Is the President Lying?

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Is the President Lying?

12 August 2009. Urban poor leaders said, “The President is lying. The 300 million pesos she promised to us last August 1, 2008 for the development of relocation site in Montalban for thousands of urban poor families affected by demolitions and forced evictions does not exist.”

The urban poor leaders who headed the big protest rally yesterday morning at the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) had a confrontation with Usec. Lucille Ortille, the Secretary General of HUDCC at 2 pm in her office.

The leaders asked her where was the 300 million promised by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?

According to Usec. Ortille, there was no budget yet for the relocation site in Montalban because the 300 million is not stipulated in the Executive Order 803.

Executive Order No. 803 or the Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee (MMIAC) is a comprehensive shelter program for informal settlers affected by the government’s infrastructure projects and those living in dangerous areas.

In that EO it says: “ The MMDA is hereby directed to set up a trust fund, wherein funds sourced from the office of the President, National Government Agencies, LGUs..(will be held).”

In short, there is no trust fund yet.

“We wasted a year waiting for the 300 million to be released,” said Prescilda Juanich, leader of SAPIPA R-10 Navotas City. “I remember in the meeting with the president August 1 last year she gave directives to government agencies to relocate in Montalban the 1400 families from the 11 priority areas evicted by the MMDA. I adore her so much. But now, I have lost all my respect to her,” she added.

“MMDA destroyed our houses without hesitation and now we are living in the streets. Our only hope was the promise of the president that we will be relocated. But we were dismayed that it was just a big lie,” said Rosalinda Saturno, leader of Samahang Nayon ng Balintawak QC.

Task Force Anti-Eviction (TFAE), composed of various people’s organizations and NGOs such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM), and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise(COPE)Foundation, thinks that the President promised the 300 million to pacify the urban poor complaints and soften resistance against demolitions and force evictions.

Jun Alferez, representative of (TFAE) who was in the confrontation said, “The president will expect the urban poor to mobilize in a bigger number to get the 300 million she promised for the housing of thousand families.”

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Evicted urban poor settlers picket HUDCC office

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Evicted urban poor settlers picket HUDCC office

11 August 2009 (Tuesday). Some 300 people picketed the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) this morning to protest the government agency’s inaction in providing relocation to thousands of urban poor families affected by demolitions and forced evictions. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised the people August 1 last year she would relocate them to Rodriguez (Montalban).

Singing songs of protest, the demonstrators gathered at the Ninoy Aquino monument at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas. Some of them had boxes shaped like houses on their heads that they said symbolize their right to shelter. Beginning at 9:00 AM the group marched toward the HUDCC office at the Banco de Oro building.

Carrying banners bearing “Where is the relocation? Are you listening Mr. Vice President?” they called the attention of Vice President Noli de Castro, concurrent HUDCC Chair, to address the problem of the evicted families and the president’s promise.

Members of Task Force Anti-Eviction, composed of people’s groups and non-government organizations such as Urban Poor Associates (UPA), Community Organizers Multiversity (COM) and Community Organization of the Philippine Enterprise (COPE), met President Arroyo twice last year to ask the government to stop forced evictions and provide adequate relocation. During the August 1 meeting in Malacañang President Arroyo ordered various government agencies including HUDCC to develop the Montalban relocation site with an initial budget of 300 million pesos for 1,500 families evicted and left in the streets.

“Nothing has happened since the meeting. Urban poor communities are constantly threatened with forced evictions without adequate relocation. Evicted families have been living on sidewalks exposed to the elements of heat and rain. What happened to the money and the relocation? What happened to the promise of the president?” the people asked.

According to the UPA annual demolition monitor, some 14 demolition incidents were monitored in 2008 which affected 2,411 families. In the cases monitored, the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) requirements on 30-day notice, consultations and provision of relocation were largely ignored. “Only 741 families or 30.73% were relocated. Some 353 families, including children, women and elderly, were victims of repeated demolition operations,” said lawyer Ritche Esponilla of UPA.

“Every time flashfloods occur in Metro Manila, authorities are quick in pointing fingers to informal settlers as culprit even though the real problem is a city wide poor drainage system, graft and corruption among others. The prompt solution is demolition and forced eviction. The government failed to provide relocation which can be paid through monthly amortization. Without relocation, evicted families rebuild their shanties. This is clearly a waste of time and effort on the part of the government. You cannot expect different results by doing the same action all over again,” Atty. Esponilla pointed out. “It is a sign of insanity,” he said.

In a letter, leaders of people’s organizations asked the Vice President for help. “We believe that as Vice President and HUDCC Chair, you can help the release of initial budget of the Montalban relocation. We are hoping that the budget will be released at the soonest possible time. Please don’t fail us. You are our last hope,” the letter read.

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Urban poor group to picket HUDCC office

Attention: News Editor, News Desk, Reporters and Photojournalists

MEDIA ADVISORY

Urban poor group to picket HUDCC office

Some 300 urban poor people will converge at the Ninoy Aquino monument (Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas) in Makati City on Tuesday morning and beginning at 9:00 AM they will march toward the office of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) located at the Banco de Oro Building (Paseo de Roxas corner Makati Avenue) to protest the government agency’s inaction in providing relocation to urban poor families affected by demolitions and forced evictions.

Members of the Task Force Anti-Eviction met President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in August 1 last year and she ordered various government agencies including HUDCC to develop the Montalban relocation site with an initial budget of 300 million pesos. Nothing has happened since. People will ask HUDCC, what happened to the money and the relocation?

Urban poor communities are constantly threatened with forced evictions. Evicted families have been living on sidewalks exposed to the elements of heat and rain. What happened to the promise of the president?

Photo ops: Demonstrators will wear colorful boxes shaped like houses on their heads which symbolize their right to shelter. Songs of protest. Giant slide show.

Date: August 11, 2009 (Tuesday)

Time: 9:00 AM

Assembly Point: Ninoy Aquino monument, Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas