Mr. Elgar Kuya Budoy Cornista Interview Draft Part 1 Walang problema dito sa amin pag may bagyo.

Kasi unang-una, wala namang tubig. Kapag may bagyo uulan tapos dadaan lang hindi kagaya sa ibang lugar na bahang baha sila. Dito samin awa ng Diyos wala naman. Ang dahilan siguro ay mataas yung tulay at may pumping station. We do not experience problems here in our place when there is a storm. When there is one it just rains then it just passes unlike in other parts where they experience heavy flooding. Thank God, we do not experience that. Probably the reason is because the bridge is very elevated and there is a pumping station. Demolisyon lang ang isyu na hinahawakan namin. Ang mga tao dito since 1985 pa. Noon dagat pa to hanggang sa hi-way. Ngayon ang ginawa ng mga tao sila na ang nagrenovate, sila na ang nagpantay, nagtambak; kumuha ka ng pwesto mo, tambakan mo. Pinayagan naman sila nung napatag na, nung tinambakan na. Kasi papalit palit dito ang mayor noon tapos ang ginawa binubugahan ng binubugahan. Demolition is the only issue that we are currently dealing with. There have been residents here since 1985. This area including the hi-way used to be part of the sea. What the people did was they renovated, elevated and leveled the area, laissez faire. They were allowed to do this and eventually the area was leveled and filled. There were changes in the incumbent mayor but they still continued to level the area. Ang mayor noon si Javier nung nagtambak dito. Wala pa ako dito noon. 1996 ako nandito. Nagkaron ng death threat dito 2010. Noon hindi ako nakikialam, pinabayaan ko lang sila kasi madami din akong problema. Naririnig ko sa mga lider na wala silang lakas loob humarap sa mga sistema lalo na sa mga ahensiya. Pangalawa, hinahanap ang presidente at ang vice pero hindi nakikita ang mga datihan. Ang ginawa namin, ang ginawa nila, nagtayo sila ng panibago tapos kinuha nila akong vice president dito sa R-

10. Kaya mula noon hanggang ngayon kami ang nakikipaglaban sa lahat ng ahensiyang pinasok namin lalong lalo na ang DPWH na pabalik-balik kami doon. Nagtataka nga ang DPWH kung bakit alam namin ang mga pasikot-sikot hindi kagaya noon na pag may lumalakad at sinabi nila na ganon-ganito o wala na ay hindi na sila bumabalik. Hindi daw kagaya samin na makulit kasi nakikipagkulitan kami sa mga ahensiya. The mayor during that time when they were extending the shoreline was Javier. I was not here yet at that time. I came to this place in 1996. In 2010, the area received a death threat. I did not get involved before and I just let them be because I also had a lot of problems. But then I heard from the leadership that they did not have the strength in them to face the system especially when it involved the government agencies. Secondly, they were also looking for the president and vice-president but no one knew where they were. So what we did, what they did, was they put up a new set and they got me as vicepresident here in R-10. From then til now, we have been the ones who have stood up against the agencies especially the Department of Public Works and Highways where we constantly return. The DPWH people actually wondered how we knew the ins and outs unlike before when they had gotten used to the representatives just giving up when they say this and that or no more. They said that we were uncharacteristically persistent because we would stubbornly argue with the agencies. Appointend lang ako na vice-president. Yun pa nga ang problema namen dahil ngayon mageeleksiyon sa Fed. Nagrereklamo ang VGA na appointed lang ako. Ako kasi ang ilalaban nila. Pinagkakaisahan nila na ilalaban nila ako sa pagka-presidente. Ang gusto ng presidente ng VGA compound na kailangan na may hinahawakan daw kami. Hindi daw siya papayag. Pero gusto din nya na ako ang maging presidente. I was just an appointed vice-president. That is actually one of our concerns because an election at the Fed is near. The VGA is considering me as a contender but is concerned that I am just an appointee. They have agreed among themselves that they will push me into the vice-presidency. What the president of the VGA compound wants though is that we already have a captured constituency and that she will not accede otherwise. All other things being equal, she said that she wanted me to become president.

Ang presidente namin dito si Clemencia Medina. Yung mga dating tao dito siya na ang presidente at ang vice nila ay si Monton. Pero hindi gumagalaw, hindi aktibo sa mga gawain lalong lalo na sa pakikpaglaban sa mga ahensiya at sa pakikipagdialogue. Wala silang pakialam. Kaya nga ang balak ay kausapin ang presidente namin kasi ang mga opisyal ni Clemencia ay hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam kung nasaan. Kaya ang ginawa namin ay nagtayo kami ng panibago. Pero wala sa amin na appointed lang. Ang sa amin ay para maagapan na para malakad ang lugar nato kasi nga may death threat na demolition. Our current president here is Clemencia Medina. The people who used to live here already had her as president and Monton, their vice-president. But there was no progress. It was as if there was no active engagement especially with the agencies or with dialogues. They were not involved. So the plan has been to talk to our president because we are still unaware of the whereabouts of the officials of Clemencia up to now. That is why we put up a new set. And none of us minds the fact that we are just appointees. Our only concern is to salvage the plan to save this place because of the impending threat of demolition. 2010 may death threat nato. Ang ginawa namin gumawa kami ng sulat sa DPWH at nakipag-dialogue kami doon. Ang gusto namin on-site development at ilihis yung kalsada na divert don sa kabila tutal may bakanteng lupa at naumpisahan na nila doon, may tulay na sila, i-divert na lang nila doon para hindi nato tamaan. There has been an outstanding death threat for this place since 2010. What we did was wrote to the DPWH and engaged in a dialogue with them. What we want is an on-site development and for them to divert the widening to the other side of the road since there is still a vacant space there and they have actually started work there. They have already built a bridge so we want them to move towards that area so that they will not affect this place. Ang sagot naman ng DPWH ay wala silang magagawa kasi project daw ng national. At yung sinasabi naming i-divert yung kalsada, ang may ari daw ay DENR. Kaya ang ginawa naming mga opisyal sumulat na naman kami sa DENR na makipag-dialogue.

