Around 900 urban poor families have lost their homes since June 23 after authorities led by the Department of Public Works and Highways, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and the city government of Navotas implemented a road-widening project along Road 10 in Barangay North Bay Boulevard-North in Navotas City.
Initially, government officials said that they would only widen the road to 13.5 meters, but their plans have changed considerably. Now they are widening the road to 27 meters. The road-widening is part of the North Bay Boulevard Business Project under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership Program.
Some of the families have been residents in the area for as long as five decades, and many refuse to leave the community for its vicinity to the neighboring Navotas fish port, a source of livelihood to majority of the residents. After the demolition, at least 200 families have built make-shift shelters along Road 10 with their the loud resistance to the off-city relocation offer of the National Housing Authority (NHA).
The NHA has offered an off-city relocation in Pandi, Bulacan, P100-ride away from Navotas City. Hundreds of residents have already accepted the relocation offer. But the back-and-forth travel from the relocation site to the fish port would cost a worker around P200 from his already meager daily income (average of P300). The off-city relocation is a death blow to their families according to Road 10 residents.
The urban poor are banking on the promise of President Benigno Aquino III before the presidential election of 2010, as he signed a covenant with the urban poor promising to provide them with decent housing, and that there would not be any eviction without the provision of such.
Under the Aquino administration, at least 70,000 families have had their homes demolished to give way to different PPP projects. Among them are the communities in Navotas City near the fish port. Some 1.4 million urban poor are to be evicted from their communities and sources of livelihood upon the implementation of first 14 PPP projects in Metro Manila.
Residents along Road 10 who have lost their homes but refused to accept the relocation offer chose to remain in the community. They are in need of temporary shelter, and emergency food assistance due to the disturbance to their livelihood caused by the demolition.
We appeal for your immediate moral and material support for the victims of demolition along Road 10 who have chosen a peaceful assertion of their right in defending their homes.
We appeal on the Aquino government to end its demolition rampage in urban poor communities to give way to different PPP projects which will only benefit big foreign and local businesses.
For five years, the president has not addressed the root of the “squatting problem” in the country. It should create decent employment and implement a significant wage increase so the urban poor can avail themselves of decent shelters.
For your support, please contact Estrelieta 'Ka Inday' Bagasbas, Kadamay national vice chairperson, Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon spokesperson, 09089987119.
Initially, government officials said that they would only widen the road to 13.5 meters, but their plans have changed considerably. Now they are widening the road to 27 meters. The road-widening is part of the North Bay Boulevard Business Project under the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership Program.
Some of the families have been residents in the area for as long as five decades, and many refuse to leave the community for its vicinity to the neighboring Navotas fish port, a source of livelihood to majority of the residents. After the demolition, at least 200 families have built make-shift shelters along Road 10 with their the loud resistance to the off-city relocation offer of the National Housing Authority (NHA).
The NHA has offered an off-city relocation in Pandi, Bulacan, P100-ride away from Navotas City. Hundreds of residents have already accepted the relocation offer. But the back-and-forth travel from the relocation site to the fish port would cost a worker around P200 from his already meager daily income (average of P300). The off-city relocation is a death blow to their families according to Road 10 residents.
The urban poor are banking on the promise of President Benigno Aquino III before the presidential election of 2010, as he signed a covenant with the urban poor promising to provide them with decent housing, and that there would not be any eviction without the provision of such.
Under the Aquino administration, at least 70,000 families have had their homes demolished to give way to different PPP projects. Among them are the communities in Navotas City near the fish port. Some 1.4 million urban poor are to be evicted from their communities and sources of livelihood upon the implementation of first 14 PPP projects in Metro Manila.
Residents along Road 10 who have lost their homes but refused to accept the relocation offer chose to remain in the community. They are in need of temporary shelter, and emergency food assistance due to the disturbance to their livelihood caused by the demolition.
We appeal for your immediate moral and material support for the victims of demolition along Road 10 who have chosen a peaceful assertion of their right in defending their homes.
We appeal on the Aquino government to end its demolition rampage in urban poor communities to give way to different PPP projects which will only benefit big foreign and local businesses.
For five years, the president has not addressed the root of the “squatting problem” in the country. It should create decent employment and implement a significant wage increase so the urban poor can avail themselves of decent shelters.
For your support, please contact Estrelieta 'Ka Inday' Bagasbas, Kadamay national vice chairperson, Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon spokesperson, 09089987119.
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