SQUATTING PROBLEM AND ITS SOCIAL ILLS – A Reaction Paper

Dealing with squatting problems is one of the most challenges facing by any Local
Government that causes socials ills that has a great effect on the economy, in the
environment, peace and order and public health. Occupying a government and private land
without any approval or consent by its owners is a form of squatting and most of these
occupants are coming from the various province that seeks job opportunities or near to their
workplace.

For decades, governments in low-and middle-income countries like the Philippines

have responded to informal settlements with a range of different approaches, denying their
existence, evicting residents, and demolishing settlements in whole or in part. Eviction and
demolition do not address the cultural and material realities that drive them in creation and
expansion of informal settlements.

The lack of opportunity, access to basic services and public utilities are some of the
causes that force these people to migrate and settle near or within the developing
communities and in the highly urbanized cities such as Metro Manila.

I feel sad when people call them squatters, because I also once live in the squatter’s
area and the reason is we cannot afford to buy a decent house nor even pay a rent at that
time. Calling these people as squatters is not appropriate and feels degrading but instead
the most proper address is Informal Settlers for they are really poor.

Professional squatter is that one that benefits most in the squatting activity. They
occupy the vacant land especially the legal easement by constructing a multiple shanty as a
residentials apartment and sometimes occupying not one but two or more makeshift houses
from different locations and making it as a source of income.

Squatting activities has a significant negative impact in the environment. Most of the
informal settlers are living in the danger zone areas such as creeks and rivers that makes
them tributaries of waste in the waterways. Most of the informal settlers have no proper
toilets and septic tank where human waste is being stored but instead it goes directly to the
waterways that causes to pollute the water.

Solid and liquid waste produce by the informal settlers are often thrown in the
waterways instead of doing segregation and disposed properly. It caused clogging of sewers
that leads to flooding and attract various insects and animals such as rats that sometimes
cause sickness such as dengue, leptospirosis, and other diseases.
Squatting activities has a done grate damage in the environment and Metro Manila is
one of the most affected areas. Most of the waterways of Metro manila was being utilized by
the informal settlers even under the bridge that affects the natural flow of water especially
when its rainy season. Not only the shanties but also the waste that being thrown by the
settlers are the cause of flooding and pollution within the rivers and creeks.

How can we address this problem? How can we prevent this from happening in the
future? Do we have the capacity and knowledge to formulate such solution that can solve
the squatting activities that creates a negative impact in the economy?

My answer is a big YES! That where is an Urban Planner, and an Environmental

Planner is needed in all cities or municipalities. The City/Municipal Planning and
Development Coordinator must be the at least equipped with knowledge or have a degree in
environmental management which is vital in planning process.

The political will in solving these issues is also vital, it must start from the barangay
official to the local chief executive of all cities and municipalities. Using the informal settlers
in election as their voter is rampant and unconstitutional. They are also susceptible in vote
buying because of their poor status. This wrongdoing must be stop!

The only way to prevent the squatting activities is to acknowledge first that there is
problem in the political and management system, and it must start first in the barangay
level. There must be a regular updating and monitoring of the Registry of the Barangay
Inhabitants and Migrants. This will help the barangay to identify the migrants and its place
of settlement. Regularly monitoring the open spaces such as vacant private lots and legal
easement to prevent squatting.
 The city building official must conduct regular monitoring of construction activities
that can also help to prevent illegal construction/expansion especially in the legal easement
and waterways.

A City/Municipal Planner should adopt an ethnographic approach and start with the
granular elements of an informal settlement in planning. If there is an existing informal
settler in their area of responsibility.

The increasing numbers of urbanizing cities/municipalities in the Philippines must

considered improving the conditions of marginalized urban populations and aims to address
the unplanned growth, improve infrastructure services and living condition, and enhance
resilience to climate change. Providing a sustainable settlement for the informal settlers
must be consider to achieve a progressive and healthy economy.

Depending on the economic standing of families illegally occupying government and private
lands without the tacit approval of the owners, squatting is a social problem that is also rooted
on distorted moral values. That being so, there emerged two kinds of squatters – the real  and
professional squatters.

The real squatters are those that can be called informal settlers for they are really poor. Thus,
they need government help to be relocated to safer relocation sites.  On the other hand,
professional squatters are those who are gainfully employed but they choose to live as
squatters. Some of them have been illegally occupying government and/or private lands for
over 20 years, and they even brag about it. Thus, three-story air conditioned concrete homes
are now a common site in many squatter communities.

Squatter communities along water tributaries considered danger zones by the government
have been found to be one of the causes of siltation and clogging of critical waterways.
Moreover, poor access of fire trucks to squatter colonies poses great risks to entire
communities as fire fighters are practically  helpless in combating fires in these areas.  It is,
therefore, imperative for concerned government officials to act on this problem seriously and
immediately.

Emboldened by the soft treatment of squatters by the private and public sector, including the
church, which even branded squatter colonies as developing communities, squatting has
become a problem that needs to be addressed comprehensively at its social, economic and
moral aspects.
Addressing this social ill

Solving the problem on squatting is a very tall order. But with determination, commitment
and community involvement, squatting can be prevented, especially in areas considered
danger zones by government authorities.

To do this, full implementation of housing rules and laws is needed among the barangay
officials, utility companies and community members. For instance, local barangays must
undertake a census of squatter communities to identify the residents, their livelihood and
origin, among others. The procedure should be able to identify the real from the professional
squatters.

Second, utility companies, like water and power, should also scrutinize the legitimacy of
applicants for water and power service in squatter communities, including the structural
integrity of their housing units, which must comply with building regulations such as
electrical and sewage plans, among others.

I wonder why utility companies would require land titles as proof of ownership for their
property and a duly approved electrical plan by building officials when legitimate
homeowners apply for their services.  And yet, when squatters apply for power or water
service, a barangay clearance is all that is required of them.  Does this not pose a fire risk to
an entire  community of legitimate homeowners and not only the community of squatters?

Who would be liable if homes of legitimate landowners would be burned because of fires that
started in squatters colonies?  Would local government officials be culpable for reneging on
their responsibility to monitor the community of squatters? This, for all intents and purposes,
is an act of omission on the part of local government officials.

In 2017, for instance, how many of the fires in Metro Manila originated in squatter
communities? A big part of it started in these areas.

Keeping informal settlers off critical waterways is the principal responsibility of barangay
officials. Unfortunately, the problem on squatting has become a political issue. It has become
an issue between political and community interests.

In vote-rich squatter communities, many politicians do not even want to meddle with the
legitimacy issues of squatters. It is about time, therefore, for legitimate property owners like
us to have our voice heard by political and business leaders, if only to send the message that
we also have our rights as legitimate property owners. And that it is the responsibility of
concerned government officials to protect our homes from being conflagrated with fires that
started in squatter colonies. And, most importantly, that it is also the responsibility of
concerned local government officials to protect our legitimately-owned properties from being
illegally occupied by squatters.