Kadamay on occupying Bulacan homes: Blame lazy, inept government

The “lazy and inept” government is to blame for letting housing units remain unoccupied for years, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) said Tuesday, as the group defended its members' forced occupation of homes in Bulacan.

Gloria “Ka Bea” Arellano, national chairperson of Kadamay, said the Bulacan homes where they have been staying at since March have been unoccupied for the past two to five years.

“Ang sabi ng iba, tamad ang mga mahihirap na nag-okupa ng bahay sa Pandi [Bulacan]. Hindi po tamad ang mahihirap. Kayod kalabaw kami. Gumagawa kami ng paraan para mabuhay at nakita nga namin ang mga pabahay na dapat para sa maralita pero nakatiwangwang,” she told the Senate committee on urban planning, housing and resettlement.

“Kung dapat tayong magalit, dapat tayong magalit sa mga tamad o palpak na opisyal ng gobyerno na dahilan kung bakit nakatiwangwang ang mga pabahay. Magalit tayo sa mga posibleng nagbulsa ng pera na dapat nakalaan sa mga mahihirap na kababayan,” Arellano added.

She said most of the unoccupied homes are inhabited by animals, insects, and plants.

Arellano said that if the government does not want a repeat of the forced occupation of Bulacan homes, it should distribute completed housing units immediately.

Arellano explained that before they went to Pandi, Bulacan on March 8, Kadamay went through the process and sought help from housing agencies, and even Malacañang.

“Dumating na kami sa punto na kailangan namin ng masisilungan,” she said.

According to NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada, Jr., five of the total seven socialized housing sites in Pandi are intended for informal settlers in Metro Manila, while the other two are for military and police personnel with the lowest three ranks. All seven sites have been occupied by Kadamay.

The NHA said more than 5,000 housing units are being illegally occupied by Kadamay members. —ALG, GMA News