heartless Aquino government is fuelling the rage of the people to oust it.”#