Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 1) — Over 2,000 members of the urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) will join other militant groups for a Labor Day rally in Manila.
As of publishing time, Kadamay members are about to leave Agham Road to march to Manila to demand free housing, higher wages, and an end to contractualization.
Most of the Kadamay members who set up camp were from government housing projects they occupied in Pandi, Bulacan.
No let up
Thousands of Kadamay members camped out overnight along Agham Road in Quezon City ahead of today’s rallies.
They marched from Pandi, Bulacan Saturday to voice their appeal to the government.
Kadamay members told CNN Philippines they will do all they can to gain access to proper housing.
“Syempre kailangan namin ng tirahan eh, kaya gagawin namin lahat ng magagawa namin para mabigyan kami ng tirahan dito,” Angelito Laurente, a Kadamay member said.
[Translation: Of course we need houses, so we’re willing to do everything we can for us to be given homes here.]
Group leaders also want to dispel the idea that Kadamay members are lazy and spoiled.
Carlito Badion of Kadamay said low wages, not laziness, prevent the poor from accessing necessities.
“Ito ay paglilinaw namin na hindi kami mga tamad, hindi lang kasya ang ipinapasahod ng gobyerno sa maralitang Pilipino.”
[Translation: We want to clarify that we aren’t lazy. It’s just that the wages given to the poor by the government aren’t enough.]
Fight for housing
Kadamay vowed to fight for their right to free housing after authorities ordered them to leave government housing units they were occupying in Pandi.
The units were supposed to be for members of the military and police.
Read: Kadamay members to fight eviction from Bulacan housing units
Eviction notices were issued which were supposed to lapse on March 27.
A three-hour dialogue between Kadamay members and the National Housing Authority resulted in an agreement that families from the group could stay in the Pandi housing units.
Read: Authorities call off eviction of informal settlers in government housing
In a press conference on April 4, President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to soldiers and policemen to give the units to members of the group. In exchange, he promised to provide them with better housing.
Read: Duterte to soldiers, policemen: Give up housing in Pandi to Kadamay
“I will ask you soldiers and policemen, bitawan nalang niyo iyan. Ibigay na lang natin sa kanila, tutal mahirap sila. But I promise you, I will look for another land nearby, or adjacent or maybe contiguous area there and gagawa ako ng mas maganda, may tubig na and may electric na pagpasok ninyo,” he said.
[Translation: I will ask you soldiers and policemen, give those up and let us give it to them, they need it more. But I promise you, I will look for another land nearby, or adjacent or maybe contigious area there and I will build a better one, with water and electricity and ready.]
About 24,000 Kadamay members have occupied around 5,740 vacant units in six project sites since March 8.
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls, Xianne Arcangel, Rex Remitio, Joyce Ilas, and Chad de Guzman contributed to this report.
