Hundreds of urban poor held a noise barrage protest outside the ancestral house of President Benigno Aquino, III on Sunday in West Triangle, Quezon City following the growing cases of fire incidents in Metro Manila which the group blamed to the government’s failure to provide basic social services.
According to Kalipunan ng Damayang. Mahihirap (Kadamay), urban poor communities in Metro Manila have been razed by “625 separate fire incidents” within the first quarter of the year.
The group said “these fire incidents are attributed to the failure of the Aquino administration to improve the living condition of the urban poor and their lack of access to basic social services such as affordable supply of electricity.”
While among the top causes of fire is related to problems with electrical lines, Kadamay said they believe “many of the incidents are actually cases of arson that aim to evict residents from their contested communities.”
