The artworks remind us that the poor of San Roque are human beings deserving of dignity.
By GENESIS GAMILONG
Bulatlat.com
Since 2010, the urban poor community in Sitio San Roque, Quezon City has shrunk — both in terms of physical space and in population — due to a series of demolition to pave way for the Quezon City Central Business District Project. Today, the towering condominiums and malls have further dwarfed the shanties, and the residents who continue to assert their right to housing.
The poor of San Roque are not mere disposables to be discarded in the development of the second richest city in Metro Manila. As they continue to face another round of demolition, residents, artists and supporters have launched Sining San Roque initiative as a way to reclaim demolished spaces. The artworks remind us that the poor of San Roque are human beings deserving of dignity.
A mural on the second floor of a demolished house in San Roque
Kids from the community join artists in painting the remaining walls.
A mural inside the community’s center where most of the workshops and gatherings happen.
A man poses with a mural in front of the community’s basketball court
A newly painted mural announcing the barricade against impending demolition.
New murals and art installations pop up every week in the effort to reclaim the previously demolished spaces.
The post Reclaiming San Roque through visual art appeared first on Bulatlat.