Slum dwellers get demolition reprieve

Demolition teams won’t be playing Grinch to slum dwellers this Yuletide season.

The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) on Wednesday issued a moratorium temporarily prohibiting the demolition of shanties and other illegal structures nationwide for the duration of the Christmas season.

Speaking at the Urban Poor Solidarity Week celebration in Mandaluyong City, PCUP chair Terry Ridon said the suspension of predemolition conferences until January 2017 was in support of President Duterte’s “no relocation, no demolition” order.

Mr. Duterte, who also attended the event, had earlier instructed concerned government agencies to ensure the relocation of affected informal settlers before tearing down their houses.

“In front of the President, I am imposing a moratorium on the conduct of all predemolition conferences nationwide until January next year. This means there will be no demolition this Christmas period,” Ridon said, drawing cheers from residents of urban poor communities.

“It is our hope that no family should suffer the indignity of forcible demolition proceedings as we enter the Christmas season,” he added.

The former Kabataan party-list representative said PCUP would distribute a total of P200 million to families affected by the clearing operations in waterways and other areas identified as danger zones.

PCUP, he added, also made available funds to help relocate survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) who are still living in “no-build zones” in Leyte province.