Nakipagusap naman sila. Hindi naman nila tinatanong (kung sino ang mga opisyal). Ngayon ang ginawa namin nagusap-usap kaming mga opisyal na sulatan natin ang DENR, pirmado lahat ng opisyal na mga member tapos pinadala namin doon. Mga two days o three days pinatawag kami at nakipag-dialogue kami doon. Ang sagot naman ng DENR, dahil sila nga ang tinurong may ari, Wala kaming pakialam dyan. Kung iniisip nila mga puno, wala kami dyan. Bilangin na lang nila ang mga puno sa kalsada. Ang maliliit, puwede nating bunutin at itanim sa bakanteng lupa o kung saan puwede. Wala kaming pakialam doon. The response of the DPWH was that they could not do anything about it since it is a national project. As for our suggestion to divert the road, they said that we needed to talk to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. So what we officials did was write another letter to the DENR seeking for a dialogue. They eventually talked to us. They were not concerned if we were official representatives. So what we the officials did was we talked among ourselves to write to the DENR, signed by all the official members and then we brought the letter there. After about two to three days, they called for us and we had a dialogue there. What the DENR told us, since they were the ones who were identified as the owner of the contested area, was that they were hands-off the case if the DPWHs concern were the trees. They could count the trees along the road. They could take the small trees and plant them in a vacant land or wherever convenient. They could not care any less. Bumalik na naman kami sa DPWH. Sinabi namin ang dahilan na hindi DENR ang may ari. Ang sinagot naman ng assistant secretary ni Singson ay itinuro niya naman ang mayor. Ngayon ang ginawa na naman namin sumulat na naman kami na nakikipagdialogue kay mayor. Ang sagot naman ng mayor dahil sila naman ang tinuro, ang sagot lang niya ay, Wala akong pakialam dyan dahil wala akong ano dyan Ang may ari dyan ay PFDA yung dyan sa fishport. Pagkatapos namin kay mayor balik na naman kami doon na ganon ang pangatwiran pero sabi na naman ng DP na ang may ari na naman daw ay PFDA. Ngayon ang ginawa na naman namin sumulat na naman kami. Nakipag-dialogue kami sa PFDA. Ang sabi ng pinakamataas sa PFDA, Sa amin walang problema. Sa amin nga yan sakop namin yan, pero hindi na namin kinikilala

ang tinitirikan ng mga kabahayan nyo kundi ang kinikilala lang nila ay mula pader hanggang papasok. Dahil unang-una, ginawa ang kalsada dyan na hindi nagpaalam ang DPWH na gagawin nilang kalsada. Kaya umpisang-umpisa pa lang dapat walang kalsada dyan. We went back to DPWH. We told them that DENR did not hold claim over the land. The assistant secretary of Singson then told us to speak to the mayor. So, we again wrote a letter and spoke with the mayor. But then the mayor said that he was not responsible for the place and it was the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority who was in charge of the fish port area. After speaking with the mayor we went back to the DP to tell them that the mayor said that it was the PFDA that owned the land. We wrote another letter and spoke with the PFDA. What the head of the PFDA told us was that they did not have a problem with regard to our petition and that the land is within their jurisdiction but not the area where we were residing, only the wall that separated us and within. They added that from the very start the DPWH did not ask for their permission when they built a road. So, the there should not have been a road there in the first place. Tapos nung 1996 nagkaroon ng death threat dahil sa canal dahil ang gusto ng DP na sa kabahayan padadaanin kaya dapat noon pa tanggal na. Ang ginawa naman ng mga tao dito nakipaglaban, nag-rally sila kay mayor. Ang nangyari nagpatawag ang kapitan, si Palikpik pa noon, pinatawag ang mayor pinatawag ang DPWH at pinagusap usap sila na ilagay nila sa gitna. Eh nagkasundo, nilagay sa gitna. Walang nagawa ang mga DPWH. Kaya nanatili sila dito. Dapat ito matagal nang nawala na. Eh pinaglaban. Yun ang umpisa doon kaya itinuloy tuloy na namin lalo na ngayon na may death threat na naman sa demolition. Pinu-push talaga namin na mailihis yung kalsada. Nakakuha na din kami ng engineer. Pinagaralan na din ng private engineer na bakit kailangan padaanin sa kabahayan. In 1996 they came out with a death threat because the DP wanted the canal to pass through this residential area so even as early as then we should have been evicted. What the residents did was they fought back and rallied in front of the mayor. So what happened next was a meeting was called by the barangay captain, at that time it was Palikpik, and they summoned the mayor and the DPWH. They came to an agreement to

