Puso ng Lungsod

The film Puso ng Lungsod by Ilang-Ilang Quijano was actually a

documentary about the life and struggles of the urban poor settlers in Manila. It
shows testimonies and actual footages of resistance and mobilizations of the people
when their precious territory was invaded and threatened to be destroyed. The film
also holds a powerful symbolism in it, it shows how the capitalistic companies and
powerful political figures like the Ayalas can exert power and influence towards
authorities using legal means to achieve their unlawful ends. However, the
resistance of the long time settlers of the North Triangle Community shows the
formidable power of the people when it is collectively organized. They had
successfully defended their territories towards the demolishers for a couple of times
even though they are not of really great number. Seeing your co-Filipinos strive for
survival was not easy, you could always sympathize with them, especially when you
see children who are involved on such hard struggles.
The demolition incident and the homelessness of the poor urban settlers was
a shared fault. We can blame the administration for it because it failed to provide
these settlers with land and with a favorable way of living. On the other hand, we
can put the blame for the settlers themselves because they have inhabited the area
with the knowledge of an illegal occupation. Even though some of them if not all,
knew that their settlement of the area was illegal, they still pursued the idea of
living there; some already build houses which cost 45, 000 pesos which was
relatively a big sum considering the year when it was built while some bribed the
government officials especially the Barangay officials including the tanod just to
acquire permit and rights of the land. On a different point of view, we can put the
large blame on the capitalistic companies or figures that pushed the demolition to
its reality. If they want to use the land for future purposes, they should have fenced
it properly to avoid informal settlers. Because of their failure to do so, the poor
urban people thought and were tempted to live there. And so, it is morally wrong to
demolish the houses and homes of the so called squatters because in the first
place, it is the failure of the companies or owners which urged them to live there.
Because the informal settlers already established something on the area,
we cannot blame them if they act violently to the idea of demolition even though a
relocation program was already promised. They prefer to stay on the area because
at least they have a clearer idea of what their fate must be, rather than
surrendering their land and agree with the relocation which was not a hundred
percent assurance that it will be realized or the government will do what they have
promised, at least on their point of view. So it is clear from this point that the
people/ poor urban settlers have only a little trust on the government and their
promises. According to an interviewed mother, during the time of Cory Aquino, the
land was promised to them but when she had returned from abroad after many
years, her neighbors and colleagues were already fighting for their territory. Another
reason for their continued struggle which was common to those remaining in the

areas of the North Triangle Community was that they wanted land-----------a land
that could be inherited by their children in the near future. What we can deduce
here is that, people tend to work as one when they have a common interest to
protect, and they are willing to do whatever means to protect that interest. This
threat of demolition of their homes by the government was the main root that
intensified the cooperation and courage of the settlers and it was then incorporated
on their daily living as their struggles where embedded on their songs and hymns
during certain occasions.
Another scene of the film that left an imprint on my mind was when a fire
occurred on the area where a threat of demolition was going on. The fire was so
enormous that almost all of the houses of the urban poor masses were burned to
ashes. A citizen on the area was interviewed and he believed that the fire incident
was not an accident at all. He said that it was intentional because for a long time
they have been living there, there were no fire incidents that occurred and it was
only during the time of the demolition threat, the fire happened. What is worse is
that after the fire has burned the area, still most of the now-homeless citizens were
still occupying the area and utilizing some of the wood and equipment that were not
burned. It should be taken care of by the government because the urban poor
settlers on the area were still Filipino citizens despite of their illegal abode in the
area. There were no reported help given by the government so it convinces me that
the fire incident was an intentional one, and is done for the purpose of clearing the
area so that it will be used for private purposes. The settlers were given two
options, either they leave the area with a relocation agreement or they leave the
area with the money given by the government for their new beginning. A clever
citizen reasoned out that if they can assure a relocation site for them, why not
expropriate the area where they are living and make it as the relocation site so that
they would not leave their homes and their land. Indeed! The government has that
power and they should seek for options so that the urban poor communities would
not be leaving their homes which they had built using their own effort and sweat.
The citizens put up a good fight trying to protect their land but after long
term resistance, some of them agreed to the relocation because of hopelessness.
They said that resistance is futile because they do not have the power and the
money to fight for their territory. Testimonies by those who were relocated were also
published in newspapers which somehow enticed some of the citizens who were still
fighting and so, one by one, the force of the urban poor communities who were antidemolition weakened. The others who were still residing in the area were soon
relocated and it was narrated after the end of the film that almost 10, 000
communities were successfully relocated. Even though the government still helped
the informal settlers to be relocated, their fate after the relocation would be unsure
because they will need to seek for new job opportunities which are not an easy job.
It is sad how those who are in power are abusing their power to control and to
subjugate those who are powerless and the minority.