Urban Poor Associates - Some Stated Events

Some Stated Events

• 1992 - UPA made the first ever report on demolitions in Metro Manila. It found about 100,000 people were evicted every year during the administration of President Corazon Aquino (1986–1992). This figure has remained fairly constant since. Over twenty people were killed and hundreds injured in violent evictions during those early years. As a result UPA formed its eviction crisis intervention work.
• 1993 - Violence in evictions reached new heights during the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos. It began with urban poor people driven by tear gas and riot police from the Smokey Mountain landfill. One man was killed. Distant relocation began again under Ramos. There had been no relocation sites opened under President Aquino.
• 1994 - Publication of Ano ang Gagawin Kung May Demolisyon? Over 15,000 copies have been distributed. It is a manual helping poor people deal with eviction.
• 1995 - UPA sent a team of housing experts to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Geneva to contest the government’s housing report. The Committee wrote a strong letter to the Philippine government urging it to do better in matters of eviction and relocation, and to concentrate on slum upgrading rather than expensive housing.
• 1997 - UPA invited an old friend, the actor Martin Sheen, to visit Manila and head a campaign called "A More Humane City." Sheen visited urban poor areas, appeared on the major TV talk shows, met NGOs and government officials. He urged the people to remember, "A people united can never be defeated."
• 2000 - UPA began work on the Pasig River in collaboration with the government and Asian Development Bank (ADB). UPA works in several river communities including Parola, Baseco and Pineda.
• 2001 - UPA’s radio program "Buhay Maralita" had the greatest number of listeners in its Saturday timeslot. It was nominated for a Catholic Mass Media Award, the most prestigious award in the field.
• 2002 - UPA took a leading role in advocating for the government land proclamation program. It has also done research on the proclamations.
• 2003 - UPA works to bring land tenure security to 19,000 urban poor families in the University of the Philippines.
• 2004 - UPA has arranged a series of consultations among Quezon City officials, the University of the Philippines and the 19,000 urban poor families living on the campus which hopefully will lead to land tenure security for the poor and the best educational use of the campus for the University.
• 2005 - UPA along with Community Organizers of the Philippine Enterprise and CO Multiversity have helped form the April 30 Working Group, a coalition of 45 urban poor group in Metro Manila who work on land tenure security, evictions, basic services, proclamations, and other matters for the poor. UPA with Task Force on Housing Rights along the Railways conducted surveys and took part in congressional hearing regarding North and South Rail. The Economic and Social Rights Legal Advocacy Center, SALIGAN, St. Thomas More Law Center filed test cases in court against violators of Section 28 of UDHA.