Press Release and Photo Contribution
September 6, 2010

Urban poor residents face threat of eviction, stage picket at City Housing

Davao City— Beleaguered residents of Monfort, Fatima in Bacaca and Kadamay held a picket rally in front of the City Housing Office to oppose the planned demolition of their homes and to appeal for the intervention of City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Fourteen (14) families who are the actual occupants of the 507 sqm land area are currently facing an immediate threat of demolition by virtue of the Writ of Execution (Eviction) dated June 16, 2010 and the Sheriff Notice to Vacate issued on June 22, 2010. The area is being claimed by Km 3 Residents Upper Bajada Association Inc. (RUBAI) through the Community Mortgage Program or CMP.

Franchie Buhayan, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) spokesperson, said “the situation of Monfort residents mirrors the plight of other urban poor families in the city who have been neglected by the government for so long, despite laws and measures supposedly meant to address the housing woes and respect their housing rights.”

In a letter to Mayor Inday Sara, the Mother of Perpetual Help Settlers Association-Kadamay, said that “the RUBAI has violated our Right to First Refusal by selling the lots we occupied to off-site individuals, including a certain Engr. Mildred Martinez, whom the residents knew to be a member of the Technical Working Group-Local Housing board and also employed in the City Engineer’s Office.”

Allan Faelden, President of the Mother of Perpetual Help Association, pointed that, “the lots under the Community Mortgage Program should be disposed to on-site occupants, but ,RUBAI refused to accommodate them despite their repeated plea.”

“Faelden said, “We can surely prove that we have occupied the area long before such property was taken out by RUBAI”.

Faelden also wants to call the attention of the City Mayor to investigate and castigate opportunist government employees who are using their position to acquire properties in contested areas.

Buhayan added, that the city government should “act unto this, and exercise all its capacity to protect the rights of the ordinary urban poor.”


For reference:
Franchie Buhayan
KADAMAY,Spokesperson
09096838401