Militant lawmakers on Tuesday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for vowing to give to members of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) the government housing units in Pandi, Bulacan that they occupied since March.
In a statement, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao lauded Duterte for listening to the collective demand of the militant urban poor to live in the unoccupied housing units meant for the police and military personnel.
READ: Kadamay hails Duterte but urges action on homelessness problem
“It is a good call by the president, by heeding the legitimate calls of the poor for shelter and we are hoping that his talk could do the walk in the soonest possible time,” Casilao said.
Casilao lauded the urban poor for its collective effort in fighting for the housing units.
“We should mark this lesson that the president has been swayed by the collective and unwavering concrete actions by the urban poor families, who from the beginning stood ground, from occupying the housing units to withstanding the deceptive and divisive measures by the National Housing Authority, this will be written on the books of mass struggle of the Filipino urban poor advancing the right to shelter,” Casilao said.
For his part, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate expressed hope that the President’s statement is a start of a pro-poor housing program of the administration.
“Hopefully this move by the President is a start of a serious, pro-poor housing program for the millions of our displaced poor people and informal settlers in many areas of the country,” Zarate said.
Zarate also urged Duterte to file charges against individuals involved in anomalous housing projects which ended up idle.
“The Duterte administration should also now investigate and file the necessary charges on individuals involved in anomalous housing projects of the past administrations, when billions of public funds were squandered on housing units in many areas that are still unoccupied or abandoned,” Zarate said.
In his speech at the 120th anniversary of the Philippine Army in Taguig City on Tuesday, President Duterte urged the police and military to let go of the housing units and give these to the urban poor, adding that he had asked National Housing Authority to look for another suitable land for the soldiers and policemen.
At least 5,000 families affiliated with the militant urban poor group Kadamay occupied the vacant units in a government housing project meant for the military and police in Pandi, Bulacan since March.
READ: Duterte vows to give housing units in Bulacan to Kadamay
“I will look into the matter seriously and I will ask you soldier and policemen, bitawan na ninyo ‘yan; ibigay na lang natin sa kanila, tutal mahirap sila. But I promise you I’ll look for another land nearby or adjustment or maybe contiguous to the area there and gagawa ako ng mas maganda, may tubig na, at may electric na pagpasok ninyo,” Duterte said
“Huwag na natin guluhin ‘yung mga tao diyan kasi lumalaban e; their only sin is just really mahirap din sila kagaya natin, so bigyan ko kayo ng mas maganda, mas konting mahal, mas komportable at mas malaki,” he added.