Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Defend Job Philippine regarding eviction notice served on 250 families living along the R-10 or Road 10 in Tondo, Manila by the government authorities. The planned forced eviction, without compensation, will not only jeopardize living conditions of the people but also expose them to hunger because of lost livelihood opportunities.
The AHRC appeals to the authorities in Philippines to revoke the notice and engage in relocation activities only after the proper rehabilitation of the affected families.
CASE NARRATIVE:
On August 1, 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) served a notice of eviction on the families living along the R-10 or Road 10 in Tondo, Manila. The notice had given one month to the residents for vacating the area for the implementation of the R-10 Road Widening Project under the North Harbor Privatization Project.
The notice affects well being and right to adequate housing of more than 550 families living in Barangay 29, 30, 39, 37, 44 and 123. These families have been living here since 1950s. Most of the earning members of the community get their livelihood from menial jobs at the seaport (Manila Port Area) such as porter, istibidor and seaport terminal workers. Other residents engage in small jobs like selling food, fruits and vegetable in the Divisoria Market as well and picking waste.
The DPWH had been using both harassment and deception techniques since much before serving the notice on August 1. It had arbitrarily prepared a list of families qualified and unqualified for compensation. It then offered a relocation program to the 300 “qualified’ families in Bocaue, Bulacan with a compensation package comprising of 2 kilos of rice, 2 pieces of canned goods and 2 pieces of noodles. The remaining 250 families are “disqualified” as per the DPWH’s criteria and are therefore subject to forced eviction without any compensation.
The remaining families, organized under the banner of the Samahan ng Magkakapitbahay sa R10-KADAMAY, consistently demanded a dialogue with the newly elected Mayor Joseph Estrada, DPWH and NHA to appeal for a decent relocation, close to their community, sources of livelihood, schools and hospitals. Yet, these government offices refused to take heed to the demands of the affected residents.
As of now, the authorities are pressing for the implementation of the P100 million road widening project as an integral part of the plans of port modernization led by two business tycoons Danding Cojuanco (uncle of President Aquino) and Regis Romero. The plans of port modernization and privatization have led to retrenchment of thousands of port workers, casualisation of the permanent workers and displacement of thousands of vendors and families living in the port area.
With the expiration of the one month deadline for eviction, on September 2, 2013, the DPWH has announced that they would use force to demolish the houses of the remaining families. Threatened with the notice, the residents have taken recourse to forming a people’s barricade to collectively defend their homes and assert their rights to adequate housing, education, access to jobs and livelihood, health and other services. They are demanding for social justice and an end to the systemic corruption in the government that keeps the vast majority of the people in poor, hungry, homeless and jobless while benefitting a tiny but influential minority.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities mentioned below demanding immediate intervention into the case and ensure that the eviction drive is stopped.
The AHRC is separately writing a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur
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To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Immediately stop eviction drive against 250 poor families of R10, Tondo.
Name of the Victims: Families living along Road 10, Tondo, Manila
Alleged perpetrators: Government authorities
The Asian Human Rights Commission has learnt that on August 1, 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) served a notice of eviction on the families living along the R-10 or Road 10 in Tondo, Manila. The notice had given one month to the residents for vacating the area for the implementation of the R-10 Road Widening Project under the North Harbor Privatization Project.
The notice affects well being and right to adequate housing of more than 550 families living in Barangay 29, 30, 39, 37, 44 and 123. These families have been living here since 1950s. Most of the earning members of the community get their livelihood from menial jobs at the seaport (Manila Port Area) such as porter, istibidor and seaport terminal workers. Other residents engage in small jobs like selling food, fruits and vegetable in the Divisoria Market as well and picking waste.
