On the ongoing demolition in San Juan

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno supports the urban poor of Barangay Corazon de Jesus, Pinaglabanan, San Juan who are fighting the demolition teams sent by the city government of San Juan and the Aquino government.


The struggle of the residents of Barangay Corazon de Jesus against the demolition of their homes is just. Their homes are being demolished to give way to the construction of a medium-rise housing project which will most likely not benefit them.


We condemn the city government of San Juan under the leadership of Mayor Guia Gomez for using an excessive amount of force against the urban poor. We condemn its use of teargas, water cannons and even stones against the urban poor.


We condemn the city government of San Juan for ignoring the proposals made by the residents of Barangay Corazon de Jesus to accommodate the city government’s plans. Such proposals include a reblocking of the area, an adjustment of the spaces occupied by the residents’ houses, and in-city relocation.


Barangay Corazon de Jesus is near Greenhills and the city government has so far failed to present the barangay’s residents with a blueprint for the project. The barangay’s residents have every reason to suspect that the city government is actually planning to construct a commercial center, not a housing project.


We condemn the Aquino government for carrying on with its war against the urban poor. It has been ardently supporting big capitalists’ projects while denying the poor of decent homes and decent jobs.


It is the city government of San Juan and the Aquino government, not the progressive organizations of the poor, who have instigated the residents of Barangay Corazon de Jesus to use force in fighting the demolition teams.


The country’s urban poor are resorting to force because of the Aquino government’s overkill in using violence against urban poor residents who are defending their homes and communities from demolition. Roger Soluta, KMU Secretary General