instead let the canal pass in the middle and the DPWHs original position was compromised. Because of that, the residents were able to keep they homes. They should have been evicted then but they fought back. That was the start of everything and the reason why we continued on especially now there is a new death threat for demolition. We are really pushing for the diversion of the road. We have also secured the service of an engineer. The private engineer is now studying why it needs to pass through the residential area. Nasa probinsya sa Tacloban ang pamilya ko. Ako lang ang nagpumilit pumunta dito, gusto tumayo sa sariling mga paa, maghanap buhay, kumbaga. Noon nung may trabaho padala ako ng padala pero ngayon wala. Wala pa akong asawa. May kapatid ako ngayon ditong tatlo, nasa malalayo wala sila dito sa R-10. Pero may mga tiyahin ako dito at mga pinsan. Sila yung nandito nung 1985 pa. Dahil sa kanila kaya ako nandito. Marami sila na apektado. My family stays in the province, in Tacloban. I was the only one who was insistent in coming to Manila, to stand on my own feet, to look for a living. I used to send money to the province when I still had a job. I am not able to do that these days. I am still single. I do have three siblings who are in Manila but they are live very far from R-10. Those who have been here in R-10 since 1985 are my cousins and aunts. They are the reason why I was able to migrate here. They are also the ones affected. Ang unang trabaho ko dito ay pang export kami sa pagkain kagaya ng cassava, ube, mga gelatin, mga gulay tapos dadalin sa ibang bansa. Nagkaroon kami ng ano dahil hindi kami dinadagdagan sa suweldo namin sa sahod. Nagpapadagdag kami ayaw kami dagdagan na napakamura naming sweldo doon na 110 kasama na overtime. Ang minimum 360 noong 1996. Matagal kaming walang imik. Nung sinabi dadagdagan puro lang pangako. Apat na taon hindi kami dinagdagan kaya noon nako nagpursigi na ireklamo naten. Nagpa-labor kami nung 2007 at hindi nako nag-apply simula nuon kasi inaasikaso ko yon. Ako din ang presidente doon sa unyon. Kaya ako ang kinuha dito kasi marunong ako makipagusap, marunong makipagtalo kung dalakdakan lang. Doon ako nagsimula.

The first job that I landed was in food export where we processed various produce like cassava, purple yam, gelatin, vegetables and then sell it to another country. We had an issue because we were never given a pay adjustment. We had been requesting but they refused to adjust our very meager salary of 110 pesos, including overtime. The minimum salary at that time was 360 pesos. That was 1996. We did not complain for a very long time. And when they said that they will grant an increase these turned out to be empty promises. They did not grant any increase for four years and it was then that I found the resolve together with my co-workers to complain the company. We took our case to Labor in 2007 and I have not applied for work ever since as I have been very busy attending to that. I was then the president of the union. That is also the reason why they got me here because I know how to negotiate, to contend if an argument is required. That was how I started. Ang hanap buhay naman sa Tacloban niyogan. May niyogan kami din, kopra. Pag minsan tinatamad akong magkopra kasi mahirap gawin. Patag din doon pero ayoko sabi ko kayo na lang magma-Maynila ako. We live off the coconut harvest in Tacloban. We have a coconut plantation there. Back then, I sometimes did not want to work the fields because it was difficult work. The land was manageable but I told everyone that I am quitting and will try my luck in Manila instead. Pinag-aral ako one year and one sem. Two years ang kurso ko. Hindi ko tinapos. Dahil ang sabi ko agricultural ang kinuha ko pero wala naman akong lupain na para pagtataniman para sa mga abono. Expert ako dyan sa abono para pang pagpapataba. Ang iniisip ko naman pagnakatapos ako puro niyugan samin. San ko isisiksik yan? Kaya hindi ko tinapos. Ang ginawa ko ang binabaon ko linggo linggo inipon ko para makapunta dito. I was sent to study for three semesters for my four semester course. I did not complete school because I said that while I was taking up agricultural studies I did not have land to till and plant on. I was an expert in tilling. But I asked to myself where would I plant in the future if there was land only for coconuts. That is why I did not finish school. So,

what I did was I saved my weekly allowance so that I could come to Manila. Wala naman akong nakakabangga puro naman sila ok. Nung nagsimula kami dito, unang-una, ang mga tao dito mahirap paliwanagan dahil ang paniniwala lang nila ay gobyerno to, wala tayo magagawa. Hanggang ngayon, yung iba. Pero yung iba pinipilit namin idinidikdik sa kanila na may karapatan ang bawat tao. I never found myself at odds with anybody they have all been ok. When we started out here, right at the beginning, it was difficult to explain to people because of their belief that this was government property and so they could not help the situation. There are still people who think that way. But we kept on insisting on the others that every person has his or her rights. Tubig ito dati. Nuong pinatag to nagkanya-kanya sila ng tayo ng poste. Kahit saan ka lang diyan basta magtayo ka. This area used to be part of the sea. When they elevated the place, they erected their own posts. You could put up a marker anywhere you wanted. Kasama ko ang tiyahin ko hati kami sa gastos. Lahat dito may kuntador. Kanya kanya ng bayad. Ngayon kung kelan maayos na tapos bigla nilang kukunin. I share the household expenses with my aunt. Everyone has his own utilities meter. Everyone pays her own bills. And now that everything is properly set up they suddenly decide to take it all away. Nung nagkaroon ng batas diba nung panahon ni Marcos noon walang nakakapagreklamo dahil pag may nagreklamo lalong-lalo na yung mga ganito lang papatayin ka. Kaya nung nagkaroon ng batas nung si Cory na ang nanalo sa presidente nagkaroon na ng demokrasiya ang Pilipinas nung 86. Nagkaroon ng batas na RA 7279 UDHA nakapaloob doon na may karapatan ang mga tao na kung saan man sila nakatira na matagal na, ng sampung taon pataas, na may karapatan na silang manatili dito at may karapatan na silang ipaglaban. Isa yun na nakakuha kami ng idea na may batas pala tayo na ganito. Kaya yun ang pinipilit ko sa mga tao na mahirap umintindi na hindi pwedeng sasabihin na gobyerno to at wala tayong magagawa. Na hindi satin to,

