Magisterial Lectures | Mary Racelis, PhD - Demanding A Place in The City
Summary
TLDRThis script discusses the transformation of the urban poor in Metro Manila, Philippines, from 'squatters' to 'informal settlers', highlighting their struggle for better lives and recognition of their rights. It emphasizes the role of NGOs and community organizing in empowering them and the government's recent efforts in providing secure and affordable housing. The speaker also addresses the need for a solidarity economy, inclusive development, and the importance of the urban poor's contributions to the city's economy, advocating for their right to the city's resources and services.
Takeaways
- 🏙️ The urban poor in Metro Manila, once called squatters, have evolved into informal settlers who are striving for better lives and recognition of their rights.
- 📈 Over time, these informal settlers have organized and connected with government bodies to secure safe, adequate, and affordable housing, reflecting their transition from being marginalized to being acknowledged by society.
- 👥 The urban poor are not just migrants but include multiple generations of city-born individuals who consider themselves urbanites, despite living in challenging conditions.
- 🌐 The community is diverse, with varying economic levels and ethnic backgrounds, and they have formed their own social strata and support networks within the urban environment.
- 🏡 Informal settlers often live in makeshift housing along riverbanks, under bridges, and in vacant lots, adapting creatively to the urban landscape.
- 🌱 Despite facing numerous challenges such as poor sanitation, lack of basic services, and the threat of eviction, these communities are resilient and continue to improve their living conditions.
- 💪 Women often lead these communities, demonstrating strong organizational skills and advocating for fair distribution of resources and participation in decision-making processes.
- 👨👩👧👦 The aspirations of the urban poor are focused on securing tenure, access to services, and participation in community development, with an emphasis on education for the younger generation.
- 🤝 NGOs and civil society groups play a crucial role in empowering the urban poor, helping them form people's organizations and advocating for their rights and inclusion in the formal economy.
- 🌟 The urban poor contribute significantly to the city's economy through the informal sector, providing essential services and supporting the city's infrastructure.
- 🌱 The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the strengths of local communities, which have shown resilience and resourcefulness in the face of crisis, organizing to support each other and adapt to new challenges.
Q & A
What was the initial term used to describe the urban poor in Metro Manila and why was it changed?
-The initial term used was 'squatters' because they moved into any available space to build their shanties. It was changed to 'informal settlers' over time as they became organized and started making demands of the authorities. NGOs and civil society groups felt 'squatters' was demeaning, as these people were striving for better lives.
How have the urban poor in Metro Manila been able to secure better housing conditions?
-The urban poor have been able to secure better housing conditions through their strong efforts and organization. They have connected with the government, both national and local, to provide decent homes. This has resulted in construction of safe, adequate, and affordable housing in areas where they have organized.
What role have NGOs and faith-based groups played in empowering the urban poor?
-NGOs and faith-based groups have played a significant role in empowering the urban poor by helping them form people's organizations. This has given them a sense of empowerment and rights, enabling them to be recognized with dignity and respect as citizens.
Why do the urban poor in Metro Manila prefer to stay in the city despite the challenges?
-The urban poor prefer to stay in the city because they believe it offers better opportunities for a better life. Even though they face challenges such as relocation to distant areas with limited job opportunities, many return to the city due to the availability of jobs and resources.
How has the perception of the urban poor evolved over generations?
-The perception has evolved from seeing them as migrants to recognizing them as urbanites. Many of the urban poor were born in the city, and now there are four generations of urban informal settlers who consider themselves city dwellers.
What are the common misconceptions about the urban poor in Metro Manila?
-Common misconceptions include viewing them as law violators, drug addicts, and criminals. However, many are ordinary families striving for a better life, and the communities are often characterized by mutual support and resilience.
How have the urban poor adapted to living in various challenging environments in the city?
-The urban poor have adapted by living in makeshift housing along riverbanks, under bridges, and in vacant lots. They use the walls of nearby buildings as their own walls and have found creative ways to live within the city's constraints.
What are the aspirations of the urban poor for their families and communities?
-Their aspirations include secure tenure, decent and affordable housing, access to services like health clinics, schools, and places of worship, and participation in decision-making processes. They also focus on education for their children as a means to improve their socio-economic status.
How have women in the urban poor communities played a significant role?
-Women have emerged as leaders in these communities, often because they are consistently present and knowledgeable about the community's needs. They are adept at organizing, negotiating with authorities, and ensuring fairness in the distribution of resources.
What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the urban poor and how have they responded?
-The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the strengths of local communities, particularly the urban poor, who have had to find ways to deal with the crisis independently due to the slow response of the government. They have connected with NGOs, church groups, and even international donors to secure short-term help.
How do the urban poor contribute to the economy of Metro Manila?
-The urban poor contribute significantly to the informal economy through various roles such as jeepney drivers, tricycle drivers, construction laborers, security guards, and street vendors. They support the city's economy by providing essential services and labor.
Outlines
🏙️ Urban Poor Transformation in Metro Manila
The first paragraph introduces the topic of urban poverty in the Philippines, focusing on Metro Manila. It discusses the evolution of the urban poor from being labeled as squatters to informal settlers, highlighting their organization and advocacy for better living conditions. The speaker emphasizes the change in perception facilitated by NGOs and academics, who found the term squatter demeaning. The narrative outlines the struggles of these communities over decades to gain recognition and secure, affordable housing, which has been partially achieved through government initiatives. The paragraph also touches on the formation of people's organizations, empowered by NGOs and faith-based groups, aiming for dignity and respect within the system.
🤔 The Complex Reality of Urban Informal Settlers
This paragraph delves into the complexities of the urban informal settlers' situation. It discusses the initial migration to cities due to poverty and conflict, and the subsequent generations born in the city who now identify as urbanites. The speaker notes the significant population of informal settlers in Metro Manila and the challenges they face, including relocation to distant areas with limited job opportunities. The paragraph also addresses the diverse economic levels within these communities and the ethnic differences. It describes the living conditions of the urban poor, including issues with sanitation, water, electricity, and the environmental impact of their living situations.
👨👩👧👦 Aspirations and Community Life of Informal Settlers
The third paragraph focuses on the aspirations of the urban poor for secure tenure and affordable housing, access to services, and participation in decision-making. It emphasizes the importance of education for their children as a means to enter the formal sector and improve their families' lives. The speaker also discusses the formation of genuine communities within informal settlements, where people care for one another, especially during crises. Women are highlighted as leaders in these communities, known for their organizational skills and ability to negotiate with authorities. The paragraph also touches on the role of NGOs in supporting these communities and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their resilience and self-reliance.
🛠️ The Role of Informal Settlers in the Urban Economy
This paragraph examines the contribution of informal settlers to the urban economy, detailing the various jobs they hold, such as jeepney drivers, construction laborers, and street vendors. It points out the characteristics of the informal economy, including its unregulated nature and the flexible hours that allow women to balance work and family responsibilities. The speaker argues that despite their significant economic contributions, informal settlers are often overlooked in economic calculations and face challenges such as eviction and lack of legal protection. The paragraph also discusses the government's perspective on urban poor sites and the need for a more inclusive approach to urban development.
🌟 Opportunities for Transformational Change
The fifth paragraph discusses the potential for transformational change in the face of crisis, using the current pandemic as an example. It calls for a shift in focus towards a solidarity economy that prioritizes people and the environment over profit maximization. The speaker suggests that this change should include poverty reduction, improved access to health, education, and housing, and a reorientation of national and local budgets. The paragraph also addresses the issue of elite domination in the economy and the need to support small and medium enterprises, expand social protection schemes, and build up community strengths for self-sufficiency.
