'Vitas ng Tondo,' dokumentaryo ni Jay Taruc ngayong Sabado sa I-Witness

“VITAS NG TONDO”
Dokumentaryo ni Jay Taruc
July 14, 2018

Though an eyesore for some, it is easily one that shaped the landscape of the whole stretch of port area in Manila.

Vitas Compound, as the community is commonly known, is actually a temporary housing for the old Smokey Mountain residents. In 1995, families were relocated here to give way to the construction of a permanent housing for the informal settlers.

More than 30 buildings were provided for the families that will last up to five years. The buildings were to be demolished supposedly in 2000.

But lo and behold, after 18 years, the compound is still standing and flourishing, in terms of population.

The total number of residents, pegged at almost five thousand, now comprise of extended families, very distant relatives, friends of the original “awardees.” They are living in buildings that are already condemned.

Some old timers, like Lola Marcelina, has created a family here in Vitas. Together with her 28 grandchildren, they squeezed themselves in cramped spaces inside one of the 34 buildings.

Not far are Nanay Nonita and her husband who think residing in a dislocated structure is better than living in the streets.

Most of them earn their living inside Vitas by collecting and segregating garbage. The compound is like a miniature dumpsite. But this is where they survive and feed their families.

But a demolition order has been issued recently. Any time soon, residents of Vitas will be forced to evacuate their homes to give way to the government’s more lucrative projects.

Watch I-Witness this Saturday as the threat of displacement looms in the horizon for the Vitas residents.

FILIPINO

Magulo man kung tignan, pero isa ang Vitas Temporary Housing sa humuhulma sa kahabaan ng port area sa Maynila.

Ang Vitas Temporary Housing ay itinayo para sa mga residente ng Smokey Mountain noong 1995 para bigyang daan ang pagtatayo ng permanent housing para sa mga residente nito sa mismong kinalalagyan ng Smokey Mountain.

Higit 30 gusali ang itinayo sa temporary housing upang magsilbing pansamantalang tahanan ng bawat pamilyang na-relocate, na dapat ay taong 2000 pa na-demolish.

Ngunit paglipas ng 18 taon, nakatayo pa rin ang nasabing istraktura.  Ang humigit kumulang na 5,000 pamilya na naninirahan ngayon sa mga sira-sirang gusaling ito  ay binubio ng mga  extended families, malayong kamag-anak at miski kaibigan ng mga nasabing orihinal na awardees ng  pabahay na ito.

Si Lola Marcelina, dito na binuo ang kanyang pamilya kasama ang kanyang 28 apo , na nagsisiksikan sa maliliit na kwarto sa isa sa mga gusali sa temporary housing.

Sa ‘di-kalayuan naman ay naninirahan si Nonita at ang kanyang asawa na ayon sa kanila, mas maigi nang manirahan sa isang maliit at sira-sirang bahay kaysa manatili sa kalsada.

Karamihan sa kanila, pagbabasura at mangangalakal ang hanap-buhay. Ika nga nila, parang naging pangalawang Smokey Mountain ang Vitas.

Ngunit naglabas na ng demolition order ang NHA kamakailan, at kahit anong oras, ay maaari nang paalisin ang mga residente sa kanilang tirahana upang magbigay daan sa iba pang proyekto ng gobyerno.

Ngayong Sabado sa I-Witness, samahan niyo kaming alamin at pakinggan ang pangamba ng mga residente sa nalalapit na demolisyon ng Vitas Temporary Housing.