Residents from Sta. Barbara in Barangay Gulod and Sitio Kawayan in Barangay San Agustin staged a noise barrage at the Quezon City Hall this morning to protest impending socialized housing projects of the local government of Quezon City that will displace 500 families in said communities.
Protesters urged authorities and local politicians running in the May midyear elections to call off and make a stand against the impending Bistekville projects.
“Sumisikip po paunti-unti ang ating mga espasyo. Marami sa maralita sa lungsod ay galing sa probinsya, dating mga magsasaka, lumaki na inaagawan ng lupa, pinalayas sa kanilang mga komunidad dahil sa kahirapan at pumunta dito sa lungsod para makapaghanap ng trabaho, para magkaroon ng sariling bahay. Kung sa probinsya pinapaalis tayo, pagdating dito sa lungsod pinapaalis din ang mga maralita,” lamented Kabataan Partylist second nominee Erika Cruz.
[Our spaces are gradually becoming overcrowded. A lot of urban poor hail from provinces, used to be farmers, grew up with their lands taken from them, displaced from their communities by poverty and transeferred to the urban centers to find work, to acquire their own homes. If in the provinces we were evicted, here in city the urban poor are also being evicted.]
Cruz implored the local government officials to come out and listen to the residents.
The residents asked the local government to award the lands their homes are built on, rather than demolish their homes and use these to construct medium-rise buildings that are unaffordable and inaccessible to the urban poor.