📢 The Urban Poor's Right to the City
In the final paragraph, the speaker argues for the urban poor's right to the city and its resources, emphasizing their status as citizens with rights that should be recognized and respected. The paragraph discusses the role of local government in responding to the needs of communities and the importance of community involvement in planning and budgeting. It also highlights the wealthier groups' reliance on the low wages of the urban poor to maintain their lifestyles and the need for a more equitable distribution of resources. The speaker concludes by reflecting on the country's Christian values and the opportunity presented by the pandemic to create a new normal that is caring, socially just, and committed to human rights for all.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Urban Poor
💡Informal Settlers
💡NGOs
💡Resilience
💡Eviction
💡Relocation
💡Community Organizing
💡Informal Economy
💡Solidarity Economy
💡Social Protection
💡New Normal
Highlights
The urban poor of Metro Manila have transitioned from being called squatters to informal settlers, reflecting their organization and demands for better living conditions.
NGOs and civil society groups have played a crucial role in empowering the urban poor and advocating for their rights.
The government has increasingly recognized the urban poor's right to safe, adequate, and affordable housing, leading to construction projects in organized settlements.
Many urban poor are not migrants but have been born in the city, with some families having four generations of urban settlers.
Informal settlers contribute significantly to the city's economy through various roles in the informal sector, despite facing challenges such as eviction and poor living conditions.
The urban poor have organized to demand better living conditions and have seen some success in achieving secure tenure and improved housing.
Resettlement efforts for the urban poor have often been ineffective, with many relocated individuals returning to the city due to lack of job opportunities in new areas.
The urban poor live in a variety of locations, including riverbanks, under bridges, and in close proximity to affluent areas, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability.
Women often emerge as leaders in urban poor communities, utilizing their deep knowledge of community issues and effective negotiation skills.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the strengths of organized urban poor communities in self-help and resource distribution during crises.
The urban poor are not just a problem but a solution, contributing significantly to the city's economy and services.
The informal economy, in which many urban poor participate, is characterized by unregulated work, flexible hours, and a lack of legal protection.
Crises can lead to transformational changes in society, with the potential for more inclusive and sustainable development models.
Pope Francis emphasizes the importance of solidarity and making space at the table for everyone, rather than just sharing crumbs.
The urban poor have a right to the city's resources and services, and their contributions should be recognized and valued.
The Philippines, despite being a Catholic country, has one of the highest income disparities in Southeast Asia, indicating a need for greater focus on social justice.
The pandemic presents an opportunity for significant change towards a new normal that is caring, socially just, and committed to human rights for all.
Transcripts
[Music]
greetings
i'm very glad you're here with me to
talk about a subject of great importance
that is the urban poor of the
philippines but particularly
the urban poor of metro manila whom i
know best because i have
done research with them and for the last
many many years at the beginning they
were called squatters
because they moved in from a province to
whatever space they could find that they
could build maybe their shanties
and find a better life for themselves in
their families
but over time because they got organized
and
they began to make demands of the
authorities
uh that they began to be called informal
settlers
in a way it was also because the ngos
and civil society groups academics
with whom they worked felt that to call
them squatters was
too demeaning when in reality these are
people
who are striving for better lives in the
city
because they know that's where the
opportunities lie
so this is a story today of how
people have moved from quote squatters
to become
informal settlers with a sense of who
they are of what
they have a right to and how they're
going to achieve it through great
struggles
with a society that by and large for a
long time didn't agree
that they had those kind of rights but
this process has been happening over
decades
and now in the last few years actually
their their strong efforts have
succeeded in many cases
and government has provided what they
have always
wanted which is safe adequate
uh you know secure housing affordable
housing
for them and their families you will see
now construction going on
where people have organized and
connected with government
whether national or local to provide
decent homes for them
so that's a story i want to talk about
how people's organizations have been
formed with the help largely of ngos
some church-based groups faith-based
groups to
enable them to gain a sense of
empowerment and a sense of rights
and that there are people who who are
citizens of the country
who want to be recognized you know with
