Kaban ni D_BystandeR: ANG NAGKADAKO'NG PROBLEMA SA MGA WALAY BALAY SA MANILA

Different urban poor groups Tuesday trooped to the main office of the  Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) along Edsa to denounce the department's plan to evict some 20,000 informal settler families living along waterways in Metro Manila before the rainy season starts in June.

The protesters hurled paint bombs at enlarged image of DILG Secretary Mar Roxas whom they labeled as "Mr. Estero Demolition in a prepared statement. The DILG in a statement assured the public that there will only be voluntary demolition of homes along waterways in Metro Manila, contrary to the fear of affected families. But urban poor leaders under Alyansa Kontra demolisyon (AKD) believed that since majority of affected residents are not willing to accept off-city relocation packages offered by the National Housing Authority, the DILG together with MMDA and DPWH will resort to violence in evicting the residents as shown in past experiences. AKD planned to hold a dialog with DILG officials to whom they will present a petition  signed by affected families to immediately stop the implementation of waterways clearing in Metro Manila. Carlito Badion, national secretary general of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap and lead convenor of AKD, said the DILG secretary, who is popularly known as "Mr. Palengke," has gotten a new title for himself as Mr. Estero  Demolition. "Roxas has been brave enough to implement a massive demolition in such a very short span of time, expected to be after the mid-term elections in May,"the leader added. 

While AKD stressed that rules are set to discourage demolition of homes during election period, the alliance said many residents of Metro Manila believed, especially in cities where incumbent mayors have no major political rivals, that eviction of their homes will be earlier than expected. The alliance also belied the DILG's claim that there will be in-city housing units for the 20,000 affected families.  "While Malacanang has already disbursed  the P10 billion to build the relocation for the affected residents, there are limited lands in Metro Manila where these medium-rise buildings will be built, contrary to earlier announcement of the DILG. The lands for the in-city relocation should be provided by the respective local government units. So far, Quezon City and Manila have offered no space to build these MRBs," Badion said. Meanwhile the leader has warned the DILG and the Aquino administation that the urban poor in Metro Manila are more than willing to barricade their communities against waterways clearing. AKD said waterways clearing is part of the implementation of the National Reclamation Plan, a public-private partnership project of the Aquino administration.

The reclamation along the coastline of Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay, the alliance claimed, is expected to block the drainage of major rivers in Metro Manila into the bays, thereby intensifying cases of flooding in the metropolitan.

Bug-os ang  pasalamat sa KAHAYAG ngadto sa magtatampo nga nagkutlo sa taho gikan sa Philippine Weekly  nga si JOHNNY LOVE. Nagtakuban siya sa pangalan, "D_BystandeR".  Natawo siya sa Sugbo apan anaa na karon manimuyo sa Illinois sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika. Ang kusog nga koneksyon sa kasayuran pinaagi sa internet kanunayng naghaling sa iyang kadasig  pagtuki sa mga nagbukalbukal nga hisgutanan dinhi sa atong nataran. Usa siya ka magsusulat nga gradwado sa kursong komersiyo padulong sa pagka accountant sa University of San Carlos kaniadtong tuig 1961.  Nahimo siyang miyembro sa usa ka hugpong sa mga batan-ong magsusulat nga gitawag ug STUDENT PRESS.  Nahimo usab siyang   Associate Editor sa basahon  USC-JPIAN sa tuig 1962-63. Magtatampo usab siya isip magsusulat sa nasudnong magasin,  "Philippines Free Press" ug sa mga nag-unang peryodiko dinhi sa dakbayan sa Sugbo sa lunhaw pa ang iyang pangedaron. Nahimo siyang mamumuo sa usa ka pribadong kompaniya sa dakbayan sa Sugbo, ESCANO LINES, sulod sa napulo ug duha (12) ka tuig  dayon niyang tapon  ngadto sa NAPOCOR  ug nahimong kawani sa kagamhanan  sulod sa bayente dos (22) ka tuig. Niadtong tunga-tungang bahin sa tuig 2000, nilalin siya ngadto sa tinipong nasod sa Amerika ug sulod sa napulo (10) ka tuig, nagtrabaho siya sa  buhatan sa kagamhanan sa nasod sama  sa  UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS).  Karon sa pangedaron nga 68,  gihuptan gihapon niya ang walay pagkutat nga kadasig ug walay busganan nga kaikag sa pagpaambit sa iyang nahuptang abilidad  ug kabatid sa panulat.  Dili niya mapugngan ang kaugalingon sa pagpaambit sa iyang mga hunahuna labi na kon molambigit kini ug hisgotanan nga makadani sa iyang mga mata.)