By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Sunday said urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) should stop “demanding too much” from the government.
“I’d like to welcome all of you. But do not demand too much, lalo na ‘yang (especially the) Kadamay, making noises,” the President said in his speech during the groundbreaking ceremony of a housing project for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday afternoon.
He added: “I join you in your sentiments to have a roof under a shelter, but do not demand too much. Kaya nga ‘yung iniwan ng mga sundalo kasi maliliit (That is why those small housing units were abandoned by the soldiers), not of their liking, maybe you can have them. But do not demand as if you have… You just wait.”
In a statement, Kadamay National Chairperson Gloria “Ka Bea” Arellano said: “Housing, basic services and a decent life are not excessive demands especially for those who have experienced the direst conditions in Philippine society. Conditions that continue under Duterte. Kadamay demands that shelter be treated as a basic right for all Filipinos, that contractualization be ended unlike his recent PR stunt and that water be made accessible among other things.”
Ms. Arellano added: “Why stop at housing for uniformed personnel? There are still so many homeless Filipinos. The NHA (National Housing Authority) has previously said that ISF (Informal Settler Families) housing will be non-negotiable as they are being kept for those who will be relocated from Manila. Instead of displacing those already in the cities, the NHA and Duterte government should act swiftly on the plight of the already disastrous state of homelessness in the country.”
BORACAY
The President also mentioned Boracay, which he said he wants to place under the government’s land reform program.
“You know, Boracay is an island that is fundamentally, actually, classified as agriculture and forestal. I don’t know but I had a talk with [former] president [Gloria M.] Arroyo (last night) and she [said she] does not remember signing any proclamation segregating or changing category in one or two of those in that island.
Ms. Arroyo, according to the Official Gazette, signed in 2006 Proclamation No. 1064 “classifying Boracay Island situated in the Municipality of Malay, Province of Aklan as Forestland (for Protection purposes) and Agricultural Land (Alienable and Disposable) in accordance with the provisions of Commonwealth Act 141, otherwise known as the Public Land Act, and Section 13 of Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, subject to actual ground survey and delineation.”
“You have to know that we’ll just delineate a certain portion there. But the rest of the island will be declared a land reform area. Ibigay ko muna sa mga tao doon (I will give those areas to the people there),” the President added.
Mr. Duterte said “everybody has his own opinion” of what to do with the island, but people should allow Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo M. Año to do their tasks first.
“Allow Año and Cimatu to clean the place, then after that we will go away. I hope that they would take care of it the next time for the next generation… Maybe you can have a few strips there as back to businesses, but fundamentally, the rest of the forestal area [will be saved for the people],” he added.
Mr. Duterte likewise said he will ask Congress to act on the matter. “If they want to do it, they can. But tanggalin ko na lang (I can remove the) forestal, just keep the trees there. Don’t touch them. You can have some sort of farming. All of it will be agricultural and most of the flat areas will be given to the people. Multinationals and big companies can go there, but my predilection, actually, is just to give it first to the farmers.”
The President also announced that it is now his administration’s policy to issue housing units to the rebel surrenderees.
“I’d like to declare my policy, of this government that I will pursue vis-à-vis with the housing and the houses also of those who would like to surrender,” he said.

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