Yolanda victims vow more protests
Iloilo City
Jan. 14, 2015
The long wait for housing assistance is not yet over for victims of supertyphoon Yolanda who lost their homes.
And victims are angry and vow to stage more protest actions against what they call the “callousness of the BS Aquino government” particularly, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which erected a new hurdle for the housing compensation to kick off.
“You might have lost completely hour house but you are not entitled to whatever compensation promised by government if your site is within the 40-meter “danger zone” from the shoreline, rues Hope Hervilla, third nominee of Bayan Muna Partylist and spokesperson of Bayan-Panay.
The Aquino government bans residents from erecting structures within the "danger zone" area. “Where will the people go? Government is not offering them relocation sites,” Hervilla adds.
Supertyphoon Yolanda struck northern Panay November 8, 2013 packing the wind fury of up to 250 kilometers per hour, laying to waste practically all in its path including century old trees and houses.
Government promised to provide P10,000 to families whose homes were partially damaged and P30,000 to those whose houses were beyond repair.
In northern Iloilo, badly hit in the province, over 100,000 houses were totally destroyed.
DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman though issued Memorandum Circular 24, series of 2014, that, militants here say, opens the way to “discrimination and persecution”.
Aside from denying cash assistance to homeless victims whose original houses stood within the so-called danger zone, the circular also “strangles government workers,” decries Irma Espinosa, regional chair of the Confederation for Unity and Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE).
“Even if you are victim, you are not entitled to a housing assistance if you earn above P15,000 a month,” grumbles Espinosa. “Did Yolanda distinguish low salary grade employees from high salary ones?”
Over 18,000 persons joined rallies of Yolanda victims on Panay Island that culminated on December 10, 2014, International Human Rights Day commemoration. The protests were staged in Kalibo, Roxas City, San Jose, Antique, Iloilo City and Estancia town in northern Iloilo.
“We are abandoned and government worsens our life by letting loose the militarty in our farms to commit abuses against us,” says Ailyn Catamin, representative of the indigenous Panay Tumandok whose barangays in Central Panay is the site of the proposed mega dam Jalaur Multi-Purpose River Project II. “Our farming activities have been disrupted because the Army considers us enemies and members of the rebel NPA.”
In Roxas City and Estancia town, distribution of relief aid is controlled by “padrino system” that is, based on political affiliation or proximity to barangay captains and village officials through whom the relief supplies are coursed through.
In Roxas City, relief and local officials tag Yolanda victims “communists” and threaten to cut off their monthly allotment under the “4Ps” of government unless they distance themselves from militant organizations like Gabriela and Bayan.
“We are staging symbolic actions to bring our plight to the attention of Pope Francis from January 15 through 19,” says Hervilla referring to the days the Pontiff visits the Philippines. Their activities are coordinated nationwide to bring to the Pope's attention the sufferings of Filipinos in the hands of government.
January 15, opening day of their Pope-related activities, they will hold “welcome ceremonies” for the Holy Father at the Jaro Belfry, front of the Catholic church, to be followed by a picket-cum-dialogue at the DSWD-6 office here.
They will be staging bigger mass actions though February 16 Panay wide but did not elaborate.
Jan. 14, 2015
The long wait for housing assistance is not yet over for victims of supertyphoon Yolanda who lost their homes.And victims are angry and vow to stage more protest actions against what they call the “callousness of the BS Aquino government” particularly, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which erected a new hurdle for the housing compensation to kick off.
“You might have lost completely hour house but you are not entitled to whatever compensation promised by government if your site is within the 40-meter “danger zone” from the shoreline, rues Hope Hervilla, third nominee of Bayan Muna Partylist and spokesperson of Bayan-Panay.
Supertyphoon Yolanda struck northern Panay November 8, 2013 packing the wind fury of up to 250 kilometers per hour, laying to waste practically all in its path including century old trees and houses.
Government promised to provide P10,000 to families whose homes were partially damaged and P30,000 to those whose houses were beyond repair.
In northern Iloilo, badly hit in the province, over 100,000 houses were totally destroyed.
DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman though issued Memorandum Circular 24, series of 2014, that, militants here say, opens the way to “discrimination and persecution”.Aside from denying cash assistance to homeless victims whose original houses stood within the so-called danger zone, the circular also “strangles government workers,” decries Irma Espinosa, regional chair of the Confederation for Unity and Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE).
“Even if you are victim, you are not entitled to a housing assistance if you earn above P15,000 a month,” grumbles Espinosa. “Did Yolanda distinguish low salary grade employees from high salary ones?”
Over 18,000 persons joined rallies of Yolanda victims on Panay Island that culminated on December 10, 2014, International Human Rights Day commemoration. The protests were staged in Kalibo, Roxas City, San Jose, Antique, Iloilo City and Estancia town in northern Iloilo.“We are abandoned and government worsens our life by letting loose the militarty in our farms to commit abuses against us,” says Ailyn Catamin, representative of the indigenous Panay Tumandok whose barangays in Central Panay is the site of the proposed mega dam Jalaur Multi-Purpose River Project II. “Our farming activities have been disrupted because the Army considers us enemies and members of the rebel NPA.”
In Roxas City and Estancia town, distribution of relief aid is controlled by “padrino system” that is, based on political affiliation or proximity to barangay captains and village officials through whom the relief supplies are coursed through.In Roxas City, relief and local officials tag Yolanda victims “communists” and threaten to cut off their monthly allotment under the “4Ps” of government unless they distance themselves from militant organizations like Gabriela and Bayan.
“We are staging symbolic actions to bring our plight to the attention of Pope Francis from January 15 through 19,” says Hervilla referring to the days the Pontiff visits the Philippines. Their activities are coordinated nationwide to bring to the Pope's attention the sufferings of Filipinos in the hands of government.
January 15, opening day of their Pope-related activities, they will hold “welcome ceremonies” for the Holy Father at the Jaro Belfry, front of the Catholic church, to be followed by a picket-cum-dialogue at the DSWD-6 office here.They will be staging bigger mass actions though February 16 Panay wide but did not elaborate.
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