WHAT WENT BEFORE: Kadamay takeover of Bulacan housing units

On Monday, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) members turned to the Malacañang Action Center to submit their applications for titles for low-cost government houses they forcibly took last year.

Close to 6,000 houses in six government housing projects in Bulacan province have been occupied by 5,000 people aided by members of Kadamay since March 8, 2017, according to the National Housing Authority.

Many of the occupied houses have no electricity and water.

In April 2017, a month after they took over the vacant houses, President Duterte assured members of the urban poor group that he would give them the houses they took over, and asked original beneficiaries from the military and police to let go of the units.

In turn, the President promised to build better houses for them by December.

On June 16, Kadamay renewed its demand for idle homes to be distributed among the poor and threatened to take over more unoccupied public housing projects.

In July, Kadamay members asked the Bulacan provincial government for help to get water and power services for the houses that its members had occupied. At least 1,000 Kadamay members trooped to the provincial capitol for a dialogue with Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado.

Source: Inquirer Archives