dignity
and to be respected that they work in
non-violent ways because they want to
get into the system they're not really
overthrowing the system they want to
become
part of it and that is the subject of
today's discussion
all right so let me talk to you more
about the urban poor
as informal settlers you know who are
they
people as i said already first who want
to make a better life
for their families in the city uh
initially many years ago they came from
the provinces
why because of poverty they had a
landlord who didn't seem to
who didn't agree with their tenancy
arrangements there was warfare
fighting and the city seemed to be the
place where
maybe they could have some future for
themselves and their children
so the tendency is to think of the urban
settler
or settlers as migrants yes they were
at the beginning and to to some certain
extent many of these communities have
continuing migration but the bulk of
them now
are people who were born in the city a
generation
of the children of those migrants who
had their own children and their own
children
we now have four generations of of urban
uh informal settlers so they are of the
city they consider themselves urbanites
uh they they their peers their friends
they go to school the young ones there
they they all watch the same tv shows
they like the same actors and actors and
so on
so they are city people right uh
there are approximately three and a half
million in metro manila
who have been conceived who are
considered informal settlers
although in the last 10 to 15 years
many of them were relocated to usually
distant areas
outside the city where unfortunately
the facilities mainly for jobs for
them to continue to have an income were
too limited
where the local governments were often
very turned off by them because they
didn't want the national government
dumping the metro mayoral problems into
their adjacent
communities kavita laguna bulacan and so
with that kind of
perspective half the population of those
who were relocated
usually under a lot of pressure by
government
have come back to the city to find
locations usually in other informal
settlements so the problem was not
solved
fortunately today there's much better
recognition in government
that their resettlement if they are
really in danger zones
has to be in the city where the jobs are
where the resources are
well so people came occupied what was
then vacant land and they constructed
their
makeshift housing but over the years as
their fortunes improve a little bit
the houses improved not too much because
they always face relocation so why
should they build up
a decent housing themselves if anything
if they had extras they would buy a tv
welding machinery or whatever they
needed for their daily lives
where where do you find them all right
you you look if you just
look riverbanks along um
esteros along under the bridges
under the overpasses in all kinds of
vacant lots often right
next to big big buildings fancy
buildings
where the walls of the buildings become
their walls also so
very creative ways of adapting to the
city
uh it's important to know you know
actually even
cemeteries uh this is uh what we're
discovering
uh that people live in cemeteries they
will
clear out november 1 just before but
they do help clean up the lot so they
have a stake in the place
in other words these are striving
resilient people
we call them the urban poor that's
really misleading because
they are a huge variety of people just
in terms of economic levels
just say poverty which we tend to think
of them as poor people
even though they are striving and many
of them are moving up in the circles
but there are levels of poverty of
socio-economic
levels and they themselves when you ask
them what are the category how do you
make distinctions among themselves and
they say um
maybe ten percent make kaya naman if
they've been there a long time somehow
they've found a way to earn
but also you have the other end which
are
you know the really poor ones who are
that's you know so they have their own
levels they're also ethnic differences
some come from
lately others from longer areas and so
on you'll find initially
the clusters are language groups because
they know somebody there they move there
because their kabbabayan is there and
they get adjusted to the city that way
but as their children marry they marry
one another so there's a lot of mixture
and that's how
an urbanite is born a filipino
who comes from many different heritage
bases right
the reality of course is that they have
lived in really dehumanizing conditions
crowded housing ramshackle
as although i said as they build it they
try to improve it over time but there
are limitations
sanitation terrible no toilets from any
case those who live in the river it's
very convenient you throw
your refuge there but that's a problem
now because
we're also concerned about the
environment as they are
garbage all over the place the trucks
can't enter so
how do they clear that flies you know
dogs around there
feces of dogs kids are often barefoot or
in slippers
uh lack of water lack of electricity
muddy pathway and so on
that's the standard picture and but it
varies tremendously
also in how long people have lived there
and made investments in their own
communities
nonetheless all through these years what
have been their images
as violators of the law
because they are squatting where they
shouldn't be it's not their right
that they're drug addicts that they're
there's a lot of crime there's a lot of
