Breaking away from Kadamay, group agrees to pay for Bulacan houses

HOUSING FOR POOR Members of the urban poor group Kadamay, take over idle housing units in a government-run site in Bulacan province in this photo taken in March last year. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

CITY OF MALOLOS — Families have split from the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) and are expected to receive entry passes which would legitimize their forcible takeover of government houses meant for policemen, soldiers, firemen and jail personnel in Pandi town.

Ramon Paragas, head of National Housing Authority (NHA) office in Bulacan province, said an entry pass signifies that the families have legitimate rights over the government houses that they would buy in installment for 30 years.

The former Kadamay families call themselves “Team JB.” Team JB refers to its leaders, Jeffrey Ariz and Bueno Cayman, who split recently from Kadamay, along with 200 members. They were among the Kadamay families who occupied the more than 6,000 houses in six NHA social housing projects last year.

Payment terms

On Thursday, Ariz said they were forced to put up their own group after Kadamay ousted him as president of Kadamay families occupying units meant for firemen at Barangay Cacarong Matanda in Pandi.

He was joined by families who, he said, were willing to submit to the payment terms of NHA that Kadamay had refused to accept.

Armavie Duterte, secretary of Team JB, said they did not join the rallies which demanded entry passes for Kadamay members to pressure the government to give them houses for free.

“We were with Kadamay from the beginning but we do not believe we can get free houses,” she said.

Betrayal

Team JB members agreed to pay a P200-monthly amortization for the first four years and P590 for the fifth to eighth year.

Gloria Arellano, Kadamay national chair, said the breakaway group betrayed Kadamay members by negotiating with NHA without their knowledge.

“Based on our investigation, the breakaway leaders became impatient and are now more willing to demonize us,” she said.

Last month, Arellano said Kadamay was willing to pay for the houses provided the fees would be reduced so every member could afford them.

“We are the poorest of the poor. We should be charged according to our means,” she said. — CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE