Demolition and displacement of Riverside residents worse than COVID-19

The people of Riverside Darangan have called their land home for many generations. It is where they were born, where their parents have died. They and their parents and grandparents worked hard to cultivate their rice fields and anchor their bancas by the shores of Laguna Lake, which gives them their livelihood. This small piece of earth is their food, life, future.

On Feb. 9, 2021, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sent notice to the settlers that their homes would be demolished due to a 15-meter wide access road project. No court order was presented for the demolition, while the houses were spray-painted with numbers like writings on the wall. This road will access the Coastal Road (C-6) to Barangay Darangan. The DPWH claimed the road will benefit the whole of Rizaleños. But there is no consultation up to this date with the affected residents. The Laguna Lake Development Authority also followed suit, claiming the shores of the Lake. Asserting that the area belongs to the government, it demanded that the settlers leave their age-old homes.

The following actions were undertaken by the Riverside residents, who are a mix of legitimate Darangenos and informal settlers who are migrants from the provinces. There are about 1,000 inhabitants.

On March 9, 2021, we wrote a letter to Rizal Rep. Jack Duavit to represent our concern. But to date we have not received a response.

Conducted a signature campaign for three demands: just compensation, just relocation, and reduction of 15 meters to only eight meters for the road project.

Filed a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights on March 17, 2021. The case, docketed as 2021-0226, still has no result to date.

We made three conditions for our welfare and well-being to be considered in the so-called “proposed” development by the DPWH.

Just compensation for damage to our homes. We built our homes decades ago, and destroying them without regard for our past sacrifices and demanding that we rebuild our homes simply by our own private resources is totally unjust

Just relocation for those of us who will have our lands taken over by the government. The relocation must be near the lake, which provides livelihood for us. Baras, which is two towns away on the hills, is simply unacceptable. Most of the displaced citizens are fishermen and kangkong planters whose life is inseparable from the lake.

Eight-meter wide access road, not 15. The eight meters will destroy 25 homes, and that will be inevitable. But 15 meters will destroy 50 homes, and that is not acceptable. It is only an access road, not an airport runway. Even Baytown road in Angono is only eight meters wide. It serves the need of vehicles as the main artery to public transport.

The psychological and emotional toll of the impending demolition and destruction of our much-loved homes, where our memories and history were born, would be grave. This is worse than COVID-19 and other calamities that have befallen us. The pandemic has not devastated us as hard as the news of the coming demolition. At least we can protect ourselves with mask and hand-washing against COVID-19. Typhoons in Laguna Lake have directed their force both at the rich who own fish pens and the poor whose fishing boats were wrecked. The boats can be replaced, but not our homes that will be demolished forever.

Justice for all with progress for all is what we ask. Let us live. Do not give us death. Our God is a God of justice.

PASTOR EUGENIO LARA JR.
[email protected]
For the People of Riverside