What is your stand on the demolition at Laperal Compound?
By taski24
@taski24 (214)
Philippines
April 29, 2011 12:38am CST
I am sure you all have seen it on local television. The demolition team, backed-up by police and fire officers battling it out with informal settlers who refuse to leave their residence, even if it was already reduced to ashes a few days ago. Local authorities say that there is already a relocation site for the would-be displaced residents. The affected residents, on the other hand, are firm on staying on the compound, and turned violent when the demolition began. What is your opinion on the issue?
4 responses
@greenpeas (998)
• Philippines
29 Apr 11
I would want to sympathize with these people, but then if you take a second look you will see that they are the ones to blame in the first place why their shanties get demolished.
Picture yourself owning one of their lots. Then one day after being gone for s long because you got busy, you visit your land and're suprised to find out somebody erected a shanty on top of it. When you ask what they are doing in their land, they will say they are poor and they will need some assistance before they get out else they will fight you because it is now their right to stay in your place. You worked hard to earn money to but that piece of land, and then these people grabbed it and say they are entitled to be there because they are poor? I dont think being poor gives anybody the right to be landgrabbers.
1 person likes this
@stanley777 (9402)
• Philippines
30 Apr 11
The demolition team are just following orders from their superiors so they are not to blame.The compound is a private property and its up to the owner if he/she wants the settlers to stay but the problem was the owner of the lot don't even give words what he like s to do with his lot so the settlers thought that they can still build houses in place of the ruins.Also the problem is some of these settlers are professional squatters they even engage in business by renting it to some people.
@beamer88 (4259)
• Philippines
29 Apr 11
Hmm, I actually have not seen the footage of this but I know about it. I guess as much as I would like to sympathize with the informal settlers, I still believe that a big part of the blame lies with them. I mean, these people know that squatting shouldn't be done, and that any time, they can be evicted since they aren't the owners of the land. It's also a bit unfair actually that the are even relocated and given housing either for free or a fraction of what people usually pay for renting a small apartment. A lot of people work so hard to save and buy a house, and a lot are still unable to and have to resort to just renting a small apartment or even a small room.
