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Home , Navotas, North Bay Boulevard

URGENT Action

0806UPHL Background

Philippines: The municipality of is located in the north-western part of 13.05.2008 Metro . It is the fish trading capital of the and the The right to food site of the Navotas Fish Port Complex, the largest fish port facili ty in . The area is densely populated with poverty being a of poor fishers’ stark reality. families is threatened in In May 2006, the houses of some 560 families in the village of South, Navotas City were demolished by 150 personnel of Navotas, Manila the Developme nt Authority (MMDA) in May 2006. The reason stated by the MMDA for the demolition was the road widening In the municipality of of the R-10 radial road being implemented by the Department of Public Navotas, Manila, several Works and Highways (DPWH). While 100 families accepted P15,000 each hundreds of poor fishers’ (about 350 USD ) to relocate, around 200 families who belong to the families are facing eviction. “Samahang Marlita Nagkakasisa sa R10” (Association of the United Poor In May 2006, the houses of at R 10) have rejected the offer and are demanding for a relocation site. about 560 families in the village of North Bay In another incident, about 160 families living within the compound of Boulevard were demolished the Philippines Fisheries Development Authority at Navotas are facing a due to a road-widening threat of eviction. The families were told by fish port officials in April project, while another 160 2008 that the 2,500 square meter lot inside the fish port they are families who live within occupying will be leased to a business enterprise. Although the same the compound of officials offered P51,000 (about 1200 USD) to qualified squatters, the Philippines Fisheries families turned down the offer. There was no relocation site proposed. Development Authority may face an eviction as the plot they currently occupy will In both cases, the heads of the affected families derive their be leased to a business income from the fisheries and fisheries-related industries in the Navotas Fish Port Complex in order to feed themselves adequately. enterprise. Since most of Their right to food is therefore is threatened, if they are displaced the affected families earn without retaining access to the port. their living through fisheries or fisheries- related industries, eviction without providing relocation site will endanger their right to food. title

FIAN – With human rights against hu nger!

FIAN Mandate The Philippines is a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and therefore bound under international law to respect and protect the right to food of these residents in Navotas. Evicting the poor fishers’ families without offering a relocation site which will provide employment opportunities and viable social services is a End of Action: violation of the right to food. Without any source of income, the right to food of these families is at stake . 13. July, Call to Action 2008 Please write a polite letter to Vice President Noli de Castro, chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating

Council (HUDCC) and Mr. Federico Laxa, General Manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), requesting them to resettle the families of fish port workers at a location with access to their place of work.

Addresses: Hon. Noli de Castro Vice President and Chairperson Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) PNB Financial Center Pres. Diosdado , City, Philippines Fax: +63 2 831-6676

Copies to: Mr. Federico Laxa General Manager National Housing Authority , Philippines Fax: +63 2 922-2058

Please inform FIAN FIAN International Secretariat P.O. Box 10 22 43 International about any D-69012Heidelberg response you receive Tel: +49.6221 653 00 30 to your faxes and letters. Fax: +49.6221 830 545 email: kuennemann @fian.org

FIAN – With human rights against hunger!

Hon. Noli de Castro Vice President and Chairperson Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) PNB Financial Center Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City, Philippines Fax: +63 2 831 -6676

Dear Hon. Noli de Castro,

Recently I was informed of two incidences of eviction in Navotas City. The houses of some 560 families at the village of North Bay Boulevard South, Navotas City were demolished by 150 personnel of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in May 2006. The reason stated by the MMDA for the demolition was the road widening of the R-10 radial road being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). While 100 families accepted P15,000 to relocate, around 200 families who belong to the “Samahang Marlita Nagkakasisa sa R10” (Association of the United Poor at R 10) have rejected the offer and are demanding for a relocation site. In another incident, around 160 families living within the compound of the Philippines Fisheries Development Authority at Navotas are facing the threat of eviction. The families were told by fish port officials in April 2008 that the 2,500 square meter lot inside the fish port they are occupying will be leased to a business enterprise. Although the same officials offered P51,000 to qualified squatters, the families turned down the offer. There was no relocation site proposed.

In both cases, the heads of the affected families earn their living through fisheries or fisheries-related industries at the Navotas fish port. These are their main sources of income through which they feed themselves. The Philippines has ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), therefore bound under international law to respect and protect the right to food of these residents in Navotas. Without any source of income, the right to food of these families is at stake. As such, I would like to ask you, Vice President, to offer to these affected families a relocation site with access to the fish port.

Respectfully yours,