Inside the 493 hectares of UP Diliman are some 18 communities, mainly composed of generations of former and current UP employees and their families, and the urban poor.

As the selection of the next UP president approaches, the Kariton ng Maralita, a group dedicated to defending the rights of the urban poor, shared the demands of those living in the university–decent housing, livelihood, and security.

One of the main problems facing the urban poor is the demolition of their houses as the communities are considered illegal settlers in UP lands. Houses in the communities are being torn down as they are being reclaimed by the university.

Ella Cruz, one of the convenors of Kariton ng Maralita, shared that the presence of the UP president was not always felt by the communities. “Maraming galit dahil hindi nararamdaman [ng UP communities] ang presensya ng UP president, at dahil hindi pinapakinggan ang kanilang mga adhikain,” she said.

During the fire in Village A in May, Cruz said that while the group was thankful for all the help and assistance extended by the other members of the UP community, the UP System administration headed by UP President Danilo Concepcion lagged behind in their actions.

The UP administration has given no assurance regarding a relocation site for the affected residents, especially for those who were renting in the area. Over six months after the fire, some of the affected residents are still staying in the Pook Amorsolo basketball court, Village A basketball court, and Sampaguita Residence Hall.

“Nananawagan kami para sa agarang aksyon ng UP president at matulungan ang mga tao na mabigyan ng sarili nilang bahay sa loob ng UP Diliman,” Cruz said.

Aside from the delayed response of the UP administration toward the affected residents, those living in Pook Malinis and Pook Arboretum have also experienced the demolition of their houses to make way for infrastructure projects. In Pook Arboretum, houses are being torn down in preparation for the construction of the UP Philippine General Hospital Diliman.

Instead of focusing on displacing the residents of Pook Malinis, community leader Amalia Alcantra called on the UP administration to assist them in their pursuit for stable work and livelihood. 

“Gusto namin ng marangal na trabaho,” she said. Many in Pook Malinis are not regular workers and some are employed as construction workers who are paid by the day. Other members of the community are “nagkakariton,” pushing their wooden carts around every day to collect scrap metal they can sell.

Alcantara called for the university’s assistance in giving workers regular jobs to allow them to provide better for their families. During the pandemic, she noted that it was the students who set-up donation drives and tried their best to help the communities. In contrast, there was a lack of support from the UP administration when they attempted to continue demolition efforts back in June 2021.

In their calls for livelihood, Alcantara also encouraged UP to protect the livelihood of farmers in Pook Aguinaldo who are being prohibited from farming on the lands. Last September 8, 2021, the farmers were given a cease-and-desist order from the Diliman Legal Office, ordering them to “harvest their crops and vacate the lands within 60 days.”

The farmers and their predecessors have been occupying the lands during the Spanish occupation, long before the existence of the university. The area is now owned by the university and has resulted in a long-lasting land dispute.

According to Republic Act 9500, also known as the UP Charter, UP lands shall solely be used for academic purposes. The university also has absolute ownership over such landholdings, including those covered by original and transfer certificates of title. 

“Sana ibigay na ng unibersidad ang mga lupang ito sa mga magsasakang pilit na inaalisan ng pagtataniman,” Alcantara said.

Aside from their calls for housing and livelihood, Cruz also called for the tightening of security measures in and around the campus. In the UP communities, she explained, many residents are red-tagged and sent death threats every day.

As a community leader, Alcantara shared that she regularly receives death threats sent through her Messenger account. In Pook Malinis, police surveillance has also become more prominent as officers allegedly surveyed the area and asked for details on the certain members of the community.

“Ang hinahangad namin [sa UP president] ay hindi payagan ang makapasok ang militar at kapulisan sa community,” said Alcantara.

The Department of National Defense terminated its 31-year-old agreement with the university due to allegations of recruitment of communist groups inside the campuses. The termination of the UP-DND accord effectively allowed the military to enter UP campuses without prior notice to university officials.

Since its termination, UP students have been harassed and red-tagged. In May 2022, two student leaders were threatened and were asked to turn themselves in to local authorities. In September, student Kara Taggaoa was arrested over a mobilization organized against the passing of the Anti-Terror Law in 2020.

“Hindi dapat ihiwalay [ng UP] ang community dahil andun sila sa loob ng UP,” Alcantara said. “Dapat pahalagahan ng susunod na presidente ang community at subukan na lalo pang  matulungan ang community.” ●