Urban poor hold Panunuluyan procession in support of Robredo
MANILA, Philippines — Some 2,000 members of the urban poor gathered outside the Office of the Vice President and march along E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue in Quezon City in support of the presidential campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo for their annual Panuluyan on Wednesday.
According to nonprofit Urban Poor Associates, the group carried with it a five-foot Pink Parol that they said symbolizes the star of Bethlehem from the nativity story of the Gospel where the star inspires wise men or the three kings to travel to Jerusalem.
The procession ended at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, where a mass was officiated by the running priest, Fr. Robert Reyes.
"This Panunuluyan will symbolize people’s voice that we can make change happen through unity and participation in the May 2022 election,” urban poor leader Jeorgie Tenolete, President Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco, said in a statement sent to media.
"The urban poor were hit the hardest by the pandemic, not just by the virus itself but by the underlying results of the lockdown, which brought about losses of income and jobs, health, education insecurity, and vulnerability to human rights abuses. Filipinos were asked to stay home, but the government continued to evict poor families while in lockdown."
Ang Panunuluyan ng mga Maralita is an annual program carried out by the Urban Poor Action Committee before Christmas as a re-enactment of the search of Mary and Joseph for shelter where the Child Jesus might be born, carrying the message of the people's own aspirations for decent housing, basic services, justice, and human rights.
In a tweet report by ABS-CBN News, Reyes in his homily said he believes the entire Catholic Church should support Robredo's presidential bid.
"Among all the presidentiables, Leni Robredo is the only moral choice," he said as he urged the Bishops and the Cardinals to support Robredo.
"This Christmas, some poor people have no roofs over their heads, so we continue to advocate for it because we know that housing rights are human rights," Reyes said in his sermon.
READ: How community-led projects kept the urban poor afloat amid COVID-19
"While people are not yet given a decent home, an important right has not been satisfied. Especially in the times of climate change, people need a place to live, just like now that we are in the pandemic, people need homes," Reyes also said.
Reyes, a vocal activist in the Church, also applauded the urban poor for their "bravery in making their Panunuluyan a symbol of hope for change."
"I encourage everyone to work with the right candidate to restore politics into its healthy state...We need people who can finally convince us that there is reason to be happy because there is a reason for hope," he said.
Survey results released by the Social Weather Stations in late November found that 45% of Filipino families rated themselves as poor, while 34% rated themselves as borderline poor and 21 percent rated themselves as not poor in the third quarter of 2021.
A separate survey later in December found that the adult joblessness rate in the country is at 24.8 percent of the labor force or an estimated 11.9 million Filipinos.
"COVID-19 or the restrictions will never stop the voices of the poor. This is a reminder to the President that the poor people closely watch and monitor events under his administration," Alice Murphy, executive director of nonprofit Urban Poor Associates said in a statement.
"We are all here to defend human rights and call for decent housing for the poor. We believe we must now speak out on behalf of the many who are suffering in our communities.”
— Franco Luna with a report from The STAR
- Latest
- Trending
