And urban poor group claimed that recent cases of demolition in urban poor communities in Quezon City should be blamed to an anti-urban poor policy called the Zero-Informal Settler Family (Zero-ISF) policy which the Bautista administration has been implementing since 2010 to the detriment of the urban poor who constitute majority of the residents.
Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) also slams privatization policy of the Aquino administration as QC has recently become a battle ground of violent demolition of homes, and host to huge fires that residents claimed to be cases of arson.
In 2002, there were an estimated 170,000 depressed households in the city, and as of August 2010 the number of informal settler families is said to have already reached more than 223,000 according to record of Quezon City Urban Poor Affairs Office.
Last week, at least 80 families have lost their homes in the QC's Litex Area despite the resistance of residents. Meanwhile, protests of residents in two other communities in QC also last week have failed attempts of the local government unit and the University of the Philippines administration to evict some 300 families from an urban poor community along Mother Ignacia Avenue in QC's South Triangle, and 47 families along C.P Garcia Avenue in Barangay UP Campus.
This morning, residents of Hydraulic Compound in Barangay Old Capitol Site also face threat of eviction after the UP administration issued yesterday a notice for them to vacate their homes. At least 18 families are bound to be homeless as the UP administration aims to sell, if not to have for lease, the land to private companies in an effort to raise fund to complement the State University's measly subsidy.
QC: Most hellish city for the urban poor
Carlito Badion, natinal secretary-general of Kadamamy said, "QC is undeniably the most hellish city in the Philippines for the urban poor, and it has been a melting pot of many schemes to privatizatizepublic lands to give to Public-Private Partnership project in the guise of development."
"The Zero-ISF policy in QC which was initiated by QC Mayor Herbert Bautista in 2010 has rendered thousands of urban poor homeless, and trampled on their rights as human beings." Badion added.
"It is one of the most anti-poor policies under the Aquino administration stripping the urban poor of their right to adequate shelter and their right the city in favor of big businessmen who connive with the mafia of political leaders controlling the city--Tadeo Palma-Bautista tandem," he added.
Tadeo Palma is the secretary to the city mayor.
"Zero-Slum Zone"
Recently, the zero-ISF policy was renamed into "Zero-Slum Zone", a less anti-poor and not derogatory term, to avoid negative reactions from the critical public.
But Badion said, "While its name seems to be less discriminatory to QC's urban poor population, the Zero-ISF in 2014 was reinforced with sharper pangs upon the approval of QC ordinance SP 2247 which prohibits the renovation and construction of any structure without the consent of the legitimate owner of the land."
“Because of the said ordinance, fire victims in QC are not entitled to rebuild their new homes,” he claimed.
Recent waves of demolition of homes and arson cases in QC, according to Kadamay, is part of the city's zoning plan which eyes to create five key areas in the city for development purposes.
Growth Centers in QC
Based on Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which is a long term framework plan that defines the desired physical pattern of growth of the city, QC delineates five (5) growth centers: Central Business District Area (North, East and South Traingle and UP Ayalaland-Technohub); Cubao Growth Center, NGC-Batasan Growth Center; Novaliches-Lagro Growth Area; and Balintawak-Munoz Growth Center.
A New Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. SP 2200, S-2013 - THE REVISED QUEZON CITY COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE (SERIES OF 2013) is the principal instrument or tool that shall implement the CLUP. More than identifying the growth centers, the CLUP also delineated boundaries of each center. This distinction further allows focused and targeted policy interventions.
According to Kadamay, urban poor settlers occupying lands within these planned growth centers have received the full wrath of the LGU's and the national government's demolition spree.
They include some 10,000 families from Sitio San Roque in North Triangle who sustained violent attempts of eviction since 2010, and thousands other families along BIR and NIA Roads in the East Triangle who faced several cases of fire and demolition of homes, as well. Last month, some 1,500 families lost their homes to fire.
Meanwhile, the biggest fire to hit QC this year brought to ashes the homes of more than 2,000 families in Baranagay Apolonio Samson which Kadamay claims to be a part of the LGU's plan to develop the Balintawak-Munoz Growth Center.
More street dwellers, more violent resistance
"As the QC LGU and the national continue to implement the Zero-ISF policy, more and more QC urban poor are bound to be street dwellers, while resistance form settlers who refused to be ditched out to far-flung relocation sites will become more violent and rampant as ever," Badion warned.
"We call on every urban poor in QC and in the country to unite against the Zero-ISF policy and the privatization scheme of the Aquino administration. It is only a must for us to defend our right to adequate shelter which the Philippine Constitution provides as well as International Conventions to which the Philippine Government is a signatory," he added.
Meanwhile, Kadamay also appealed on the Filipino Catholics, especially the church workers, to act on the message of Pope Francis who rallied for the recognition and respect of the dignity of the poor, during his apostolic visit to the Philippines last month.
