Philippine National Urban Poor Coalition Housing Rights Claim

The National Urban Poor Coalition which will conduct its Conference on November 09, 2005 will launch a Housing Rights Claim to the Presidential Commission for theUrban Poor (PCUP) towards claiming the rights provided for the Philippine Constitution, the guarantees of the UDHR and the ISECR on the rights to adequate housing of the poor, the Millenium Development Goals promises of the Philippine Government and mandate of the Republic Act Urban Developement and Housing Act of 1992. With the current threats of ejection without ready and specified relocation for the prospected 19,000 family victims of the south and north rail project, the Commonwealth Widening of the Dept of Public Highways, and the inefficiency of the government to solve the 2.5 million housing backlog since 2001.

The NUPCO targeted to mobilize around 5,000 participants among the urban poor and slumdwellers is participated by the KaSaMa – PILIPINAS; UMALAB – KA; Katipunan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya, FILDEM, PADAYON, and Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralaitang Lunsod.

It is expected that the PCUP, the Housing and Urban Development COordinating Council (HUDCC) under VIce President Noli de Castro will report the accomplishment of 200,000 homes for the year 2005, two million short of the housing backlog requirement of the people.

High list among the issues that will be addressed in the protest action is the lack of political will of the Arroyo government to push for tenurial security of the urban poor, even in the face of to many promises written on presidential proclamations and pronouncements.

By December 10, the NUPCO is expected to unveil its own pro-active Urban Poor Housing Program for its constituencies.