Kadamay hits inhuman violence at Culiat Demolition, cites QC Devt Plan behind it

Photo by Boy Santos

Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) hit out at the ongoing demolition efforts by authorities in barangay Culiat, Quezon City. The demolition started yesterday with residents vehemently refusing to have their homes torn down, prompting violence from authorities which included bombardment of tear gas. Seven children were badly hurt and immediately rushed to the hospital with trouble breathing.

Kadamay cited that the longstanding Quezon City Development Plan is the context behind this, aiming to supposedly transform the city to more commercial and profit oriented heights while displacing all urban poor residents. Hence it’s “Zero ISF (Informal Settler Families)” policy. They tagged it as a blatant discriminatory and dangerous policy towards the lives of ordinary residents.

Kadamay Vice Chairperson Estrelieta “Ka Inday” Bagasbas, herself a resident in the demolition plagued area of San Roque condemned the ongoing violence “It will be easy for the authorities and media outlets to paint the picture as a group of rowdy, uneducated, good for nothing poor people engaging in unwarranted acts of struggle against people just doing their job. The problem is as has always been, instead of providing adequate housing and social services the government like it should treats the urban poor like the plague that has to be eradicated. It reflects in the language of their policies.”

Residents of Barangay Payatas stage a community protest ang Quezon City Development Plan on Intenational Womens' Day

The group reiterated their call to stop all forms of demolition throughout the country. They stressed that it was counter-productive, both the investment in widespread demolition and future projects via the Quezon City Development Plan, its manifestations in the Central Business District etc. favored big business while discarding human capital and the productivity of millions of Filipinos.

According to recent studies, urban poor residents in Quezon City amount to around 42% of the population. That is 1.3 million residents at risk from the Mayor Bautista’s “Zero ISF” policy. Barangay Culiat in particular has around 10,000 households.

Bagasbas said that “I have seen this before in San Roque, Bistek and the local authorities were generally pushed back by the assertion of residents to their basic human rights. We never incite violence, we respond only by defending our lives. How would you respond if tear gas was thrown at you and guns were pointed in your direction? There is something obviously inhumane about targeting 1.3 million ordinary Filipinos and today barangay Culiat is in their sights.”

Basgasbas noted that the QC Development Plan was part of the framework of the national government to incite anti-poor policies in favor of big business and its cronies. She said that with the upcoming National Housing Summit on March 17, things will only get worse.

“We will combat the atrocities to be introduced by the National Housing Summit at all levels. At the moment we will send all our efforts to support the homes and livelihood of the Culiat residents,” said Bagasbas. ### 

Please see footage: http://radyo.inquirer.net/26696/watch-demolisyon-sa-culiat-qc-nauwi-sa-batuhan-at-pukpukan