Threat of eviction and forced demolition hangs over poor families in Philippine capital Manila – a familiar story
- Thousands of people in San Roque, a neighbourhood in Metro Manila, face an unenviable choice: accept relocation or compensation for demolition of their homes
- The ‘Save San Roque’ campaign opposes the plan, fighting for the people and encouraging them to resist in the best way possible – by owning their own homes
It is hot, but that doesn’t stop inhabitants going about their business in the streets and alleys of Sitio San Roque, a poor but bustling neighbourhood in Quezon City, part of Metro Manila, the greater capital region of the Philippines.
San Roque’s main thoroughfare is especially full during late afternoon, when most of the residents do their shopping. At one end of the main road is a wet market where they can buy fresh food, and side streets are peppered with stalls that sell everything from bread to children’s toys.
The residents are just as diverse. The area is home to around 6,500 families, most of whom hail from the provinces. They came to Manila in search of better opportunities, and settled in San Roque. Many work in the informal labour sector or shadow economy, with occupations ranging from vendors and jeepney drivers to construction workers.
Aside from its people, the neighbourhood is home to countless dogs and cats. The place takes its name from Saint Roch (San Roque in Spanish), the patron saint of dogs and dog lovers.
Despite its outward normality, a threat hangs over San Roque – one of eviction and forced demolition.
The government wants to clear the district for redevelopment as part of the 250 hectare (one square mile) Quezon City Central Business District, a proposal approved by the country’s then-president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in 2009.