na nakikitira lang tayo. Then there was the law. As you would recall that during the time of Marcos people did not complain because if you did especially if you were you just like us then you would surely be killed. So, when law restored during the time of Corys successful ascent to the presidency so was democracy restored in the Philippines in 86. A law was crafted specifically the RA 7279, UDHA which says that people have a right over wherever place they have resided in for a long time, 10 years or longer, that they have the right to remain there and that they have the right to fight for it. That was one of the ideas that came to us, that we actually had such a law. So, that is what I constantly remind people who have difficulty realizing that the government could not just tell us off and that we could not help the situation; that this is not ours, that we are just transients. Hindi aktibo si Medina dati ngayon lang. Kaya pinaplanuhan namin na magpalit ng presidente sa lokal. Eh nung tinanong namin siya, sabi niya, Hindi. Ako pa din ang presidente. Kaya ngayon medyo sumama na siya. Kasi ang ginagawa ko noon, presidente at vice president inaako ko na lahat para lang masugod lang namin na kung saan saan kami lupalop na pupunta at kung saan pwede. Medina was not active before only recently. That is why we are planning to change the president at the local. But when we asked her what she told us was, No. I am still president. So, she has been more participative these days. I used to do all the work of the president and vice-president, I took it all upon myself so that we could just rally to any venue, which then took us to many places, wherever it is possible. Matagal na to. Simulat-sapul dito nagtayo na sila ng samahan. 1985 meron na. Dapat may tatayo. Bali kasi ang mga ang opisyal noon parang nawalan sila ng pag-asa, parang pinabayaan na. Kasi nung nagkaproblema at nawala ng isyu pinabayaan na yan. Ngayong 2010 nagkaroon na naman ng death threat. Nag-tagging na ang NHA kaya doon na naman namin binuksan yan. Kaya ang ginawa namin, kasi ang mga datihan parang ayaw na na hindi ko alam kung napapagod na sa mga lakad-lakad, kaya ngayon kami naman ang nagtutulak. Nagtanong kami, Sino ang gusto nyong presidente? Sino ang gusto nyong vice? Si ganito na lang. Ayun sinusulat na lang nila kung sino din

ang secretary, ang treasurer. Magkakakilala naman kami dito. It has been existence for many years. They have established an alliance from the very start. There has been one since 1985. There should be a representation. What happened was the officials back then lost hope, they seemed to have given up. It started when they had a problem and the issue was resolved they started neglecting it. Then in 2010 another death threat came. The National Housing Authority already began tagging and that was we started to open it again. So what we did, since the old members seemed to have given up probably because they already got tired of the hectic schedule, was we took over and pressed on. Then we asked everyone who they wanted to be president and vice-president and they said this-and-that person so they wrote down even who was to become the secretary, the treasurer. Everybody knows everybody here. Kilala ko ang 95 percent ng nakatira dito. Ang apektado dito ay almost 1,500. Yon yung bilang. Hindi pa kasama yung average ng pamilya. Mahaba kasi ito simula pagbaba ng tulay. Yung port kasama din yun hanggang sa dulo. Wala namang ibang gustong tumayo. Basta pag may dumarating dito na taga-ahensiya ang humaharap kami, ako ang nakikipag-usap. Tumitingin lang yung mga bata, yung mga matanda, yung mga datihan. I personally know 95 percent of the residents. There are almost 1,500 who are affected here. And that's only a count. That does not include the average for every family. The area stretches all the way to the end of the bridge. The farthest reach of the port is also included. But nobody wants to volunteer to become a representative. So, when somebody from the government comes we are the ones who welcome them, I am the one who speaks to them. The young people, the old folks, the early residents just look on. Full-time nako dito. May tiyahin ako sa Tondo, Moriones. Doon ako humihingi ng budget. Hindi naman siya nagrereklamo. Mag-isa lang ako kaya walang masyadong gastos. Alam mo ang gini-give up ko lang ay ang pang sarili ko lang. Kasi sa probinsya wala silang problema doon. Nagbibigay lang ako noon kung gusto ko lang. Pero yung pinupursige ako, hindi. Dahil may pinagkukuhanan din kami doon. Sarili namin yung lupa sa Tacloban na may taniman, niyogan. Tinataniman din namin ng talbos ng kamote,

