After the liberation of Manila, hundreds of indigent families settled in the squalid, crammed space of the bombed ruins of an old government building on Juan Luna. For more than a decade these “squatters” tenaciously refused to move out in spite of court rulings. The “Casbah,” as the compound was popularly known, became a breeding place for vice and corruption. The city government was able to evict the “squatters” only on December 20, 1958 – five days before Christmas.

Girl: Is there a fire?Boy: ( Stops playing and faces her.) Huh?Girl: I said, is there a fire?Boy: There is no fire. (Continues to play.)

Girl: (Looks toward the street. After a pause.)

I think there is a fire.Boy: (Stops playing.) I told you there’s none.Girl: There is.Boy: How do you know? Do you see any

smoke? Do you hear any firemen? (Resumes his play. Runs around imitating a fire

engine.) E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E! I like it when there’s a big fire!

Girl: (Worried.) If there is no fire, why are they putting these things out? (Points to a pile of household belongings nearby.)

Boy: Because we’re being thrown out.Girl: Who told you?Boy: My mother.Girl: Who is throwing us out?Boy: (Sits on the other end of the stone wall.) The

government.Girl: What is a “government”?Boy: I don’t know.Girl: You didn’t ask your mother?Boy: I forgot to ask her.Girl: Why should the government throw

us out?Boy: (Points to the compound.) Because

it owns this.Girl: (Enraged.) But this is ours!