PHOTOS: Urban poor turn Lenten rites into call for housing justice in the Philippines

More than 200 urban poor leaders and residents, joined by church and civil society groups, gathered on March 31, 2026, at the fire-ravaged NIA Road settlement in Quezon City to mark a Lenten Way of the Cross that doubled as a protest action. 

Organized by the Urban Poor Action Committee (UPAC), “Kalbaryo 2026” (Calvary 2026) transformed a traditional religious observance into a public call for housing justice, days after a massive fire reduced homes to ashes.

Set at “Ground Zero,” participants carried crosses symbolizing the burdens of joblessness, rising fuel prices, escalating living costs, and the constant threat of eviction. 

The mobilization centered on demands for “total condonation” of housing loans for relocated families and for humane, in-city housing solutions anchored on dignity and security of tenure.

During the Mass led by Bishop Elias Ayuban of Cubao, community leaders presented a “People’s Plan” and the “NIA Development Plan,” outlining a grassroots vision for sustainable housing within the city.

Speakers stressed that recovery must go beyond relief, calling for concrete policies that address displacement and the lack of basic services.

The action underscored housing as a fundamental human right and pressed for a more responsive and accountable government.

All photos by Jire Carreon