at lahat ng prutas nandoon. I have been working full-time here. I have an aunt in Tondo, Moriones. That is where I ask for budget. She has not been complaining. I am living alone so there are not too many bills to settle. You see, what I just give up are things for myself. Because the people in our province do not have a problem. I used to send then only when I wanted to. But they never obligated me because we already have resources there. We own the land in Tacloban where we have a plantation, a coconut farm. We also plant sweet potatoes and all kinds of fruits. May balak din akong umuwi, matapos lang yung kaso namin sa labor at hinihintay ko na matapos din ito at ma-iayos muna. Nagpa-labor kami 2007. Ngayon, panalo na kamit lahat walang nangyayari. Matigas kasi yung may-ari panay file ng motion. Nagreklamo na nga kami kay Mon Tulfo. Pino-process na nila. Sabi niya, Ang tagal na nito bakit ngayon lang kayo lumapit? Sabi nya, Sige madali ito panalo na pala kayo bat tinetennga pa? Ano bang klase to? Sino bang abogado nyo? Ang abogado namin si Dela Cruz. Private. Binabayaran namin. Pero ang usapan namin pag ito manalo tayo at nagkapera ang usapan namin 20% sa kanya. Ilan kami diese otso. Kaya inaasikaso din ng attorney namin kaya lang napagisip-isip ko din na napererahan din yata, nababayaran. Kaya gumawa nako ng sarili kong diskarte lumapit ako kay Mon Tulfo pinuntahan namin. I do plan to come home, I am just waiting for resolution of the case that we filed at the Labor and also the case here to be resolved. We filed a case at the Labor in 2001. We have already won and all but nothing has changed because the owner is stubborn and keeps filing a motion. We already complained to Mon Tulfo. They are already processing it. He asked us why it took us time to see to him about our old case. He said that it should be an easy case since we already won and he does not see what is keeping them this long. He could not believe it he asked us who our lawyer was. Our lawyer is actually De la Cruz, private. We pay him. But the agreement was that if we win this case and receive the damages that he gets 20 percent. But there are 18 of us. Our the private attorney is attending to it but I was also thinking to myself that he might also be receiving payment from the other party. So, I decided to ask help from Mon Tulfo.

Ang iniisip namin sa PAO pera lang ang hinahanap doon. Yung bayaw ko nasa NBI abogado siya. Pinapalapit ako doon nahihiya naman ako kasi bayaw ko lang. Yung pinsan ko abogado din. Lahat ng mga problema sa ibang bansa siya ang kinukuha siya ang hinaharap doon. Kaya panalo yan nahihiya lang ako. Yan kasi ang problema din tulad sa labor ang sasabihin lang, Walang magagawa ayaw magbayad. Ang sabi ko, Wala ba kayong pwedeng gawin? Bakit hindi mo ipakulong? Ano bang klase yan? Talaga naman ang gobyerno pera lang ang habol. Papaano naman kaming mahihirap na walang perang ibibigay? Tatakpan na lang ng tatakpan at sasabihin kasi nagmomotion sila wala tayong magagawa? Ganon na lang ba yan? Wala ba tayong batas na sinusunod? Di na sila makasagot. We were thinking that the Public Attorney's Office will just be after the money too. I have a brother-in-law who works as an attorney at the National Bureau of Investigation. They have been telling me to approach him there because he is just an in-law. I also have a cousin who is a lawyer. He is usually the one who handles cases sent from overseas and he is sent there. So, ours is a sure win I am just ashamed to ask for favors. That is the problem like at the Labor they would tell us that they could not do anything because the other party would not want to pay. I asked them, Are you totally helpless? Can't you put them in jail? What kind of a system do you have? I am really convinced that the government is really just after the money. How about us poor people who do not have money to give? Are they just going to continually block with several motions and we can not do anything about it? Are we going to leave it just like that? Don't we have a law that we should follow? They never could reply. Wala naman akong threat to life dun sa labor. Pero yung abogado sa kabila kinausap nako na kami na lang dalawa ng kapatid ko na, Pag-usapan na lang natin kung magkano ang gusto mo. Napagisip-isip ko naman na kami lang dalawa papaano na yung mga kasama namen na umaasa din? Kaya ang sagot ko lang sa kanya, Attorney, kung ako lang ang babayaran mo atsaka yung kapatid ko ay wag na. Itutuloy na namin. Ang kailangan, gusto ko lahat kami bayaran. Trenta kami. Ngayon ang ginawa ng dose bumalik sa trabaho kasi wala ngang hanap buhay. Hanggang ngayon nandoon sila. Pagdating ng December may pampalubag loob sila. Bibigyan ka ng isang libo.

Parang pinaka-bonus. I have not received any death threat in that Labor case. But the lawyer of the other party already told me and my brother that we just could just settle this once and for all and that we will just need to name our price. But I was thinking what would happen to the others who are also hopeful if there will only be two of us. So, I told him, Attorney, forget about it if you will pay only me and my brother. We will pursue the case. What should happen is that all of us should get compensated. There are thirty of us. Though what twelve of them did was return to work because they do not have a source of living. They are still working there. When December comes they will give you a token to make you feel better. They will give you a thousand pesos. Some sort of a bonus. Doon ko na lang sa labor nalaman yung tungkol sa 13 th month pay, sick leave. Doon ko nalalaman lahat na ganito pala. Wala naman akong takot humaharap sa mga abogado. Iniisip ko lang na iisa lang ang buhay ng tao. Kung gusto nilang pumatay e'di pumatay sila. Basta kami ipinaglalaban namin ang karapatan. Naghaharap abogado namin. Abogado sa abogado. Pero sa DPWH kami ang nagtatanong, Ano ang desisyon mo? sa engineer mismo. Kasi sa lahat ng sulat namin ang gusto naming makausap si Secretary Singson. Nagkaroon na nga kami ng move sa harap nila, nakipagtalo na kami doon. Sa demolition, tao talaga ang haharap hindi na kailangan ng abogado. I just found out about the 13th month pay, sick leave at the Labor. It was only there that I found out everything about how things should be. I have not been afraid to face lawyers. I just think to myself that we only have one life to live. If they want to kill then so be it. On our part we are simply fighting for what is right. Our lawyers face each other. Lawyer to lawyer. But in the DPWH we are the ones who personally ask the engineer what their decision is. We have indicated in our letters that we personally want to speak to Secretary Singson. We already mobilized in front of them, we have already argued with them there. In an actual demolition, the people themselves are the ones who are there, there is no need for lawyers. Kasama ang consultation. Nakakasama kami sa eviction tinutulungan namin sila. Katulad sa SRR, diyan sa South, pinaalis na sila dyan walang executive order talagang

