Twenty-two UP Diliman resident families are to be left without a home, following a demolition order from the Office of Community Relations (OCR).
According to the notice dated February 23, the CP Garcia Block 1 residents were originally urged to start taking down their homes until March 28, to make way for UP Veterinary Hospital construction projects including fencing expansion, and new academic and research buildings.
However, Jun Cruz of the Konseho ng Mamamayan sa UP Campus, a member of the UP Multi-Sectoral Alliance, said the March 28 demolitions did not push through the combined effort of the community.
Photo by Allan Yves Briones/UPJC
“Nung 28, bumaba yung OCR dito tapos nakita yung mga residente at may mga signs na. Kaya ngayon makikipag-usap kami kay (Vice Chancellor) Castro kung anong gagawin, pero hanggang ngayon wala pa. Wala pa din na malilipatan,” he said.
(Last 28, OCR came down and saw the residents and their signs. Now, we are communicating with Vice Chancellor Castro on what to do next, but until now, we have nothing. We still do not have a place to relocate to.)
Pook CP Garcia is divided into four blocks: Block 1, Block 2, Block 3 and Block 4. Of which, Block 1 has been the lone target of demolition efforts so far. The last one involved relocating eight families as part of the same UP Veterinary Hospital project last 2014, which have not pushed through until today.
Photo by Allan Yves Briones/UPJC
Signed by Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Nestor Castro, the order was criticized by residents for not having a provision for relocation, including Remigio Lucas, who makes his living as a tricycle driver.
“Pwede ba naman yun? Babaklasin namin ito, eh saan kami titira? Sabi nila ililipat, pero hanggang ngayon wala pa din,” he said.
(Is that possible? If we take our house down, where would we live? They said we would be relocated, but until now there are no plans.)
Lucas added that OCR claimed no responsibility over relocation efforts.
“Tinanong ko kung saan kami lilipat, sabi naman ng isa, wala daw responsibilidad ang UP na kami’y ilipat,” he said.
(I asked him where we would relocate, one said that it wasn’t UP’s responsibility.)
OCR Community Relations Officer Bea Mauro said the notices were done in good faith, and that relocation efforts are of high priority.
“Ang ginagawa po talaga ay pineprepare ang mga communities. Alam naman nila na hindi sa kanila yung lupa, at sabi nila willing naman nila ibigay kapag kailanganin na ng UP,” she said, “kaya yung relocation efforts natin, imomove lang sila.”
(What we are really doing is preparing the communities. They already know that the land isn’t theirs, and they said that they were willing to give it back when it is needed by UP. Therefore, our relocation efforts are only to move them.)
The local barangay has also been a no-show according to Cruz.
“Sila (Barangay UP Campus) dapat yung nagpupush para sa basic services, pero itong demolition issue, hindi nila alam. Nung barangay assembly, sa open forum, nagulat din sila sa balita sa CP Garcia (na may demolition),” he said.
(The barangay was supposed to push for basic services, but regarding this demolition issue, they don’t even know. Last barangay assembly, during the open forum, they were surprised at the news of the CP Garcia demolitions.)
In the midst of the negotiations between Castro and the local community, residents have remained in high alert.
“Every morning naga-alarm sila dito, yung mga kabataan. Ina-alarm nila gamit yung megaphone, tapos sinasabi ‘regular day ngayon from eight to three, pwedeng bumaba dito ang mga taga-OCR’,” said Cruz.
Every morning, the community rings an alarm through the kids. They use the megaphones and announce to everybody that “it’s a regular day from eight to three, the OCR could come down.”)
He also stressed the value of community solidarity as residents from various communities including UP Arboretum and Pook Malinis are also taking part of the daily morning watch.
“Ang problema dito ay strategy ng administration ay divide and rule. Inuunti-unti ng UP ang pagdemolish para hindi lahat ay kumilos. Dapat ay malaman na damay silang lahat sa pagre-relocate,” he added.
(The problem here is that the administration’s strategy is divide and rule. They implement a piecemeal demolition program so that not everybody will take part in the protest action. What they need to know is that everybody will be affected by the relocation efforts.)
Another UP community, Village C, located along E. Jacinto Street is also threatened by another project – the faculty and staff housing currently being constructed in front of the Kamagong residences.
This article first appeared on Facebook on April 6, 2016.