prostitution
uh to some extent of course that's there
but if you really go and
live or not necessarily live but talk to
people be with them
you see that a huge proportion are
ordinary families
who want to make a better life for their
for their children
so but nonetheless what they have always
faced is eviction
supposed to be voluntary but often when
they have very few alternatives
they feel forced out and they go some go
willingly others less so
but the problem is they have been
relocated to
far out of the city sites which are
cheaper for government to acquire
to purchase but which have no
no income possibilities for them as we
already said
all right so let's talk about them they
are people who come to the city
or who have been born here still living
in those uh
very dilapidated areas but they have
aspirations basically that they would
have secured tenure
decent affordable housing right by their
places of employment
so they can feed their families and
bring them to a higher level of
development
want to improve their housing as they go
they want they want access to services
health health clinics hospitals schools
churches
mosques all of the things that urban
dwellers assume
is there is available and should be
available to them
and mainly they want participation in
decision making
that is often what is not allocated to
them
it's always others who make decisions
for them but through organizing they've
learned how to make their voices heard
interesting that i think their own
strategy for getting out of poverty is
not so much themselves the adult
generation now
they are struggling to move up so
they're better off
make kai in a month they hope they don't
expect really to
become well-off uh unless they swear to
something they win the well
what we used to say the sweepstakes or
whatever lotto let's say
but the their focus is on their children
that their children should finish at
least high school and hopefully sana
college because when they say
parama catapults it's college and why is
that because when you have a college
degree they
know it gets you into the formal sector
will you have a salary a swell though
where you will have benefits uh and
where you will earn enough so that you
can actually put your younger
brothers and sisters to school and as
your parents age
you will be able to take care of them in
their old age right
and this is based on a very strong
spiritual and moral sense
there so let me get to the second point
that informal settlements really become
genuine communities over time
of people who care for one another
especially when there are crises
of course they say even before the
pandemic
you know they were always in a state of
crisis especially the bottom half among
the urban poor
but nonetheless and that generates
certain
feelings of helping one another it's
very characteristic in filipino culture
and you see it definitely in these urban
pro communities
what's so extraordinary although really
very ordinary and regular is that it's
women
who are the leaders in these communities
actually that is found
all over the world in urban poor
settlements other countries
and why is that because women are the
ones who are there all the time we've
asked them why is that
because we're here all the time we know
what the issues are
and because we get together once we
know how we can organize ourselves
better we know where we want to go we
know how to negotiate with the
authorities
women are good at that right uh and so
you have bonding networks
among the communities they know where
from whom they can borrow money if they
need it in the short term
whom they should lend a cup of rice to
because that person really needs it and
so on
community organizing has has enabled
them
to recognize or realize how
you can participate in decisions in
government you have to be
clear about your issues you have to
articulate them you have to have many
people who come
to government so that government is very
aware that
hey we better listen to them and you
provide solutions
usually government thinks it's out of
the question but over time with a lot of
pressure and you know women can be very
immaculate
and they're very successful at that they
often get what they need which is to
change the rules to be more responsive
to their particular situations
ngos who start with doing the organizing
begin to shift out as they become more
powerful form their own
people's organizations and and ngos then
take
other roles of connecting them with
let's say they need an architect to help
them improve
their housing they need an
engineer to tell them you know how best
to
develop a mangrove plantation in their
area
well all kinds of professionals that
ngos know
and can bring in who are concerned and
who want to help in some way
the caved 19 has really shown
very much the strengths of local
communities
who in the face of suddenly being locked
down
were were knew that they could not rely
immediately on government to respond
that quickly
and so they began to find ways of
dealing with it most of them
made contact with whether it's ngos the
church groups
uh even international donors that
they've connected with
to help them in the short term until
government resources came in
so you you saw that what was so
interesting in the organized communities
is the women leaders
since they know the communities they
knew who was getting
uh you know the the ayuda for example
who didn't deserve it they don't say
much about that but if somebody didn't
get it who deserved it