inararo sila. Nakipaglaban kami dyan. Yung iba nandiyan pa hindi pa nalilipat. Inuna sila kasi wala sa kanilang tumutulong wala silang grupong katulad namin. Tsaka lang sila nagtayo nung nandiyan na ang demolition team. Yung iba nagpabayad. Meron dyan nabayaran na empleyado ng city hall. Binayaran ng onse mil, katorse mil; magvolunteer ka na sila na ang umalis para hindi na ma-demolish, katorse mil. Dito samin may nagpapahiwatig na na gagapang sila. Kaya ang ginagawa namin ngayon binabantayan namin bawat pamilya na wag magpabayad kasi satin to, para manatili tayo dito. Wala pa namang nagpabayad ngayon. Wala kaming presyo dito. Ang amin lang, magtulungan na lang para manatili tayo dito. Part of it are consultations. We have gotten involved in evictions when we help them. An example is at SRR, in the South, they were driven out without an executive order and they were literally bulldozed. We fought it out there. There are still some people who have not yet been relocated. They were targeted first because nobody was assisting them, they did not have a group like ours. It was only when the demolition team came that they began to organize themselves. The others accpeted payment. Like there was one employee of city hall who got paid. Payments of eleven, fourteen thousand were made; if you volunteer to leave to avoid demolition you will receive fourteen thousand. We now have elements in our place who are also showing intentions of creeping in. So, what we are doing these days is we are vigilantly looking over families reminding them not to receive payments so we could continue to stay here because this is really for us. No one has accepted payment 'til now. Our place does not have a price tag. Our hope is just for everybody to help each other so that we could remain in this place. Pagnatapos na yung dito at sa labor uuwi nako ng Tacloban. Tatapusin ko na muna yung mga problema tapos uuwi na ako sa amin. Gusto ka na din bumalik kasi tutal may bahay na din ako doon. Ang mga tao dito gusto pa manatili dito dahil unang una ang mga tao dito ang trabaho nila walking distance lang. 95 percent ang mga tao dito sa fish port nagtratrabaho dahil ang fish port ay kinikilalang national fish port. May mga pabrika dyan, dyan pwede kang magtrabaho, pwedeng magtinda ng sigarilyo buhay ka na. Maghila ka lang ng banyera may pera ka na may isda ka pa. When things are settled here and the Labor I will return to Tacloban. I will just finish the

problems here and then I will come back home. I have been wanting to do that because anyway I already have a house there. The people in this place still want to remain here because first of all their place of work is just walking distance. 95 percent of those who are here work at the fish port because the fish port is recognized as a national fish port. There are factories there, you can work there, sell cigarettes and survive. Haul fish buckets and you receive not only a wage but also fish. Kinakausap namin sila, pinapapili namin. Katulad kagabi nakausap ko sila Malou magdamag ako sa lamay. Ang problema pala nila limang taon na silang nakatira doon na walang upa-upa kaya napag-isipan ng may ari ng bahay dyan na ibenta na lang kasi hindi naman nakikinabang yung may-ari. Kaya tinanong ko yung may-ari, Ikaw pala may-ari dyan. Bakit mo gusto magpabayad na lang? Ang sabi nya, Kasi, kaya kami napag-isipan na lang namin na magpabayad na lang dahil ang nakatira hindi nagbabayad ng upa. Ipina-barangay na raw nila, sila pa raw ang minura ni Malou. Sabi ko, bakit ganon? Dapat pinaglaban nyo. Kung magpabayad ka dapat anak mo na lang ang patirahin kasi sayang naman. Hindi kasi din nila alam ang status ng R-10. Para akong nag-nobena ako ng paliwanag kagabi at para namang naintindahan. Ang sabi nya, Puntahan ninyo kami doon para magusap-usap kung ganon ang sistema. Ang sabi ko magtulong tulong tayo sayang naman ang pagod namin. Nakikipagtalo talo sa gobyerno tapos ganon lang magpapabayad lang tayo halagang viente uno mil lang. Dati kasi magkakatabi-tabi yan. Pero hindi maiwasan yung kwentuhan. Para hindi na lang magaway-away ang ginawa na lang ng may-ari sila na lang ang umalis. Pinaupahan na lang nila ang nakaupa naman hindi maayos. Ako na rin kasi ang nagpapaliwanag na wala dapat magpaparenta. We talk to them, ask them to choose. Just last night, I was able to talk to Malou when I stayed up all night at a wake. Apparently, their problem was they have already been staying there for five years without paying rent so the owner of the house decided to sell the property because she was not benefitting from it anyway. So I asked the owner why she preferred to sell it if she were the owner. And she replied that she decided to receive payment instead because her tenant was not paying rent. She narrated how she was even cursed at by Malou when she brought the matter to the barangay. So, I asked how could

