URBAN POOR — WORK FORCE AND CITIZENS

Urban poor people are blamed for the floods caused by typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana). Government officials demand they be prohibited from moving back to their homes along the rivers and esteros. The president has said that in the makeover of Metro Manila we must “rid the city” of informal settlers as if they were vermin.

There is no scientific basis proposed for such violent actions. Loggers in the Sierra Madre and developers may be more guilty. We may evict 80,000 families from the waterways at great expense and suffering only to find in 20 years the floods are back and stronger than ever. There must be a rock solid scientific reason to disrupt the lives of 400,000 persons.

Riverbank and lakeside dwellers will not insist on returning to their homes if they are offered in-city relocation near their jobs and the children’s schools.

The poor were affected that fateful Saturday (Sept. 26)just as the middle-class people. Unlike the middle-class, however, the poor had no place to go except back to their homes by the waterways.

Distant relocation is not the answer as there are usually no jobs available in the far away sites. Jobs are basic: without regular income the people will be hungry and soon return.

Let us move into 21st century thinking by making Metro Manila and our other cities inclusive ones that integrate the urban poor into their midst rather than force them into illegality on degraded sites. These diminish their humanity and serve as constant reminders of social injustices perpetuated by “the only Christian country in Asia.”

We call for a serious examination of the causes of the floods. Can it not be done by the Senate? What, if any, was the role of the poor? Who is really to blame?

We call for both public and idle private land near the riverbanks to be identified and set aside for riverbank and lakeside settlement, negotiated by government for temporary social housing use until it can identify and prepare permanent social housing sites for them in the city. We believe, however, on-site upgrading is the best solution.

We also call for a serious re-examination of our current unjust and inefficient land use patterns and a serious look at the implications of urbanization for all Filipinos, especially the poorer citizenry.

It is time to initiate humane and effective approaches that will enable our urban poor workforce to remain in the city, enjoy their rights as Filipino citizens, and help realize a vibrant, competitive, humane and inclusive Asian city.

MEDIA ADVISORY: FORUM – WHO CAUSED THE FLOOD?

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

FORUM – WHO CAUSED THE FLOOD?

As the country moves to repair the damage brought by tropical storm ‘Ondoy’, we hear what the government and professionals think should be done. However, we really don’t know what the people most affected namely the urban poor, think and feel. Without their cooperation a good solution is not possible.

We are organizing a forum on Oct. 28 (Wednesday), 4:00-6:00PM, at the Ateneo de Manila University to hear the thoughts of urban poor people.

People attending will include journalists, religious superiors, academic leaders, NGO workers, government officials and poor people.

We have also invited CHR Chairperson Leila de Lima, Sr. Aida Velasquez OSB, Teodoro Katigbak, Mary Racelis, Conrado de Quiros, Florencio Abad and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo to dialog with the poor people about one another’s solutions and analyses.

There will be an open forum and an effort to come up with some key resolutions which can be presented to government and civil society groups. These can be discussed further with the people and finally presented to media.

By the end of the afternoon we may know a little bit better what are the best solutions and be able to move further along in implementing them. We hope you can attend.

Date: October 28, 2009 (Wednesday) / 4:00-6:00PM

Venue: Conference Hall, Social Development Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City

WHO CAUSED THE FLOOD

SHELTER FROM HARM A girl whiles away the hours playing in front of her house in Bagong Silangan, Q.C. on Oct. 4.




WHO CAUSED THE FLOOD

Typhoon Ondoy no sooner began to subside than government once again blamed the poor families - - estimated to number about 80,000 families (400,000 men, women and mostly children) - - for the unprecedented flooding.

The government has prohibited these poor families from returning to their homes from the evacuation centers. Housing officials talk publicly about evicting all 80,000 families and relocating them outside the city, far from jobs and basic services.

These government actions are based on the belief that the poor caused the floods by blocking the esteros and rivers. Luckily there were other explanations for the flooding. Architects, geologists and urban planners reminded us that the causes of the floods were much more complex. Cabinet and city officials connived with developers to violate sensible planning rules. Others logged and quarried in the mountains around Metro Manila. Climate change played a role. Guilty, too, are those city officials who ignored the instructions of the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992 that each city should set aside land for social housing. If that had been done 17 years ago, there would be fewer families on the rivers and esteros.

The poor are partially to blame, but there is a huge difference between the poor, the officials and developers. The latter violate the law for gain, motivated by greed. The poor live on the shabby waterways because they have too. They are there to survive and would gladly move to a relocation center in the city where they could get back and forth to their jobs. They are not necessarily opposed to relocation but to evictions and relocation that are inhuman and violate the Constitution, the country’s international covenants and laws.

We ask for two things. First, let government establish an independent board of inquiry to look into the basic causes of the flooding. We will then know who the main violators of the common good are. The study can examine also the possibilities of in-city relocation for the poor on the waterways.

Secondly, we ask government not to evict poor people until we have an explanation of what really went wrong and fully prepared and discussed plans.

The urban poor will resist evictions and relocation that violate the law and further impoverish them.

If government will not make such an inquiry, the urban poor will do so to the best of their ability.

Do not make the poor the scapegoat for the greed of the wealthy and powerful. We see poor people walking the streets looking for rice for their families. Don’t add to their suffering.

The urban poor extend their compassion to all who suffered in Ondoy, especially to the families of those who died trying to help others. May God take care of all of us.

Media Advisory - Launching of KAYAKo

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Launching of KAYAKo

Father Robert Reyes, also known as the running priest, invites you at the launching of Kalikasan Kabuhayan Katarungan ora mismo (KAYAKo) tomorrow (Oct. 12 / Monday) beginning at 8:00 AM at the Marikina City riverbanks adjacent to Marcos Highway.

Father Reyes will be rowing along Marikina River using a kayak, a small human-powered boat, to pray and support the urban poor particularly the thousands of families threatened with forced evictions due to the recent flash floods brought about by typhoon Ondoy.

There will be a signature campaign for the causes of KAYAKo. At 10:00 AM there will be a press conference at Treehouse, Matalino Street in Quezon City.

The Catholic priest will be rowing around Laguna Lake the following weeks to spearhead series of causes including care for environment, relief operations for flood victims, fisherfolk issues, disaster preparedness, urban land reform, among others.

Supporting this initiative are groups such as Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), Kubol Pag-asa, Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Bulgar, Mamamayan para sa Pagpapaunlad at Pagpapanatili ng Lawa (MAPAGPALA), and the Philippine Dragonboat Team.

Date: October 12, 2009 (Monday)

Time/Venue: 8:00 AM – Marikina City riverbanks

Time/Venue: 10:00 AM - Treehouse, Matalino Street, Q.C.


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Kalikasan Kabuhayan Katarungan ora mismo (KAYAKo)


Kaya kong ipagtanggol ang kalikasan.

Kaya kong mabuhay na may dignidad.

Kaya kong ipagtanggol ang karapatang pantao.

Kaya kong lumaya sa pagkakaapi.

Kaya kong linisin ang kapaligiran.

Kaya kong itaguyod ang pagbabago.

Kaya kong paunlarin ang ating bayan.

Kaya kong ipaglaban at harapin ang katarungan.

Kaya kong mabuhay para sa bayan.

Kaya kong ipaglaban ang aking karapatang manirahan sa kalunsuran.

Kaya kong pigilan ang pagwasak sa kalikasan.

Kaya kong baguhin ang maling kaugalian.

Kaya kong gawin ito, ora mismo!