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Anti-demolition rally caps urban poor congress

BAGUIO CITY (Jan. 23) — About 300 residents from Irisan and San Carlos Heights joined the urban poor march - rally today along the streets of the City and culminated into a rally at the Peoples’ Park - Malcolm Square Baguio.

The March-rally was organized by ORNUS or Organisasyon dagiti Nakurapay nga Umili iti Syudad, which celebrated its 20th year anniversary and held its 9th Congress. Men, women and children coming from Purok 21,22, 23,26, 27, UP Village, Lower and.Upper Cypress, 1.5 and Triangle in Irisan joined the march-rally, which started from the Baguio City Post office, passing by the historic Session Road, then to Magsaysay Road, and finally reaching the City Plaza.

Comprising the majority of the rallyists, the Irisan-San Carlos Heights delegation marched behind their organizational banners, namely KIWA (Kalinga Irisan Women’s Association), Cypress Anakpawis Organization, Ornus ti Sariling Sikap of Purok 21, 22, 23, and 27 and IPADeGG.

The march-rally is part of a series of activities by the city’s urban poorin its campaign to oppose demolition actions against their communities in Cypress, Triangle, Purok 22, Purok 26 and Purok 27 were demolished. Attempts were also made on several other namely Purok 24-25, Purok 22 and Purok 21.

Earlier, 50 Irisan-San Carlos residents trooped to the office of DENR Director Barongan to submit a petition seeking clarification on the legal status of the lands in Irisan covered by so-called original certificates of title (OCT) issued to private individuals and business groups. IPADeGG asserts that lands in Irisan, being public lands, cannot be awarded to private individuals, unless these are classified as alienable and disposable. This assertion is bolstered by several Supreme Court rulings, which declared all titles issued on lands classified as forest or public lands null and void.

IPADeGG calls on the residents of Irisan and San Carlos to get organized and to support actions to oppose demolition actions. It encourages the formation of Quick Reaction Teams in every purok, to quickly respond to cases of demolition and to mobilize the widest support to would-be victims. It calls on other organizations to link-up and join in the effort to build the unity of all Irisan-San Carlos Heights residents.

IPADeGG also calls on all Irisan and San Carlos residents to unite in demanding from the government the conversion of lands in Irisan into alienable and disposable lands, and awarding the same to actual occupants, who have introduced improvements and initiated development activities. These efforts have made Irisan and San Carlos Heights into a livable and progressive community. # Salvador Ramo for NORDIS

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