SENTRO NG ALTERNATIBONG LINGAP PANLEGAL

G/F Cardinal Hoffner Training Center, Social Development Complex

Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights 1108, Quezon City, Philippines
Telephone: (+632) 426-6124 / 426-6001 ext. 4858 to 4860
Email: saligan@saligan.org Website: www.saligan.org

Briefer on the Child Rights-Centered Assessment Report

of Off-City Relocation Mechanism of Informal Settler Families

In 2013, the government commenced to undertake the resettlement of 104,219 Informal

Settler Families (ISFs) situated along the 8 rivers of Metro Manila considered as danger zones
into decent housing sites. Allocating 50 Billion Pesos, the voluntary relocation program, dubbed
as Oplan LIKAS, aimed to transfer families to resettlement sites with proper housing units,
complete with basic services such as water and electricity, and near industrial zones to ensure
employment opportunities. To mitigate the consequences of displacement, the policy inclination
of the program is to resettle the affected communities off-city only when on-site and in-city
relocations are not possible.
This Report endeavours to assess the housing and relocation framework espoused in
the Oplan LIKAS program, specifically off-city relocation, primarily using the child rights
perspective. It is part of a project entitled Strengthening Civil Society and Child Rights in Local
Policy and Governance. Specifically, the study examined local relocation, disaster risk
reduction, and related laws policies and plans using a tool developed based on the (1) United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and relevant General Comments, (2) Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, (3) Disaster Risk Reduction Act of 2010, (4)
Climate Change Adaptation Act of 2009, (5) National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 20112028, (6) National Urban Development and Housing Framework 2009-2016, (7) Urban
Development and Housing Act of 1992, (8) Children in Emergency Relief and Protection Act,
and (9) Relevant Tools for Gender Mainstreaming in Policies. Though limited in scope, this
report can serve as the basis for policy proposals to create or strengthen a resettlement
program responsive to childrens rights.
Being a multi-agency program conceptualized and crafted at the national level, the first
part of the analysis focused on the mandates of the different housing agencies involved in the
Oplan LIKAS and the mechanisms established by relevant issuances. Although limited to desk
research, a consultation session with representatives from the key housing agencies and civil
society organizations was conducted to clarify certain points. With regard the national policies
on housing and resettlement, this Report finds that (1) Childrens right to participate in the
process were not given due regard and attention, (2) Policy guidelines were too broad involving
too many agencies, (3) Significant matters for implementation were belatedly crafted and issued
while the program progressed, resulting to policy of incremental development, and (4)
Absence of monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

The second part of the analysis involved in-depth case studies of local policies which
impact on housing and childrens rights of off-city resettlement sites of Hugo Perez, Trece
Martirez in Cavite and St. Martha, Bocaue in Bulacan, and transient communities of Navotas
City and Malabon City. After the initial study, consultation sessions with children, local
government officials and representatives from civil society organizations were conducted. The
sessions also yielded specific recommendations and action plans.
In the resettlement sites of Bulacan and Cavite, the two areas have common results,
such as (1) The children were not involved in the relocation process; (2) Slow integration of the
resettled ISFs in the new communities; (3) Basic services were made available only months or
even a year after the families have relocated; and (4) Lack of employment opportunities. In the
transient sites of Malabon City and Navotas, the common results are: (1) Lack of genuine
childrens participation in the local government processes; (2) Insecurity in the safety of their
present areas; and (3) Scepticism in the proposed relocation plan and process.
The report contains specific recommendations in terms of policy directions to address
issues relevant in each local government, foremost of which is the integration and
mainstreaming of child rights impact assessment in all local policies.
Based on the analysis in the Report, the following are the general recommendations on
a national scale:
1. Creation of a Department of Housing that would enable a comprehensive and
coordinated housing and resettlement program;
2. Enactment of a law institutionalizing the creation of Local Housing Boards in all cities
and municipalities, 50% of the composition of which are representatives from civil
society organizations, with required representation from women, children and other
vulnerable groups;
3. Clear mechanism between and among the national government agency concerned,
the sending local government, and the receiving local government, must be
established;
4. Monitor the implementation of the Childrens Code in the local governments to
ensure genuine childrens participation and consultation mechanisms; and
5. All relocation and resettlement programs must contain a monitoring and evaluation
framework in all stages.