Well, it's no secret that Joey Lina is called "Squatterman". I remembered writing an article where I said the Philippines might as well thank him if ever the COVID-19 hits the Philippines. I wrote it before the epidemic got worse. Another article I wrote also tackled as to why pro-squatter people are NON-HUMANITARIAN and ANTI-ENVIRONMENT. Now, the Philippines will be beating out China and Indonesia. All the Opposition can do right now is #OustDuterte better yet tagged as #BlameDuterte. I may no longer be a Diehard Duterte Supporter, I would support any platform that Leni Loud Robredo gives to help fight in the epidemic (and competition should keep the government on its toes) but I think the whole blame Duterte rhetoric is getting old. I mean can ousting Duterte guarantee the Philippines will be back to normal? Can letting Leni Loud sit down as president guarantee that we'd have a better Philippines? Sadly, the same problems from previous administrations are carried up to today. Where's the real change? None, because the SYSTEM itself is defective.
Analysis of the "Squatterman" Law or Republic Act (RA) 7279
We need to consider the Lina Law and certain sections that may have allowed squatters to flourish:
(m) "Professional squatters" refers to individuals or groups who occupy lands without the express consent of the landowner and who have sufficient income for legitimate housing. The term shall also apply to persons who have previously been awarded homelots or housing units by the Government but who sold, leased or transferred the same to settle illegally in the same place or in another urban area, and non-bona fide occupants and intruders of lands reserved for socialized housing. The term shall not apply to individuals or groups who simply rent land and housing from professional squatters or squatting syndicates;
Sec. 16. Eligibility Criteria for Socialized Housing Program Beneficiaries. — To qualify for the socialized housing program, a beneficiary:
(a) Must be a Filipino citizen;
(b) Must be an underprivileged and homeless citizen, as defined in Section 3 of this Act;
(c) Must not own any real property whether in the urban or rural areas; and
(d) Must not be a professional squatter or a member of squatting syndicates.
Sec. 23. Participation of Beneficiaries. — The local government units, in coordination with the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and concerned government agencies, shall afford Program beneficiaries or their duly designated representatives an opportunity to be heard and to participate in the decision-making process over matters involving the protection and promotion of their legitimate collective interest which shall include appropriate documentation and feedback mechanisms. They shall also be encouraged to organize themselves and undertake self-help cooperative housing and other livelihood activities. They shall assist the Government in preventing the incursions of professional squatters and members of squatting syndicates into their communities.
The term "professional squatter" is already an oxymoron. I wonder how the Lina Law or Republic Act 7279 EVEN got enacted? So I guess it's okay to squat if you don't qualify as a "professional" squatter but it's no longer okay if you become one? The whole confusion is really there. So I guess it's okay for poor people to squat based on the last sentence of Section 3 - Definition of Terms of RA 7279 huh? It should be very stupid to simply get rid of squatters who occupy lands without the express consent of the landowner.
Also, Section 16 does get fishy for me. Rather than open up the economy so poor people can work and eventually buy their own house (or at least rent a decent house) - they decided to build the socialized housing program. Sounds like socialism? If poor people could get any privileges by qualifying under those rules then wouldn't that be simply getting housing programs from the government? Socialism sounds good on paper until you realize its stupidity is what brought nations bankrupt. China got bankrupt because of Mao Zedong's socialism. Nazism means national SOCIALISM and it didn't make Germany go forward either.
Section 23 soon gives you the whole participation of the beneficiaries. I really find the idea of using beneficiaries to assist the government in fighting off professional squatters and squatting syndicates stupid. The idea itself is really an opportunity to exploit squatters who are not part of squatting syndicates into becoming an army for government officials. I wonder did Lina decide to make the law so he can have squatters to exploit? I really am getting suspicious about the motives behind why the beneficiaries are given that much benefit for being homeless than giving them jobs? I guess that's why protectionism has been set in stone for that diabolical reason.