they would bring that up to the capitan
and say you know you're missing this
because because
so they know they monitored and they
made their voices heard as to a fair way
of distributing because for them that's
a very crucial element
fairness right they cared for
quarantined person who had to stay home
in these little shacks in many cases who
then had nothing to eat nobody was
earning
so they would organize to bring food for
them these are
there are innumerable kinds of examples
of this right
unfortunately the government currently
tends to look at these urban poor sites
as passaway they love that term pasaway
they have surveillance military and
police are around there all the time
because they're looking for possible
violence and sometimes it happens
but if you really know those communities
you know that they are really
striving and struggling just to make me
their ends meet especially in this time
difficulty and much more sharing because
it's necessary and they know people
so the third point i want to make is
that
we have to view informal settlers not as
traditionally looked upon as
problems in the city wow three and a
half million
problems no if you look at them from
their point of view and those of us who
know them
with great admiration they are the
solution
they solve many of their own problems
with very little government support over
the years until
maybe fairly recently all right and who
are the
who are the people who really support
the whole economy of the city from the
informal sector
if you look at the men they're mostly
jeepney drivers tricycle drivers
construction laborers
they are security guards waiters barbers
messengers street cleaners carpenters
plumbers welders and so on all
those if you need your cell phone fixed
you know where to go
that's you'll find them there so they
fix
a lot second-hand clothing is very much
a part of
how what they produce as for the women
we know they're sidewalk vendors they
run sorry sorry stores
they're domestic helpers they're
manicurists and beauticians
bar girls they manufacture small scale
masks and uniforms at home dress making
they have a sewing machine
they're waitresses street cleaners
that's who
helped the city survive and those of us
who are not in that sector
were are able to live our much more
affluent lives because they're there to
support us with those services
they are informal economy they are
usually independent self-employed very
small scale
very low capital operations right so
let's see
the characteristics of the informal
economy they are
they are largely unregulated
unregistered and kind of businesses
they're engaged in
therefore they're not protected legally
they're often accused of not paying
taxes
but in reality they say that is
absolutely not true
because the street vendor if she doesn't
give something to the policeman
whose control of the community is there
she is going to be evicted
maybe her her items confiscated uh
so that that ends her pleasant there so
she pays
informal taxes and of course they pay
the vat when they go to the grocery
store and so on
uh there another characteristic in
formal settlers the flexible hours
they can and this becomes very important
for women
because then they can do what they
consider their major role which is their
children their household to manage that
well
but at the same time earn somehow and
because of the flexible hours they can
work at home producing they say mass
uniforms and so on or go out in the
community and sell
when that was of course before the
pandemic but you know even if they're in
the formal employment and many of them
are there's
but as security guards as messengers
that are paid a salary but but their
contracts are very irregular we know the
endo is perhaps the best example
of that so it's really a quite an
insecure kind of employment
and of all this despite all the
production if you were to add
really in financial terms what they
contribute in services
is enormous but they are not included as
far as i know by economists
in the gross domestic product
calculations so it's like they don't
exist
but they're there and they support the
city
so let's be aware of that right
let me get to the fourth point that
societies are usually prepared to make
transformational changes in times of
crisis
people are more willing to take risks
because they've gone through
some kind of terrible trauma and that's
the situation we're in
so when we speak of the new normal we
need
structural changes right changes in
values attitudes
and let's look at for what as one sector
the urban poor themselves there are
economists who
who are in my view the more progressive
ones who talk about
a solidarity economy they say the market
is there
the market system uh is part of society
we're not
overthrowing the market the market is
there but we have to get away from the
focus that market means
only self-interest
only economic growth and profit
maximization
that cannot be the only way norms for
society it also has to prioritize people
it has to prioritize the environment
because
that is what we have to reserve for our
children and their children
so we need to focus on in inclusive and
sustainable development
and what does that mean poverty
reduction more attention to
health education housing for
especially for those who lack access to
it but those who are also
moving into hopefully a better situation
we have to reorient the national and
local budgets take another look
do we really need all those
infrastructure projects
for maine in metro manila maybe some of
