Kadamay members force way into Rizal housing project

Members of the urban poor group Kadamay on Wednesday morning forced their way into a housing project for police and military in San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal.

FLASH: Grupong KADAMAY, sumugod sa housing project para sa mga pulis at sundalo sa Brgy. San Isidro sa Rodriguez, Rizal. | via @Rodveg72 pic.twitter.com/cUH5AirJs9

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) June 13, 2018

According to a report by Rod Vega on Dobol B sa News TV, a group that identified itself as part of Kadamay rushed to the 1A area of the project near Avilon Zoo.

Kadamay members and residents of a housing unit in Rodriguez Rizal face off after the militant group tried to occupy vacant houses in the community. pic.twitter.com/jptIAV2DrU

— Chino Gaston (@chinogaston) June 13, 2018

A former president of the Barangay San Isidro Homeowners Association told Vega that Kadamay tried to enter the 1B area of the project weeks after their successful occupation of a housing project in Pandi, Bulacan.

The attempt three months ago failed after they were barred from entering by residents of the Rodriguez area who are former and active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.

Kadamay members were able to enter the 1A area on Wednesday because it was unoccupied.

The attack by Kadamay came after the group threatened to take over other unoccupied government housing units in the country.

In a statement, Kadamay said the Montalban Homeless Alliance (MHA), whose local chapter is a member of Kadamay, staged the action dubbed "Bantayang Bahay Para sa Karapatan at Katiyakan sa Paninirahan" in the La Solidaridad-Avilon Zoo area.

"The Bantayang Bahay was a peaceful protest asserting the fundamental right to shelter and against the continuing flaws of the Philippine housing sector now under the Duterte government," Kadamay said.

The area, it said, has been idle for more than five years.

Around 700 members entered the area, among them homeless scavengers from the nearby landfill, Kadamay said. 

However, it said that as of 10:27 a.m. "the group has yet to enter the units and are currently in dialogue with the authorities."

Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national chairman, confirmed in an interview on Balitanghali at noon that Kadamay members were among those who entered the area.

"Nakikita ho ng mga tao diyan na nagpapasok na po 'yung LGU (local government unit) at NHA diyan na hindi man lang ho kinakausap 'yung nag-a-apply diyan sa alliance na 'yan. Kaya ho babantayan nila 'yan para ho wala munang makapasok habang nakikipag-dialogue sa LGU," Arellano said.

"Sa simula't-simula po dumadaan kami sa proseso dahil 'yung mga tao naman ho may apply na ho diyan. Pati nga po 'yung resolusyon para ipasa 'yung resolusyon na pinirmahan ng Pangulo na mabibigyan din ang mahihirap diyan," she added.

Arellano also lamented the slow process of granting housing units to Kadamay members.

"Napakabagal po ng proseso ng pamahalaan sa pabahay. Nakita niyo naman ho siguro simula nung nag-occupy kami, kami ho ay tumutupad sa proseso kaya lang nga nagra-rally kami minsan para i-push na talaga," she said.

"Isang taon na kaming mga homeless dito ay lumalapit sa NHA at sa LGU para makipag-diyalogo pero kahit ngayo’y may batas na (Joint Resolution 2) para patirhan ang mga tiwangwang na pabahay na ito, wala silang tugon. Sa halip, nagpapatira sila ng mga tao nila o kaya mga taga labas naman," said Lilybeth Gelit, MHA spokesperson.

The MHA said both the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the local government unit "have been using the idle housing sites for political patronage and leverage while consciously delaying any demands and applications for housing put forward by the area's homeless populaton."

Arellano vowed that occupation will continue as long as the housing system remains unchanged.

“Hangga’t hindi nagbabago ang sistema ng paninirahan sa ating bansa, magkakaroon at magkakaroon ng mga okupasyon. Ang Joint Resolution 2 dapat huwag gamitin para pakinabangan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan at pagkakitaan muli ng mga opisyal ng NHA. Kadamay mismo ang lumapit na para sa makipag-usap sa NHA pero ilang ulit kaming tinaboy," she said. —Rie Takumi and Anna Felicia Bajo/KG, GMA News