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Urban poor group seeks SC's help vs demolitions


MANILA, Philippines - An urban poor group on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to slap a temporary restraining order to the government’s plan to evict some 50,000 informal settlers to give way for the construction of the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project (NSLP). In a 24-page decision, the Urban Poor Associates (UPA) said they will be “summarily displaced and rendered homeless" if the government pushes through with its planned demolition and road clearing operation. Named respondents were Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and its chairman Bayani Fernando, Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region, National Housing Authority, and the Philippine National Railway, which were conducting clearing operations along the stretch of southbound and northbound and along Road 10, North Bay Boulevard, Navotas City. The demolitions, which were scheduled for this year, were the continuation of the massive demolitions and evictions since 2006 and last year for a nationwide infrastructure development project. UPA said these were being done without the basic provision for consultation and relocation facilities. "(Petitioners) cannot be simply dragged and forced from their makeshifts in the guise of development and promotion of general welfare. Development projects and promotion of the general welfare cannot at any time be at loggerheads with the preservation of the rule of law," the group said through lawyers from the St. Thomas Moore Legal Center. The group said the government's failure to observe the statutory requirement before eviction and demolition may be carried out is a violation of their rights under Republic Acts 7279, known as the Urban Development and Housing Act. UPA cited a report of the Presidential Commission for the Urban poor (PCUP) which admittedly observed several flaws in the conduct of demolitions and evictions in urban poor communities. Such violations were: a mere five-days' verbal notice; the failure of respondent agencies to conduct consultation with residents; insufficient funds as compensation to residents; lack of proper relocation sites; relocation sites have few, if any, available economic opportunities and adequate basic services. - GMANews.TV
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