it could be allocated
to decent housing for the huge numbers
of urban informal settlers
if we don't improve that housing for
sure we will
never solve the problem of pandemics in
the future when people are that crowded
that's when uh contamination happens and
you as you well know the virus doesn't
stop at the doors
of the high level enclaves
which may be guarded against people but
cannot guard against the virus
so it's in everyone's interest to
improve especially the housing
and food security situation of those who
don't have access to it at the moment
let me just mention something pope
francis said uh recently in a book he's
just published
solidarity is not the sharing of
crumbs from the table but to make a
place
at the table for everyone right
professor ron mendoza who of the ateneo
political sciences have made a very
strong pitch
that we have to address issues of the
elite domination
of the economy that is much more
of a shared economy that
one of the biggest problems is family
dynasties who have political
and economic control of family link
conglomerations
which are which because they have people
in congress
who sustain them mean means that they
can
begin to control inordinate proportions
of the resources
which don't really trickle down to the
rest of the society in significant
numbers
so we have to reduce these income
disparities right
uh and and one attack is this you know
elite domination
in particularly in those areas of um
that i've already mentioned uh you have
to support small and medium
enterprises we have learned that
actually in the last 20 to 30 years
that's really the basis of a dynamic
society where more people are involved
and that is competition so it's an
economy a market economy is a
competitive economy but the competition
should be among small and middle scale
producers
who are very effective because they are
very serious about improving their own
welfare we have to expand social
protection schemes especially for
children
we have the four piece keep that up
expand it
we need that's you know the cash
transfer system
the ayuda has to go more systematically
to everyone at the right time
phil health or social security all of
those measures social protection
let's expand them build up the
community's strengths and capacities
for their own problem solving we know
from
decades of work with urban poor that
they can do it
if they're supported rather than
repressed and forced off to
areas where they can't survive so
fifth point in the end
the urban poor have a right to the city
to a right to its resources and services
it's important understand they are
citizens of the republic
they are striving citizens who have
rights and who are
recognizing more and more that they have
the right to demand
those rights it's important for
especially now that local government is
getting more authority
and they're closer to people these are
their voters that they begin to
correspond or respond
to the needs of their communities has
enabled them to have a voice
in the planning and budgeting of of
those com of their own communities
recognize also that the wealthier groups
in our cities
are able to maintain their affluent
lifestyle and some of them have
really affluent lifestyles why because
the availability of huge numbers of
people
many in the informal sector who work for
them at
very low wages uh so that they can
pursue
the kinds of lifestyles that they have
my colleague sociologist jean carras
talks about the urban poor actually
subsidized the urban rich think about
that right
and finally now we're here we're a
catholic country we're just starting to
celebrate 500 years of christianity
wonderful but where are we look at us in
relation to other countries of southeast
asia
we are among the highest in terms of
income disparities
and and other kinds of measures which
should
show that vis-a-vis our
more marginalized groups we are failing
where they're succeeding or we're not
doing
as well and why is that supposedly if
you're a christian country you have
certain values
which respond to people and so let's re
remember that
and uh and the faith-based groups have a
lot to say
on that and as as we get to the end of
this
presentation uh the ateneo being a
jesuit
catholic institution i think it's
especially important to remember
our responsibilities as catholics in a
catholic country for the last 500 years
it's really remarkable that despite
our pride in what christianity has
brought
compare us with other southeast asian
countries we're not doing so well
income disparities in countries are here
in the philippines is one of the highest
in southeast asia unacceptable pope
francis
brings new voices into this what is what
does it mean
to be a catholic it means and and
let me say to our muslim brothers and
sisters that
their uh koran has many of these values
also entrenched
promote the dignity of every human being
through universal love
build a more just and caring society
in you know in every day people's
ordinary lives
everyday relationships in political
institutions
and in the economy recognize that we are
a single human family
in which we are brothers and sisters all
again let me remind you
that this pandemic trauma gives us an
extraordinary
opportunity to make a significant change
for filipinos to craft a new kind of
normal
that is caring that is socially just
that is firmly committed to human rights
for all
the time has come the time is now
and you you can make a difference
[Music]
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