Because of Baguio's housing woes, urban poor forms their own federation

by Lito Dar

(PIA) - Urban poor associations in the city launched the federation called, PUDNU or ‘Pinagbibinnulig Ken Urnos Dagiti Nagkakaysa nga Umili ’ in a simple program at the Baguio City National High School gymnasium last week.

PUDNU secretary general Ma. Teresa Arnedo, in an interview, explained that the federation’s name in the local dialect means the coming or joining together of organizations for a single or common goal.


“The federation was established under a common goal of addressing the problems or concerns of land here in Baguio. Most of the federation members have their own problems in their respective lands where they reside. They do not have security of tenure in their areas and this is what we want to focus on,” Arnedo said.

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“We established the federation to give justice to the people living in Baguio whose lands are being claimed by others or by people who do

not even live here. It involves ancestral claims and land title proclamations that are not being proclaimed for whatever reason,” Arnedo added.

According to Arnedo, the federation is composed by 11 urban poor associations from the different parts of the city with about a thousand members.

Invited guest speakers during the PUDNU federation launching was Akbayan Party List Representative Arlene ‘Kaka’ Bagao. In her message, Bagao announced the programs and proposed law that they are pushing in Congress to help improve the plight of the country’s urban poor especially on socialized housing, which she said that they are pushing for a ‘Balanced Housing Act,’ which will be an amendment to the UDHA or the country Urban Development and Housing Act.

Bagao also had a dialogue with the federation officials to hear their concerns about lands and housing in the city of Baguio. She also promised to spearhead a congressional hearing on their concerns, if warranted or needed, especially on the issue of alleged fraudulent titles.

Meantime, City Council’s Committee on Urban Poor chairperson, Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, in an statement, lauded the establishment of the federation and expressed her hope that this would unify and solidify the land concerns and problems of the city’s urban poor, which she admits to be one of Baguio’s primary concerns.

Tabanda also advised the federation officials to be sincere in their jobs and to practice transparency and accountability for the realization of their objectives.

Bagao’s presence on the event, Tabanda noted, would be a big help for the city’s land concerns/problems. The congresswoman could work with Baguio Congressman Vergara for the approval of the city’s resolutions especially on the segregation and declaration of certain portions of government reservations that are not being used - for socialized housing purposes.

“We have already drafted several resolutions on this that has not been acted upon, and we can ask congresswoman Bagao to team-up with Congressman Vergara, for a possible congressional act that would help declare portions of idle government reservation for socialized housing, which we really need here in Baguio,” Tabanda said.

Tabanda also stated the city government’s support for the federation, in which she also affirmed that they will be spearheading an Urban Poor Summit by next year to hear all their concerns and find possible solutions and actions for such concerns. *(JDP/LD-PIA CAR)




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