that be and that she should fight for it. I told her that it will be such a loss if it were the case and that I think it is better if her son would live there instead of her just getting paid for it. It is because they do not know the status of R-10. So, I was like praying the novena when I was explaining last night and it seems that they understood. She suggested that we come to the place so we could talk things over if that is indeed the system. I said that we should help each other out otherwise our efforts will go to waste. We fight with government and just like that we just let ourselves get paid for a measly sum of twentyone thousand. They used to live beside each others homes. But it seems that you can not avoid gossip. So, just to avoid conflicts what the owner did was they left voluntarily. They rented it out but unfortunately they got bad tenants. I then had to explain that nobody should be renting out their place. Importante ang ginagawa nyo kasi nalalaman ng estudyante ang kalagayan namin. What you are doing is important because students become aware of our situation. Part 2 Ang sabi sa NAPC wala silang magagawa sa road widening kasi tuloy-tuloy ang project nila. Naghahanap kami ngayon. Nagusap-usap pa lang kami noong nakaraan ng NAPC. What the National Anti Poverty Commission said is that their hands are tide with regard to the road widening because the project will push through. We are searching now. We were just consulting with the NAPC the last time. Ang nakaimpluensiya sa'min unang-una talaga ang mga tao. Pangalawa ang mga CO. Ang mga CO ang talagang nag-ano sa'min na.. dahil wala naman akong alam diyan. Nalaman ko lang yan nung ako na ang humawak. Pangalawa, nalaman ko na ang mga batas kung papaano ipaglaban. Hindi ako dati ganito mahiyain ako noon. The ones who influence us first and foremost are the people and then the Community Organizers. The COs were really the ones since I was really inexperienced there. I just learned about these things when I started to lead. Secondly, I learned the existing laws and how to fight for them. I was not like this I used to be timid.

Noon, nanay ko palaban din sa mga ganyang kaso. Ang nanay ko matapang din. Hindi yan nagpapatalo sa asu-asunto. Pag alam nya na may karapatan, pag alam niyang tama sya, talagang ipaglalaban niya. My mother was also somebody who would retreat in similar situations. My mother was also tough. She will not back down in disputes. If she knew that she had the right, if she knew that she was in the right side of the law, she will fight to the finish. Ako noon, aaminin ko, talagang mainitin ang ulo. Konting ano lang... galit ako. Pero ngayon, marunong nako makipaghalubilo lalong lalo na sa mataas ang pagkatao. Kaya wala silang masabi sa'kin kasi sobra sobra na ang ginawa ko para sa kanila. Hindi tulad noon kung giyera, giyera. I will be honest and admit that I used to lose my temper easily. The slightest thing can set me off. But these days, I know how to socialize especially those who are conceited. That is why people could not say a bad word against me because I have already done more than enough for everybody. Unlike before if they wanted war I would give them war. Para sakin bilang lider kinikilala nila ako unang-una sila ang nagudyok sa mga tao na tama nga ang ginagawa namin ng gaya sa ginagawa ko na marunong makisama, marunong makisalamuha sa tao at marunong makipagbalitaktakan sa mga kung anoanong isyu, at saka naiintindihan nila sa paliwanag. In my opinion, to be a leader is to be recognized as first and foremost the person that the people have approved of his actions like what I do when I sympathize, empathize with the people, when I know how to discuss any issue at hand, and when I am understood when I communicate. Minsan mahirap intindihin ang mga tao kung papaano mo sila mahimok para dumalo o sumama sa mobilization pag sabay-sabay ang schedule. Kaya kailangan sa'min maluwag ang pasensya at marunong umintindi. Pag nagtatalo, halimbawa ang mga lider at ang mga miyembro, ako ang nagsasabi na, ''Ano ba ang problema? Pagusapan natin.'' Hwag salubungin ng init ang init ng isa. Kailangan huminahon kahit mali sila. It is sometimes difficult to understand people, how you will be able to convince them to

attend or join mobilizations if there is a hectic schedule. So, we really need to be very patient and very considerate. When there are disagreements, for example between the leaders and the members, I am the one who intercedes, clarifies the problems and pull together people to talk. We avoid to be loggerheads with each other. We need to be prudent even if the other party is at fault. Ang papel ng media unang-una tulad ng isyu naming dito sa R-10 nalalaman ng publiko ng pangkalahatan dahil napapakita nila sa tv sa radio at sa mga diyaryo na lahat na nababasa ng mga tao na ganito pala ang problema ng R-10. Pangalawa, nakikita at nababasa din ng gobyerno na ganito pala ang sitwasyon. The role of the media, like our issue here in R-10, is that the public is made aware of the whole situation because it is shown on tv, radio and newspaper that everybody reads that this is exactly the problem of R-10. Secondly, the government is also able to see and read the real situation. Ang biyaya na natatanggap ko ay pasasalamat ng tao na kung hindi kami lumakad ay baka noon pa inararo. The grace that I receive is the gratitude of the people when they tell us that if we did not help them that they had been bulldozed long before. Humuhugot ako ng lakas sa mga tao. Kapag nakikita kong seryoso sila sa ginagawa namin, doon ako kumukuha ng lakas na talagang ipaglaban ang karapatan. Kung sa akin lang, kung ako lang mag-isa, hindi ko makukuha ang lakas ng loob. I get my strength from the people. When I see that they are committed in what we are doing, that is where I get my strength and really push hard for rights. If it were just me, if I were alone, I would not have the courage in me. Wala akong ambisyong tumakbo. Gusto ko manalo muna to. Bago mageleksiyon kailangan manalo dito para makita ng mga tao na ipinaglaban, nanalo at may karapatan ka nang tumakbo. I do not have ambitions to run. I want to win this first. This needs to have a possible

