1. Squatter area is a mixture of different cultures, beliefs & traditions. Hence, everyday clashes are an ordinary scene. A new shelter housing them all is just a change of venue, not a change in views.
This is my take on the Architects in Friendster’s discussion on providing livable shelter for squatters proliferating in Metro Manila…
If we’re going to address poverty in the Philippines, I am not in favor of providing a vast housing project where the beneficiaries are “squatters” in Metro Manila.
Why?
I’d like to ask the same question. Why?
Why are there squatters in the first place?
This is the issue I want to address.
There are thousands of reasons. I for one lived in squatter areas of Kalookan during my earlier working years and I have first hand experience to state some of these reasons.
1. Squatter area is a mixture of different cultures, beliefs & traditions. Hence, everyday clashes are an ordinary scene. A new shelter housing them all is just a change of venue, not a change in views.
2. Squatters squat because of a number of parasitic activities to justify their being poor which is not entirely true. A vast number of squatters are also professionals earning a decent amount of income. But the concept of getting things for free is just pure sweet temptation.
Free electricity (illegal connections to MERALCO). Free water (tapping on to open yet hidden NAWASA pipelines). Free cable tv connections (splitters) and so on.
3. Squatters’ main reason for squatting is poverty. Which i think is not really the reason but just plain ignorance of the lure of the city life.
A number of squatters who are now living in Metro Manila comes from different provinces scattered all over the Philippines. They think they have a greater chance of alleviating their “farming” lives if they go to the city and work in factories or as househelps. And when they do get there, they realized they have to spend for house rent, food and everyday transpo while the families they left behind expect a regular “padalang pera”. Yet many landed without jobs and opted out for washing cars and worst by begging in the streets or selling meat.
4. Squatters go back to where they used to squat even if the government had already provided for them a new place to start new lives.
My brother used to work for DSWD and no matter how they provide for these people in the streets a new environment, they always come back to the streets and the chasing begins anew.
Some of my neighbors before in Kalookan who were transfered to Bagong Silang still comes back to where we used to stay. Reason: place of opportunity to earn a living.
I have other things more to say but i am afraid my post is already getting tiresome to read.
My analysis on this is not merely providing the poor a decent or sustainable shelter (whatever that means, probably just a fad really).
But proper education.
No matter how poor a child is, if we arm him with good education, he’ll be ready and smart enough to decide for better things in his adult life.
Education will land him a good job.
A good job will land him a good way of life.
A good way of life will land him a good shelter.
And before that, there goes we architects, making sure he definitely lands on a good shelter.
My proposal:
instead of making housing projects for occupants who really wouldn’t give a damn for what we strive for for them, why not build more schools backed up by a higher standard of learning?
More schools. Proper schools.
More seats. Proper seats.
More textbooks. Proper textbooks.
More teachers. Proper teachers
More on the quality of education and not more number of school years!
The earthen classrooms is a good start.
See links below for this marvelous endeavor:
1. earthen classrooms
2. earthen buildings
mabalos!
biernes_atrece
objectivist
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