The DPWH had been using both harassment and deception techniques since much before serving the notice on August 1. It had arbitrarily prepared a list of families qualified and unqualified for compensation. It then offered a relocation program to the 300 "qualified' families in Bocaue, Bulacan with a compensation package comprising of 2 kilos of rice, 2 pieces of canned goods and 2 pieces of noodles. The remaining 250 families are "disqualified" as per the DPWH's criteria and are therefore subject to forced eviction without any compensation.
The remaining families, organized under the banner of the Samahan ng Magkakapitbahay sa R10-KADAMAY, consistently demanded a dialogue with the newly elected Mayor Joseph Estrada, DPWH and NHA to appeal for a decent relocation, close to their community, sources of livelihood, schools and hospitals. Yet, these government offices refused to take heed to the demands of the affected residents.
As of now, the authorities are pressing for the implementation of the P100 million road widening project as an integral part of the plans of port modernization led by two business tycoons Danding Cojuanco (uncle of President Aquino) and Regis Romero. The plans of port modernization and privatization have led to retrenchment of thousands of port workers, casualisation of the permanent workers and displacement of thousands of vendors and families living in the port area.
With the expiration of the one month deadline for eviction, on September 2, 2013, the DPWH has announced that they would use force to demolish the houses of the remaining families. Threatened with the notice, the residents have taken recourse to forming a people's barricade to collectively defend their homes and assert their rights to adequate housing, education, access to jobs and livelihood, health and other services. They are demanding for social justice and an end to the systemic corruption in the government that keeps the vast majority of the people in poor, hungry, homeless and jobless while benefitting a tiny but influential minority.
I, therefore, urge you to ensure that,
1. The demolition drive and forced relocation forced relocation to the National Housing Resettlement sites is stopped immediately as they are far away from the sources of the livelihood of the families,
2. Any such relocations do not hamper with the education of the children of urban poor by forcing them into going in places far away from their schools as this merely worsens the already dire situation of the people,
3. The families are provided with a decent housing program near the port area,
4. The relocation does not hamper with people's access to other basic services like health, sanitation, transportation and water,
5. Policy changes are made to ensure that such services are not run like business for profit but as rights of the citizenry. The government should re-channel the pork barrel funds to these services,
6. Privatization of the port area is stopped. You should also strive to implement genuine land reform, to build national industry and for creating decent and adequate jobs for the people.
Sincerely,
_______
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Benigno Simeon Aquino III
President of the Republic
Malacañang Palace, JP Laurel St., San Miguel
Manila Philippines, Voice: (+632) 564 1451 to 80
Fax: (+632) 742-1641 / 929-3968
Email: corres@op.gov.ph / opnet@ops.gov.ph
2. Hon. Joseph Estrada
City Mayor, Manila
Address:
Email: edp@manila.gov.ph
Telephone: 527-5191 / 527-4939
3. Hon. Rogelio L. Singson
Secretary
Department of Public Works and Highways
Address: Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila
Email: singson.rogelio@dpwh.gov.ph
Telephone: +632-304-3300
4. Atty. Leila De Lima
Secretary, Department of Justice
Padre Faura St., Manila
Direct Line 521-8344; 5213721
Trunkline 523-84-81 loc.214
Fax: (+632) 521-1614
Email: soj@doj.gov.ph
5. Hon. Loretta Ann P. Rosales
Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Voice: (+632) 928-5655, 926-6188
Fax: (+632) 929 0102
Email: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com, lorettann@gmail.com
6. ATTY. CHITO M. CRUZ
NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY
General Manager
Elliptical Road, Diliman, 1100, Quezon City
Website: www.nha.gov.ph
Tel. Nos.: 921-7828/922-2460
7. Hon. HERNANI B. PANGANIBAN, Chairman/CEO
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor
Office of the Chairman
4th floor, DHC Bldg. 1115 EDSA, Project 7, Quezon City 1105
Telefax: 410-46-91
Email of the Executive Assistant: jaimevarela1015@yahoo.com
Thank you
Hunger Alerts Programme
Right to Food Programme (foodjustice@ahrc.asia)
Asian Human Rights