outcome first before the elections come so that the people will see that we fought and won and only then that there is reason to run for elections. Ang inaano ng mga tao na walang problema kami ngang nakahawak dahil ang mga tao talaga walang kaalam-alam. Ngayon lang naman sila nagpupursige na maging patas ang pagtingin nyo samin mahirap man o hindi. Kawawa naman ang mahihirap. Sana ang mga private engineer hindi sagad sa buto. Tignan nila ang panig sa kabila. Bakit ang mayayaman nadadaanan ng road widening hindi ginagalaw. Samantalang mahihirap walang pera, walang kayang itustos doon peperahin kami ng peperahin. What the people say is that they do not have a problem with us who are leading because the people here really are really nave. It is only now that they have started to demand that we should be treated fairly, regardless if one is poor or not. The poor are pitiful. How I wish that private engineers were not bad to the bone. I wish they would look at the other partys condition. Why is it that rich peoples property are spared from road widening? Whereas the poor who do not have money, we who do not have the means but yet we are milked dry. Bilang lider ng urban poor ang gusto ko sana ay tuloy-tuloy ang pakikipag-usap. Gusto ko na maging patas ang pagtingin nyo samin para malaman din ng karamihan kung mabasa man nila ito, gawin mang kasaysayan ito, na may karapatan din ang mga mahihirap na tumingin sa magandang kinabukasan. As a leader of the urban poor, what I hope for is for dialogue to continue on. I want you to give us a fair share in consideration so that everyone will know if they will get the chance to read this, if this goes down in history, that the poor also have rights to pursue a happy future.

Pagbubukl od LEE Media Information Dissem

Rearranged sequence

Tentative comments during presentation

Pamamahagi/pagpapalagan ap ng impormasyon

Naniniwala ang mga kalahok sa mga panayam na mabigat ding papel ng mass media sa

Gina Lopez Politics of representatio n

Gina Lopez Politika ng representasyon (imahen ng urban poor sa mas midya)

pagbabahagi ng mga hinaing ng mga urban citizens lalong-lalu na ng mga hindi nabibilang sa pangkat na may impluwensiya rito.

Pagkilala sa mga isyu gamit Publicity of issues (mobilization ang media o pagsasapubliko ng mga ito(hal. Mobilisasyon) Ito ay kadalasang ginagawa sa pagimbita sa

) Pagsasagawa ng mga Creative productions pagtatanghal o produksyon tulad ng panunuluyan

mga mass media practioners na maging saksi sa aktwal na pagmomobilisa o sa iba pang malikhaing gawain.

Uniting and organizing the communit y (pagkakais a at pagoorganisa ng komunida d)

Collaboration

Pagtutulungan sa gawain

Naniniwala din ang mga kapanayam sa aktibong pakikilahok ng lahat ng

Negotiation (with other groups local and intl)

Negosasyon sa ibang grupo, sa loob at labas ng bansa

may kinalaman sa mga kinakaharap na mga isyu pati na rin ng mga resource persons mula sa local na komunidad man o sa ibang bansa sa pagresolba ng mga ibatibang magkakadikit na isyu.

Panghihimok sa Leg work (Door to door visits) pamamagitan ng pagbisita/pagpunta sa mga bahay Plano ng tao para sa tao Ngunit naniniwala din ang lahat na ang role ng mismong komunidad ay ang pinaka-importanteng factor para maisakatuparan ang kanilan mga naisin. At

Peoples plan Role-Playing

Pagbuo ng mga eksena/pagsasadula ng mga sitwasyon

katulad ng nabanggit sa Training (see part of Diane/Chester ), ang pagbubuklod ay isang organisadong pagkilos na may sinusunod na proseso

Dialogue Conflict confrontation

Pakikipag-usap/ dayalogo Pagharap sa mga problema/gusot Mobilisasyon/pagmomobili

upang ito ay maging matagumpay. Ayon sa aking nakapanayam na lider, si Kuya Budoy, at ng kanilang kasamahan na si Bb. Jane Largo ang mga hakbang na ito ay ang mga sumusunod:

Mobilization Info Dissem

sa Pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon

Panghihimok sa pamamagitan ng pagbisita/pagpunta sa mga bahay

Plano ng tao para sa tao

Etc...

Integration sa kasamahan nila Investigation problema Tentative plan kasi ng

pwede pa mabago Ground work ang bawat miyembro Magmeeting/ Strategize Role playing ng pano nila sasagutin ang mga ahensiya at pano nila makukuha ang hiling Mobilization Assessment ano bakit hindi nakuha para ito ang resulta ng trabaho at bakit hindi Evaluation Building the org