Residents of Mayhaligue Street in Tondo, Manila successfully defended their community against an attempted demolition of their homes on May 26, 2025.
Because of the residents barricading all entry points to their community, they were able to thwart the deployed demolition team, police, and firefighters from forcibly evicting them from their homes.
On the same day, after hours of guarding their barricades and a series of violent dispersals, the Manila Regional Trial Court also issued a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the demolition for 20 days.
Teacher Lina (Angelina Consulta) was one of those fighting to prevent the attempted demolition in Mayhaligue Street. Angelina Consulta has been a resident of Mayhaligue Street since 1957, the year she was born.
“Our house, as you can see, has been standing since 1936,” Teacher Lina says as she points to a wood carving on an arch inside her house.
The ancestors of the residents of Mayhaligue Street had been living there for as far back as 100 years, as Teacher Lina proclaims. She told the story of how the owner of the land they’re living in, a certain “Dona Victoria” had given permission to their forebears to live in Mayhaligue, if the residents paid a justifiable fee, which they did.
QUESTIONABLE DEMOLITION ORDER
A certain 2288 Ethan Realty Corporation (ERC) was responsible for the demolition being ordered as the said real estate company claims they have bought the plot of land where the residents live.
Residents suspect that expensive high-rise condo units would replace their decades-old homes, as the areas surrounding Mayhaligue Street also have newly developed condos.
HOUSING RIGHTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The urban poor group KADAMAY describes the state of housing rights in the Philippines as marked by widespread neglect, systemic disqualification, and failure of government agencies to provide adequate shelter for the poor.
Eufemia “Ka Mimi” Doringo of KADAMAY, visited Mayhaligue after the failed demolition to show her solidarity with the residents. “This unity of the residents shows that they want to fight not only for their homes that will be destroyed but also for the livelihood and security of the entire family and the residents there,” Doringo said.
“Our government shows no love or care. We do not feel that kind of concern from our government. We can only rely on the collective action of every resident in any community facing the threat of demolition,” Ka Mimi added.
The threat of demolition against the hundreds of families living in Mayhaligue Street remains. As far as we are from Manila, we can still help them by:
Learn more about the history and struggles of our urban poor kababayans, not only in Mayhaligue Street, but across the Philippines.
Donate – Help fund KADAMAY to maximize their efforts in helping the various urban poor communities in the country who are facing demolition, and also to craft projects to help marginalized families get back on their feet.
Make noise – The urban poor crisis is a global issue. The more people talk about it, the better chances we can give others to be noticed by governments and civic groups.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMXypaESLue/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link