It doesn't take a degree in biology or even medicine to understand how squatters can escalate COVID-19
COVID-19 is a disease that requires SOCIAL DISTANCING, GOOD DISCIPLINE, and PROPER HYGIENE? If former Taiwanese vice president Chen Chien Jen were to go to certain areas of the Philippines then he's probably going to berate Leni Loud. Chen himself is an epidemiologist. Leni Loud herself should take notes and APPLY THEM if ever she should meet Chen from Taiwan. Yet, Leni Loud herself still has the gall to say that pasaways are not to blame. I think Chen himself would probably facepalm or even facedesk if Leni Loud ever told him that! Such a statement would contradict Chen's statement that social discipline and good behavior are needed to help defeat COVID-19. The Philippines is way behind because of those factors. Squatters are NOT known to have any of those recommendations by Chen. How can they practice social distancing when their homes are TOO CLOSE to each other?
A recent report from ABiaS-CBN written in Tagalog mentions how getting COVID-19 can be worse at home than outside. Before you react PLEASE READ the article. This is one thing you may want to really consider:
'Yung virus mas tumatagal sa air 'pag nasa enclosed area ka na wala masyadong ventilation. That's one. Number 2, even with mild symptoms puwedeng ma-transmit. You isolate yourself sa home pero walang separate na kuwarto sa bahay, sabay pa kumain at nasa sala. You're not practicing the 6 feet distance from each other, that's really a problem," ani Solante.
(The virus stays longer in the air when it's in an enclosed area without much ventilation. That's one. Number 2, even with mild symptoms, it could be transmitted. You should isolate yourself at home but there's no separate room in the house. They are all eating together in the sala. They are not practicing the 6 feet distance from each other. That's really a problem." said Solante.
"The newly-diagnosed cases are really from that community because of poor ventilation at dikit-dikit ang mga bahay," dagdag niya.
(The newly-diagnosed cases are really from that community because of poor ventilation and their houses are too close to each other." he added.)
Just think squatter areas don't have any real social distancing plus how is hygiene there? I remembered entering a squatter's area in college and mind you - their hygiene is something I don't want to elaborate on. How can they drink the water from the same source where they dump all kinds of waste? Not to mention, cleanliness is hardly a focus. Squatter areas are a breeding place for ALL SORTS OF GERMS.
Want to know what's also contributing to the increase in COVID-19 aside from the pasaways? Consider the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) is also another cause of COVID-19's exponential rise in the Philippines. A lot of those lining up for SAP or 4Ps are from SQUATTER AREAS. 4Ps is a good program? There are SOME 4Ps success stories but a lot of beneficiaries tend to waste it. 4Ps has become only good on paper but not in reality. Also, members of Kadamay are also complaining that their SAP isn't good enough. Consider it also that Mayor Gatchalian of VALENZUELA even caught some people using their SAPs for cockfighting. Any 4Ps success stories usually just involve finishing college but what about jobs? Did 4Ps really produce jobs? Most of the time, the beneficiaries are just waiting for a shower of gold coins. Many of these areas receiving handouts are already vice cities in their own way. They may not be as glamorous as Las Vegas or Chicago (insert Frank Sinatra song "Chicago") but you can imagine how these areas heavily relying on handouts have REALLY BAD peace and order.
When people are lining up for their SAP how can they maintain social distancing? I'm still reminded of how Rigoberto Tiglao said about how ABiaS-CBN and communists helped increase COVID-19 infections. The question Tiglao asked about rallyists is really applicable to the SAP beneficiaries. Do you think that the beneficiaries of SAP didn't take down their masks because of the EXTREME HEAT of the sun. Those places where SAP is released is NOT AIRCONDITIONED. But even if they were but prolonged wearing of masks will cut off oxygen and breathing becomes difficult. I wonder did Tiglao even consider the squatters? Also, I think a lot of people who joined the rallies are also from squatter areas. Squatters are VERY easy to recruit to participate in any rally because they have become overly dependent on handouts from others. If their SAP runs out then they would certainly want to participate in rallies. A lack of good hygiene and discipline would certainly help increase the spread of COVID-19 during the rallies. A lot of them may have been asymptomatic which means they have it but they don't know they have it. Worse, their lack of hygiene may have built certain antibodies that slowed down the COVID-19 in their systems.
Then again why all the squatting? It's because development in the Philippines isn't so easily spread. I guess that's why Lina is so against decentralization or federalism. While federalism is certainly NOT for every country but it could be beneficial in archipelagos. A lot of economic activities are very limited and housing is very few. So some people end up going to Imperial Manila to get better jobs. However, lacking space would mean they start becoming squatters as a result. All these would have led to really dooming the Philippines into a COVID-19 hotspot.
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