FROM INFORMAL SETTLERS –

PATHWAYS TO REFORM
THE PROBLEM
 HOUSES AND MONEY,

not people– the failure of

government’s housing
program for informal settlers
PAST GOVERNMENT HOUSING PROGRAMS FOR
THE POOR FOCUSED ON THE :

• relocation of informal settlers

• construction of new houses for the fortunate

few

• subsidized lending
However, the government is struggling to
effectively disburse this money.
 CHANGES; CMP
The Community Mortgage Program (CMP), which have
incorporated basic infrastructure improvements along with tenure
regularization both have only involved a few projects.

The primary objective of

the CMP program is to
assist residents of
blighted areas to own
the lots they occupy, or
where they choose to
relocate to and
eventually improve their
neighborhood and
homes to the extent of
their affordability.
 CHANGES; SHFC
Social Housing Finance
Corporation (SHFC)
has recently introduced its high density housing– multi-storey buildings– loans
program to provide in-city, near city or near site housing for relocated informal
settlers in the NCR. Highly concessional terms have been adopted to make
loan entitlements affordable for a package of up to Php450,00 per family.
funded Development of the
Urban Poor Communities
Project

but a component involving

local government borrowing
failed

more than a third of the ADB

loan was cancelled after the
Development Bank of the
Philippines
“Given the resources available, and with the right direction
and prioritization, it will be possible to make a difference.”

The future program must be built on lessons learned from

the past interventions, and focus accordingly on
communities and put people in the driving seat– let the
decide their own futures.
• But first, both national and local governments
need to:
– Accept informal settlers as essential participants
in the urban economy, and members of society
undertaking jobs and providing services that many
others are unwilling to do.
– Provide conditions that enable the private sector to
create more productive jobs and better earning
opportunities than currently exist for the under and
unemployed.
– Move away from policies that encourage
dependency.