SQUATTERS: Stirring the Conscience of Society

Anonymous, Written on 12 May 1999
How is squatters in Manila after 10 years?

No job. No food. No decent house. Disease-stricken. Evicted by law. Source of crime. Cause of pollution. These are encapsulated in their name -- the Squatters of Manila.

They migrated from different provinces to Manila with a vision of *a better life lies beyond*. But it only remains as much as a dream to be kept in their minds and hearts. Keeping their hopes that "the life" is yet to come. Many others though, bury their faith, blame the government for thie fate, resulting to various crimes.

Life in "the gold city" is harder than they thought of and even imagined. They gullibled to lies such as trade & commerce is promising, multitude of opportunities await job hunters with huge paycheck, all in a bed of roses.

Sure there is trade & cmmerce and much commercialized than towns & provinces. But its not at all easy to be in. It's not for the faint of heart. It takes personal character, work experience and guts to be employed. And each centavo is to be earned in toil.

In effect, with people of no education, which most squatters are, they resolve to illegal activities. Drug pushing is one (they themselve get hooked with drug), robbery of all degrees and even become syndicates to their fellow squatters. It has been an activity for some squatters to search for vacant lots and solicit tenants for a fee. Squatter versus squatter just to earn a living. Holding on to whatever they can no matter how sinister. Survival of the fittest. That is the competition.

The gold city transformed to slum city, a land of tyrannies. There is no stop to the influx of rural people vis-a-vis crime events. The dailies each day display crime of all sorts showing a disgrace of people's morality. The only Catholic country in the globe.

Since the American rule, the government has concentrated in developing Manila to be the center of trade in the Orient. Another reason for the large influx of people from the countryside. There is no job opportunities in their hometowns they can rightfully claim.

Squatting started, making it one of the worst in the world. Uprising the problem it can be, the government has put it into the least priority, alloting only a meager 1-2% of the budget.

In addition, some government agencies, in their neglect to fight for squatting, have withdrawn their responsibility they are called for. They succumb to their wealth, claiming full ownership to lands, which could have been a way to augment the lives of farmers.

Still some local government officials tolerate the squatters keeping them safe in their bosom, making them untouchable for the fulfillment of their continous power, through vote buying.

On the other hand, the government over the years has been unsuccessful in relocating the squatters to Manila outskirts arising to counter-problems. Squatters find the places too far (too costly to commute to work) so they return to the capital and squat again, in a different location. The government has failed to look into the focal point of the situation. Dont squatters need a permanent community where they can belong, stand on their own, be productive and generate income?

While private organizations and some local officials are on the continuous fight for government's full attention on the matter and unceasingly seek for means to resolve the problem, there are concerned individuals and groups soliciting aid from industries which can invest in the Philippines. Venturing business on the countryside that will help in resettlement, income generation, morale boost, hence, increasing financial independence, empowerment, generating jobs, healthier lifestyle. This will greatly reduce the country's problems on traffic congestion, peace & order, pollution, housing and crime.

"We need you"... For us who have prospered in life, would you think a bigger responsibility rest on our shoulders? Aren't we blessed with so much as to share it with people who are less fortunate? Are the poor all over the world no right to live a brighter future? ... "Will you help us get there?"

Will you help them change their lives through sustainable means? Email Us!!

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