“We ask for the public to support our call for the resignation, if not ouster, of both Mayor Bautista and President Aquino, from their offices for being quintessentially anti-poor,” Badion ended.
In 2002, there were an estimated 170,000 depressed households in the city, and as of August 2010 the number of informal settler families is said to have already reached more than 223,000 according to record of Quezon City Urban Poor Affairs Office.
Last week, at least 80 families have lost their homes in the QC's Litex Area despite the resistance of residents. Meanwhile, protests of residents in two other communities in QC also last week have failed attempts of the local government unit and the University of the Philippines administration to evict some 300 families from an urban poor community along Mother Ignacia Avenue in QC's South Triangle, and 47 families along C.P Garcia Avenue in Barangay UP Campus.
This morning, residents of Hydraulic Compound in Barangay Old Capitol Site also face threat of eviction after the UP administration issued yesterday a notice for them to vacate their homes. At least 18 families are bound to be homeless as the UP administration aims to sell, if not to have for lease, the land to private companies in an effort to raise fund to complement the State University's measly subsidy.
QC: Most hellish city for the urban poor
Carlito Badion, natinal secretary-general of Kadamamy said, "QC is undeniably the most hellish city in the Philippines for the urban poor, and it has been a melting pot of many schemes to privatizatizepublic lands to give to Public-Private Partnership project in the guise of development."
"The Zero-ISF policy in QC which was initiated by QC Mayor Herbert Bautista in 2010 has rendered thousands of urban poor homeless, and trampled on their rights as human beings." Badion added.
"It is one of the most anti-poor policies under the Aquino administration stripping the urban poor of their right to adequate shelter and their right the city in favor of big businessmen who connive with the mafia of political leaders controlling the city--Tadeo Palma-Bautista tandem," he added.
Tadeo Palma is the secretary to the city mayor.
"Zero-Slum Zone"
Recently, the zero-ISF policy was renamed into "Zero-Slum Zone", a less anti-poor and not derogatory term, to avoid negative reactions from the critical public.
But Badion said, "While its name seems to be less discriminatory to QC's urban poor population, the Zero-ISF in 2014 was reinforced with sharper pangs upon the approval of QC ordinance SP 2247 which prohibits the renovation and construction of any structure without the consent of the legitimate owner of the land."
“Because of the said ordinance, fire victims in QC are not entitled to rebuild their new homes,” he claimed.
Recent waves of demolition of homes and arson cases in QC, according to Kadamay, is part of the city's zoning plan which eyes to create five key areas in the city for development purposes.
Growth Centers in QC
Based on Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) which is a long term framework plan that defines the desired physical pattern of growth of the city, QC delineates five (5) growth centers: Central Business District Area (North, East and South Traingle and UP Ayalaland-Technohub); Cubao Growth Center, NGC-Batasan Growth Center; Novaliches-Lagro Growth Area; and Balintawak-Munoz Growth Center.
A New Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. SP 2200, S-2013 - THE REVISED QUEZON CITY COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE (SERIES OF 2013) is the principal instrument or tool that shall implement the CLUP. More than identifying the growth centers, the CLUP also delineated boundaries of each center. This distinction further allows focused and targeted policy interventions.
According to Kadamay, urban poor settlers occupying lands within these planned growth centers have received the full wrath of the LGU's and the national government's demolition spree.
They include some 10,000 families from Sitio San Roque in North Triangle who sustained violent attempts of eviction since 2010, and thousands other families along BIR and NIA Roads in the East Triangle who faced several cases of fire and demolition of homes, as well. Last month, some 1,500 families lost their homes to fire.
Meanwhile, the biggest fire to hit QC this year brought to ashes the homes of more than 2,000 families in Baranagay Apolonio Samson which Kadamay claims to be a part of the LGU's plan to develop the Balintawak-Munoz Growth Center.
More street dwellers, more violent resistance
"As the QC LGU and the national continue to implement the Zero-ISF policy, more and more QC urban poor are bound to be street dwellers, while resistance form settlers who refused to be ditched out to far-flung relocation sites will become more violent and rampant as ever," Badion warned.
"We call on every urban poor in QC and in the country to unite against the Zero-ISF policy and the privatization scheme of the Aquino administration. It is only a must for us to defend our right to adequate shelter which the Philippine Constitution provides as well as International Conventions to which the Philippine Government is a signatory," he added.
Meanwhile, Kadamay also appealed on the Filipino Catholics, especially the church workers, to act on the message of Pope Francis who rallied for the recognition and respect of the dignity of the poor, during his apostolic visit to the Philippines last month.
“We ask for the public to support our call for the resignation, if not ouster, of both Mayor Bautista and President Aquino, from their offices for being quintessentially anti-poor,” Badion ended.
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