“We will be watchful in the coming days if the Aquino administration will make a paradigm shift in its programs especially those that concern the urban poor sector.”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Pope Francis understood the plight of the poor better than the country’s very own president, said an urban poor group.
“We could not ask for more from Pope Francis. He has restored the dignity of the urban poor,” said Gloria Arellano, national chairperson of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihihrap (Kadamay).
The urban poor “has been a subject of disgust and condemnation by the government and a significant portion of the middle and upper class, as we battle for our basic human rights in protests, labor strikes and in street barricades against demolition of their homes,” Arellano said.
Kadamay said they are thankful that the Pontiff understands their situation “more than the Aquino administration does” and that the poor has found “a very powerful ally” in Pope Francis.
In a speech at Malacañang, Pope Francis urged everyone to “reject every form of corruption which diverts resources from the poor, and to make concerted efforts to ensure the inclusion of every man and woman and child in the life of the community.”
The Pontiff has also made bold statements in ending “scandalous and social inequalities,” which, the urban poor group said, has been their same clamor but has “always fallen into deaf ears of the past and present administrations.”
In line with the Pope’s message, Kadamay challenged the Aquino government to carry out genuine land reform and national industrialization, implement significant wage increases, create decent employment and “end the destruction of livelihood” of the urban poor, stop the eviction and demolition of informal settlers’ communities, and their deprivation of social services.
The group also joined the call for the resumption of government peace talks with the National Democratic Front, and for the ratification of the Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reform “to strategically end poverty in the country and end hostilities.”
Meanwhile, President Aquino, in a press briefing right after Pope Francis left the country, said that the regime has been trying to get rid of corruption since his first day in office.
He also denied that the pronouncements of Pope Francis on corruption and poverty referred to Philippine officials. In a report, Aquino said, “I think that was not addressed to us,” claiming that at least 2.5 million Filipino have been lifted from poverty in 2013.
Aquino cited the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), the government cornerstone program in poverty-reduction, for helping uplift the lives of poor families.
Dole out, corruption
Urban poor groups and government critics have assailed the CCT for merely doling out funds, being a source of corruption and being used for political patronage.
Aquino continued to defend the program, despite the irregularities cited by the Commission on Audit (COA) in the reports in the past years of its implementing agency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In its 2013 audit report issued last year, COA cited irregularities in the implementation of the CCT, such as double entries, data errors, delayed cash releases, and liquidation issues.
“It is clear that the DSWD’s supposed allotment of funds to end poverty is all for show. It never really reaches those who need it. Worse, it is being used against the poor such as what they did to hide our real conditions every time there is an international event,” Carlito Badion, secretary general of Kadamay, told Bulatlat.com.
No demolition?
Urban poor groups have asked if the Aquino government would heed the Pontiff’s message and issue a moratorium on demolition, if not completely put a stop to cases of eviction of informal settlers.
Estrelieta Bagasbas, spokesperson of Alyansa Kontra Demolisyon and a community leader from North Triangle, said that Pope Francis’ solidarity for the poor is much welcome especially at a time when urban poor families are being “ditched to far-flung relocation sites where economic opportunities are highly inaccessible” to give way to so-called developmental projects.
Human rights group Karapatan estimated that there are 20,745 victims of demolition of homes under Aquino.
Heed the Pope’s calls?
Though hopeful, Kadamay expressed doubts if the Aquino government would really side with poor following the pope’s pronouncements.
“We doubt that the Aquino administration will ever turn its back on big businessmen whose favors to the government have always worked against the interest of the urban poor, especially when the 2016 national election is fast approaching,” Arellano said.
Arellano, however, said they will become more vigilant and see if officials are living up to the teachings of Pope Francis.
“We are expecting that after the Papal visit, the church will be our closest partner in pursuing decent employment, a national minimum wage and significant wage increase for all Filipino laborers,” said Arellano.
“(We hope that) church bells will ring to alert communities to unify against threats of demolition, as we expect the Aquino administration to be as anti-poor and brutal as it used to be,” she said.
Kadamay said, “we will be watchful in the coming days if the Aquino administration will make a paradigm shift in its programs especially those that concern the urban poor sector.” 
