Lawmakers eye on-site, in-city relocation for informal settlers

MANILA, Philippines - Two partylist legislators have sought to give informal settlers in-city or on-site relocation areas instead of transferring them to remote areas in the country.

Akbayan Reps. Ibarra Gutierrez and Walden Bello filed House Bill 3975, or known as On-site, In-City, Near-City Resettlement Act of 2014, to ensure housing beneficiaries of safe drinking water, heating and lighting, sanitation and washing facilities, site drainage and emergency services.

"People's plan is a community development plan, which went through a process of consultation with, and endorsement by the beneficiaries formed by people's organizations, with or without the support of non-government organization," Gutierrez said.

He said the people's plan contains a site development plan and may include, among others, non-physical development such as livelihood, self-help development, and capability building trainings.

Bello meanwhile  said that from 1998 to 2011, the government has only managed to provide resettlement to 235, 214 families, an average of 16,801 families per year.

"The housing backlog will increase because of our growing population and the intensifying migration to urban centers and the government will continue to miss its annual housing targets, a backlog which the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council estimates to rise by more than 195,00 for every year," Bello said.

Under the measure, on-site development shall be implemented after adequate and genuine consultation with the affected informal settler families

Should in-city resettlement be impossible, near-city resettlement sites shall be considered while off-site resettlements shall only be resorted to when directly requested by the affected informal settler families themselves.

Housing beneficiaries shall also be ensured access to employment options, healthcare services, schools, child-care centers and other social facilities.