MANILA, Philippines - Members of a militant group who occupied around 1,500 vacant government housing units in Bulacan are standing their ground.
In a statement, the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) said it would “defend the occupied units against any form of eviction.”
The members of the group barricaded the roads leading to the housing units to prevent any group from ejecting them.
“The law states that the poor must have decent housing…Government housing is for the poor and not for insects, dust and plants, “ said Carlito Badion, secretary-general of Kadamay.
“The occupation is organized and principled. If anything, the people who should be punished are government and housing officials whose corruption, negligence and adherence to neo-liberal policies have led to massive homelessness and idle housing,” Badion said.
Around 5,000 members of Kadamay took over the housing units at Villa Elise in Barangay Masuso, Village 2 in Mapulang Lupa, Villa Louise in Cacarong Matanda and Padre Pio in Cacarong Bata in Pandi and at the San Jose Heights in San Jose del Monte last week. The National Housing Authority (NHA) said Kadamay should vacate the housing units within seven days.
House probe
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez filed House Resolution 875 directing the appropriate committee to investigate the incident.
Benitez said leaders of Kadamay, other urban poor groups, NHA officials and other housing agencies should be invited to the hearing.