PHILIPPINES: Authorities plan to forcibly relocate Parola Fire victims to faraway places
Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information from Defend Job Philippines about the planned relocation of the victims of Parola Compound Fire. The National Housing Authority is planning to relocate 1,000 families to places located faraway from their sources of livelihood in Parola, Tondo. The AHRC has also learned that they plan to do the same to the remaining families as well.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
Instead of rehabilitating the victims of the Parola Compound fire, the National Housing Authority (NHA) is planning to relocate them to faraway places. The families have learned this when they were called for a meeting with the NHA and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) on 17 March 2015. However, when they arrived for the meeting, they found that it was an interview for relocation to Pandi in Bulacan and Trece Martires in Cavite. The families were also offered a free trip to see the relocation sites on 23rd and 24th March, along with a promise of 18,000 pesos and some groceries in case they were to agree to relocate.
The problem is that both relocation sites are far away from where the community earns its livelihood. Most of the members of the community work in and around Divisoria Market, as peddlers, hawkers, drivers, and so on. The proposed relocation sites will remove them from their sources of livelihood and will thus hamper their livelihood and food security.
As documented in a previous hunger alert, a blaze in Parola Compound burned down houses of around 3,100 families. The blaze lasted for more than 12 hours and was met with inadequate response from the government. The apathy of the government continued well after the fire was doused and is reflected in the authorities only commencing relief work one day after the fire.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please express your concern and anger against the planned relocation of the families despite large-scale resentment against the same.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PHILIPPINES: Authorities plan to forcibly relocate Parola Fire victims to faraway places
Name of the Victims: Thousands of Families of Parola Compound
Date and Time of Incident: 2 March 2015 and on-going
Place of Incident: Metro Manila, The Philippines
I am writing to you to express my serious concern regarding the forcible relocation of victims of Parola Compound Fire. Instead of rehabilitating the victims of the Parola Compound fire, the National Housing Authority (NHA) is planning to relocate them to faraway places. The families have learned this when they were called for a meeting with the NHA and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) on 17 March 2015. However, when they arrived for the meeting, they found that it was an interview for relocation to Pandi in Bulacan and Trece Martires in Cavite. The families were also offered a free trip to see the relocation sites on 23rd and 24th March, along with a promise of 18,000 pesos and some groceries in case they were to agree to relocate.
The problem is that both relocation sites are far away from where the community earns its livelihood. Most of the members of the community work in and around Divisoria Market, as peddlers, hawkers, drivers, and so on. The proposed relocation sites will remove them from their sources of livelihood and will thus hamper their livelihood and food security.
As documented in a previous hunger alert, a blaze in Parola Compound burned down houses of around 3,100 families. The blaze lasted for more than 12 hours and was met with inadequate response from the government. The apathy of the government continued well after the fire was doused and is reflected in the authorities only commencing relief work one day after the fire.
Yours Sincerely,
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Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
