HOUSING AND LAND RIGHTS N ETWORK
H abit at
Int e rnat io nal
Co alit io n
Open letter to The Philippines Senate President
Franklin Drilon
5 April 2005
Senate President Franklin Drilon
Senate of the Philippines
GSIS Building, Pasay City
Philippines
Transmitted by Fax: 632 551 2993
Subject: Forced evictions of 78 families in violation of UN guidelines, and
international and national law
Dear Senate President Drilon:
Urban Poor Associates (UPA) and Eviction Watch have informed the Housing and
Land Rights Network of Habitat International Coalition (HIC-HLRN) that the Metro
Manila Development Authority (MMDA) plans to demolish the houses of 78 families
living under the President Quirino Avenue bridge and along the Estero de Pandacan.
On 31 March, the MMDA informed the affected families that they would be displaced
in line with the government’s beautification drive undertaken for the Assembly of the
Inter Parliamentary Union, from 3 to 8 April 2005. Thanks to local action and
international concern, the eviction announced for 2 nd April did not happen, but the
families are still under threat.
If the eviction proceeds, the Philippines authorities will violate international law and
fail to meet their minimum obligations to protect the affected families’ entitlements to,
inter alia: freedom from dispossession; information; participation; resettlement,
return, restitution and compensation; and physical security. All are elements of the
human right to adequate housing, and recognised as such in international law,
especially the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(ICESCR), which The Philippines ratified on 7 June 1974. Forced evictions justified
on the pretext of international events and beautification schemes violate the people’s
rights to protection, including those elaborated in UN guidelines and in General
Comment No. 7 of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on
forced evictions. The demolition also would violate domestic law in The Philippines
requiring a 30-day notice in advance of legal eviction, consultations with the affected
families and proper relocation.
We demand the State and local authorities respect their treaty obligations and
national legislation to avoid deepening poverty and causing tremendous harm to the
threatened inhabitants. Therefore, we also urge you to exert best efforts to stop the
planned demolition and provide humane and adequate relocation to those whose
homes have been demolished already. It would be unfortunate if the misconduct of
Philippines officials in the case tarnish the image of the country hosting such an
important international event as the Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union.
Looking forward to learning about your positive action in this case, we thank you for
your attention.
Respectfully,
Joseph Schechla
coordinator
CC:
Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace, Manila
Philippines
Fax: +632 733–2107
Email: corres@op.gov.ph
Chairman Bayani Fernando
Metro Manila Development Authority
EDSA corner Orense Street, Guadalupe
Makati 1211
Philippines
Fax: +632 882–0889
Email: mmda@evoserve.com
Secretary Alberto G. Romulo
Department of Foreign Affairs
2230 Roxas Blvd.
Pasay City
Philippines
Fax: +632 832–1597
Email: agromulo@op.gov.ph, osec@dfa.gov.ph
Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita
Office of the Executive Secretary
Malacanang Palace
Manila
Philippines
Fax: +632 736–1010
2