Urban poor commission asks IATF for suspension of demolition projects amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) on Friday said it submitted a resolution to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) seeking a moratorium on administrative demolition amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Lahat po sana ng project ng lokal na pamahalaan at nasyonal na pamahalaan na makakaapekto sa ating mga kapatid na informal settlers ay huwag munang ituloy dahil alam ninyo naman po ang panahon, bukod sa mahirap ang buhay meron hong pandemic," chairperson Alvin Feliciano said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

"Sabi natin stay at home. Paano magiging stay at home ang isang urban poor at IFS (informal settlers) kung wala na po itong tahanan," he added.

At the same time, Feliciano said their legal unit is also studying whether to have a moratorium for court-related cases wherein demolition projects already have a court order.

"Kung wala pong pre-demolition conference, hindi po puwedeng mag-demolish," he said, as location and financial assistance for informal settlers still needed to be discussed.

Feliciano said the PCUP hoped for the extension of the declaration of the state of calamity after September 15.

The Manila City government issued a demolition order that would affect thousands of families at the Vitas tenement in Tondo amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the order, residents will have to vacate their dwelling units within 15 days.—AOL, GMA News