Mayor warns bogus urban poor members

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan warned residents taking advantage of urban poor associations to advance their unscrupulous interests of their liability to the law.

The mayor issued the warning as he presided over the awarding of the certificate of accreditation to an urban poor association in the city, the Everlasting Pinegold Community Association Inc. last week.

He admonished that those merely posing as indigents to qualify as members of the urban poor associations will be found out in time and will be charged in court.

He also reminded them that membership to the urban poor groups “is not a license for you to squat” or occupy lots illegally. 

The mayor met with Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) chair Hernani Panganiban last week and agreed to forge closer working ties in addressing the city government’s concerns on urban poor.

Domogan said Panganiban expressed reception to his suggestion to closely coordinate with the city government actions on matters affecting the city’s anti-squatting campaign.

This is to avoid a repeat of the Benguet-Ifugao-Bontoc-Apayao-Kalinga (BIBAK) lot incident where the PCUP interceded for the supposed urban poor to be affected by the city’s demolition plans and which turned out to be a sham as the PCUP later found out that the occupants of the structures were not genuine members of the urban poor.

“PCUP’s tendency was to ask for deferment of the implementation of demolition orders so I suggested to Commissioner Panganiban that instead of issuing the letters, he can just give me call to verify the real situation to avoid wasting time and resources and fortunately he agreed,” the mayor said.

He said Panganiban also acquiesced to his request for a Baguio City representation in the PCUP which is a welcome move as the presence of a city representative in the commission will facilitate coordination between the local government and the commission.

Panganiban, according to the mayor, made it clear that the commission’s mission is not solely to cater to the needs of the urban poor but also to serve the good intentions of the government.

He also clarified that their requests for deferment of demolition orders were mere appeals and should not be treated as orders to the city government.