P4:2.3 Squatting and Informal Settlements

Torrens System

effectively dispossessing landless peasant farmers and driving them toward urban centers.

Informal Settler Families (ISFs)

individuals or groups residing in structures built on land they do not own or have no legal claim to, often lacking access to basic services like safe water and electricity.

Professional Squatters

individuals or groups who occupy land without the owner's consent despite having sufficient income for legitimate housing, or those who have previously been awarded government housing but sold or transferred it to settle illegally again.

Squatting Syndicates

organized groups of persons engaged in the business of squatter housing for profit or gain.

danger zones

Relocation efforts are often prioritized for families living in "____" such as esteros, riverbanks, railroad tracks, and shorelines. While

benevolent eviction

where safety language is used to mask the displacement of the poor for profit-driven private development or public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Off-city Relocation

These often failed because they stripped families of their livelihoods and provided substandard housing that lacked water, electricity, and basic fixtures. This economic dislocation frequently forced families to return to city slums to find work.

In-city Relocation

To minimize social dislocation, more recent strategies favor Medium-rise Buildings (MRB) near economic centers.

Community Mortgage Program (CMP)

This allows organized Homeowners Associations to borrow collectively to purchase the land they already occupy, providing a path to legal tenure

Core Shelter Assistance Project (CSAP)

A disaster-resilient model where beneficiaries use local materials to build homes tested to withstand 175 km/h winds

The 4PH Program

Launched in 2022, the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino program aims to achieve "zero informal settlers" by building one million housing units annually through 2028, focusing on high-density sustainable developments.

SAPARI

which moved 5,000 families from active railroad tracks to in-city clusters to preserve their access to jobs while ensuring safety.