FOR THE LONGEST time, the national government has been dealing with the perennial problem of the proliferation of squatters, spending quite a huge chunk of its budget and yet hardly showing improvements.
The government’s socialized housing could not seem to cope-up with the rapidly growing number of families wanting to have a decent place they could call their own, mainly because of the magnitude of corruption taking place in the national government agencies delving on the matter.
These agencies have become a milking cow of political appointees who probably mistook the government portfolio as reward for their “unconditional support” to whoever gave them what seemed to be “a juicy position.”
As such, dubious groups made use of this predicament to go into something lucrative, to the detriment of the hapless Filipino families who only wanted a safe place where they could live. These are the professional squatter syndicates who are enticing homeless families to become beneficiaries of what they claim as an earnest effort to do what the government failed to do – for less.
Professional squatter syndicates entice homeless families to become beneficiaries of what they claim as an earnest effort to do what the government failed to do – for less.
Compassion and Common Sense
I am no expert in addressing a problem that many scholars have tried, but failed to solve. But from what I have seen in a small lakeshore town in Rizal, addressing the problem of human settlement does not require one to be a genius.
According to a longtime friend, Gerry Calderon, solving the problem only requires two things – human compassion and common sense. By the way, Gerry was Angono, Rizal mayor for 18 years. Her daughter Jerimae has taken over and sustained her dad’s vision for a town that is widely referred to as the Art Capital of the Philippines.
According to Calderon, they too have their share of problems with the proliferation of squatters, and it took years before they got over it.
Calderon said that Angono does not have sufficient resources to buy land and transform it into a socialized housing zone, but they do have in sight a vast tract of idle private lands whose owners they have been talking to for a mutually beneficial tender.
Gerry’s take – mas maigi nang maibenta na lang nila in easy payment term ang lupa nila kesa magising sila isang umaga, pinasok na sila ng mga squatting syndicates. His trick seemed effective.
Angono has warded off illegal squatting syndicates from taking over somebody else’s property. Angono has also addressed the need for a place for local folks who don’t have a place they could call their own. They have also given what many informal settlers usually prefer — in-city relocation.
Safety of Locals
It doesn’t end there though. The local government is not bent on gambling on the safety of their local folks.
To ensure the safety of the houses that families would live in, the LGU is somehow being strict insofar as the structural integrity is concerned. Houses should not be in a place that would qualify as a hazard area.
And most of all, human settlement areas should be accessible to the local government services.
After all, these families are human beings too.
