House of Oppression: Students Fight for Independence Ends with Injustice
Metro Manila, Philippines
By Michelle Favis, a 2001-2002 U.S. Fullbright Researcher in Human Rights, based in the Philippines
Last March, a group of twelve students with disabilities, all residents of a housing facility called Bahay Biyaya (House of Blessings), organized to fight for their independence. Their act of resistance raised disability rights awareness among several community leaders - but also triggered a whirlwind of events that alarmed and incensed the administration of Bahay Biyaya. The residents' actions have paved the way for further investigations into the living conditions that students with disabilities endure.
Life at Bahay Biyaya
Bahay Biyaya residents have long expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the staff manage the affairs of the facility. Renato, a college student majoring in political science, states that the staff "run the institution contrary to the principles of integrating the students" in society. Every day the residents at Bahay Biyaya wake up to face violations of their right to be self-determined individuals. They are subjected to behavioral restrictions ranging from prohibitions on romantic relationships to being forbidden to freely leave the facility. They are also expected to follow schedules set by the staff and administration, such as attending mass every Sunday and praying every evening. Although Sundays are given as a free day to students, they cannot leave the facility without being thoroughly questioned on their planned whereabouts. These interrogations by the staff, but mainly by Bahay Biyaya's Head Matron Sister Antoinette, cause the residents to feel like "children," - as several of them put it - and this treatment occurs despite the fact that these residents are adults pursuing their studies in colleges or universities in Metro Manila, Philippines. None of the residents have any disabilities that could impair their ability to make their own decisions.
Sister Antoinette, responsible for overseeing the conditions and the activities of the facility, stated in an interview that the students should "avoid going anywhere else aside from the school and the house." She justified such controlling rules by stating, "it is not safe for a handicapped person to be roaming the streets at night" - a statement that apparently disregards the residents' freedom and ability to make their own decisions concerning their safety and well-being. If they express their opinions, violate rules, or are even suspected of disobeying one of the rules, the residents face grave consequences - the worst being expulsion from the house. As a result, residents have resorted to keeping their feelings and thoughts hidden. Their natural reaction has been to obey the rules and demands of the head matron to avoid any potential conflicts and problems.
When asked about her feelings concerning living at the hostel, a resident named Carla said blankly, "I feel like a robot." She also expressed her frustration with not being able to decide important matters pertaining to her life, and described that Sister Antoinette always makes her feel "as if I am doing something wrong." Other residents have expressed similar concerns.
Uniting Under Pressure
One resident named Olive, saw clear signs that she would be one of many residents forced to leave Bahay Biyaya. Sister Antoinette scolded her for not attending a Saturday afternoon event at Tahanang Walang Hagdanan (House With No Steps)*, and threatened to inform the directors of Bahay Biyaya of Olive's supposed misconduct. To avoid losing her college education and accessible housing, Olive did what others who have been in her position were afraid to do - she took legal action by filing a complaint against the head matron in the Barangay Court, the lowest court level in the Philippines. After doing so, she asked her fellow residents to support her claim. And for the first time ever, the residents of Bahay Biyaya decided to unite and speak out against the mistreatment they have been subjected to by Sister Antoinette. Former Bahay Biyaya's Student Council President, Elena Agacoscos says, "I'm so proud of what happened, of course, because there's a need to unite. [And] it happened!" Elena also discusses the "pressure between boys and girls," which has blocked residents from uniting: male and female residents are not given the opportunity to talk or discuss matters with each other, and they are typically reprimanded if seen together. Residents have had to find ways to cut across these barriers in order to make effective decisions as a collective.
Grievances cited
In March 2002, a Barangay hearing was held, with local community leaders, Bahay Biyaya staff, representatives of the Board of Directors, and all twelve residents present. Each resident recounted harsh experiences with Sister Antoinette and the staff. Their grievances varied from being told what to do at every time of the day to not being able to be their real selves. They also described being verbally humiliated on certain occasions by Sister Antoinette. Many of the residents spoke of the unfairness of the facility's prohibition on the use of cell phones, the requirement that they attend church, and the staff's habit of insulting and treating them like children.
The issues and complaints raised by the residents were not taken seriously by any of the Board of Directors of Tahanang Walang Hagdanan. The Board, which deals with problems occurring in Bahay Biyaya, dismissed the residents' grievances. One director described the residents as "over-reacting", "sensitive", and recommended that they be more "patient." In contrast, the Barangay officials, who are members of the local community and have no ties to Tahanang Walang Hagdanan or Bahay Biyaya, were shocked - this was the first time these officials heard about the conditions of the facility. "The meeting made [the officials] realize that the life in Bahay Biyaya is not good. Before they thought that we're lucky that we stay there," states Elena. In fact, the Barangay officials recommended that five more hearings be scheduled in order to settle the dispute between the residents and Sister Antoinette. These hearings were expected to occur in June, when students would return from a three-month break from school. A representative of the Board of Directors, Carmen Reyes-Zubiaga, also signed an agreement with the Bahay Biyaya residents, stating that no student would be expelled from the institution during the school break.
After the hearing
Unfortunately, new and returning students arrived at Bahay Biyaya the second week of June 2002 to face more obstacles. Promises and plans established at the first Barangay hearing were broken. Four students were expelled, including Olive. Not one of the five additional Barangay hearings recommended by the Barangay Officials was held. And the situation of the current residents at Bahay Biyaya has worsened. Residents report that Bahay Biyaya's staff has reached the point of permanently posting rules and schedules on a black chalkboard for each resident to see every day. Elena also notes that she was reprimanded after simply going to a nearby store to buy some food. "I didn't even have class that day!" she exclaims.
In addition, the sudden disunity among the residents has altered the energy of the residents. Because one member of the board of directors threatened to revoke the residents' scholarships and other 'privileges' after the first and only Barangay hearing, four residents withdrew their support for the complaint against the head matron. This loss of support has left the rest of the residents unwilling to continue the fight for their independence and for better living conditions at the institution.
The struggle continues
Although Bahay Biyaya can house as many as thirty residents, only thirteen to fifteen students have signed on to live in the institution the past two years, including the 2002 school term. The low number of residents can be attributed to frequent expulsions, as well as the refusal of many college students with disabilities to even enter the institution. Disability rights advocates in the Philippines believe that Bahay Biyaya's reputation of being run like a prison will inevitably lead to the closure of the facility. "How can Bahay Biyaya exist without the students?" wonders one advocate.
Recently, many college students with disabilities in Manila have sought alternatives to living in Bahay Biyaya. These students have chosen to seek accessible housing and financial assistance outside of the facility in order to attain an independent lifestyle. If these individuals with disabilities can do it, so can others who desperately want their independence. However, as the mistreatment of residents in Bahay Biyaya persists, the struggle for the independent living of Filipinos with disabilities will continue.
|
