[asia-apec 251] more on manila APEC-related demolitions

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PRESS RELEASE
November 11, 1996

             MANILA URBAN POOR TO GOVERNMENT OF DENMARK:
              DO NOT TOLERATE HOUSING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
                   BY MAYOR LIM AND PRESIDENT RAMOS


     Manila poor people from the San Agustin community near Ayala
Bridge, a designated APEC lane, rallied today at the Embassy of
Denmark in Makati.  Last week Manila City Hall officials gave them
7-day notices--which expires on Wednesday--informing  them that their
shanties which are visible when one crosses the Ayala Bridge to
Malacanang will be demolished because of APEC.  Manila City Hall is
not offering them relocation, consistent with the position of Mayor
Alfredo Lim that squatters living in danger areas do not have the
human right to housing.

     However, the 200 families in San Agustin are covered by the Pasig
River Rehabilitation Project (PRRP) which is jointly managed by the
First Lady Amelita Ramos and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources.  The PRRP is funded by the government of Denmark through
its funding agency, DANIDA.  Lito Aguilar of the Urban Poor Associates
says that the government of Denmark is obliged to see to it that the
Philippine government should observe the 1992 guidelines issued by the
Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD).  The guidelines mandates that
demolitions should be conducted humanely and adequate rehousing be
provided to people affected by projects funded by any OECD member
country, which in this case is the Danish government.

     Linda Tolentino, a San Agustin community leader, said they were
greatly disappointed by the turn of events.  "Maayos naman ang aming
pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga tanggapan ni Unang Ginang Ming Ramos, ng DENR
at pati na ng DANIDA.  Nagkaroon kami ng mga pag-uusap mula pa noong
1994 ukol sa demolisyon at relokasyon, kung ito ba ay on-site, in-city
o off-city.  Napag-usapan din ang ukol sa hanapbuhay at pag-aaral ng
aming mga anak.  Maliban pa sa mga NGOs tulad ng CO-TRAIN at UPA,
nilapitan din namin ang mga arkitekto ng PANIRAHANAN.  Ngayon mukhang
mababalewala itong lahat dahil lang sa APEC."  (We coordinated with the
offices of the First Lady Ming Ramos, of DENR and DANIDA.  We had
discussions since 1994 about demolition and relocation, whether this be
on-site, in-city and off-city.  We also discussed ivelihood and the
schooling of our children.  Aside from the NGOs CO-TRAIN and UPA, we
also asked the help of the architects of PANIRAHANAN.  Now all this seems
to be going for nothing just because of APEC.)

                              URBAN POOR ASSOCIATES
                              contact:  Denis Murphy, Lito Aguilar
                              or Ted Anana
                              telefax: (632) 920-24-34

@Via IMP v0.94 6:751/401.0, 13 Nov 1996 at 10:50:30
@Via Squish 1.11 6:751/401, Wed Nov 13 1996 at 15:51 UTC