By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com MANILA — Urban poor groups and a government employees union held a protest action in front of the Quezon City Hall to criticize the recently passed local ordinance that designates the East and North Triangles as the city’s central business district. But they were prevented from entering the city…
Category: Urban Poor
Urban poor likens President Aquino to Pontius Pilate
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Urban poor residents held a senakulo to protest against the “three crosses” they have been bearing namely, massive demolition of communities, oil price increases and power rate hikes.
Soldiers harass, displace urban poor from San Juan
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com MANILA — The Task Force on Urban Conscientization (TFUC) of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines condemned the recent military harassment on urban poor families residing in its shelter. Last March 26, 2012, eight soldiers went to the Kanlungan Center, the TFUC shelter, looking for the…
20 years of legalizing demolitions through the housing law
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
“UDHA’s existence for the past 20 years did nothing but to further the attacks on the lives and livelihoods of the poor. The law did not serve the people” — Kadamay
Sidebar: Back Story: Urban Development and Housing Act merely meant to delay demolition of urban poor communities
Sorry conditions in urban poor relocation site
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“The government wants to project itself as compassionate and humane because it provides these relocation sites, but it will not admit that there are so many things that are wrong in these sites and people do not benefit from being forced to live there.” – Gabriela Women’s Party
World Bank funds project to address housing crisis as demolitions continue
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“The government has no right to call Filipinos squatters in their own country. It has the responsibility to provide its citizens with decent social housing and ensure that they have access to social services.” – Kadamay
Being jailed for supporting the urban poor struggle only made him stronger
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com MANILA — During the first year commemoration of the violent demolition of homes in Corazon de Jesus, San Juan last January 23, Mark Louie Aquino, 26, spokesperson and second nominee of Kabataan Parylist, received the loudest cheers from the residents who graced the event. When he mentioned that he…
Mothers to Aquino: impeachment saga cannot eliminate hunger, generate jobs
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL and JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
“Filipino mothers could not stretch their budget anymore, but the government remains complacent. It does nothing to control the rising prices of goods and services that have long pushed down Filipino women and their families into poverty.”
Corazon de Jesus residents remain determined to fight
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
“What the local governments have been trying to evict are not only the structures of the people’s homes but the people’s very life and dignity.” – Promotion of Church People’s Response
Demolition in San Juan, among the most violent
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
“Residents are being forced to relocate where jobs, electricity and water are scarce. Demolitions and forced evictions automatically translate to workers having to leave their sources of income and children would have to stop from going to school.” Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luz Ilagan
YEARENDER: 2011, a precarious life for the urban poor
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
In 2011, rights group Karapatan – National Capital Region has monitored at least one case of demolition a month, which more or less translates to at least three families losing their homes everyday due to demolition.