1. What is the concept of squatter in the Philippines?
It is also called informal settlers, In the Philippines, a distinction is made between squatters who squat because of poverty and squatters who squat because they want to profit (receive payment in exchange for leaving the real estate property). Squatters who hope to make a profit are called "professional squatters".
2. What are the reasons why is it that squatters would not want to leave their places?
The squatters here in the Philippines have wreaked havoc in the country and they are out of control. The problem is quite obvious and the solution is staring everyone in the face; there are just not enough public servants with enough guts to address the issue.
3. What do we mean professional squatters? Are they helping the society or the government?
"Professional Squatters" refers to individuals or groups who occupy lands without the express consent of the landowner and who have sufficient income for legitimate housing. The term shall also apply to persons, who have previously been awarded home lots or housing units by the Government but who sold, leased or transferred the same and settled illegally in the same place or in another urban area, and non-bonafide occupants and intruders of lands reserved for socialized housing. The term shall not apply to individuals or groups, who simply rent land and housing from professional squatters or squatting syndicates.
4. What are the programs of the Philippine government to solve the problems about squatters?
The Philippine government has been trying to find a lasting solution to the nagging problem of squatters in Metro Manila, far longer than the efforts to solve the equally and seemingly unsolvable communist and Muslim insurgency problems. These problems are like body itch. You scratch one area and the itch reappears in even more places in your body. Many of them landed in Intramuros, where the walls built by the Spaniards more than a century ago provided them a sense of security. Others found their way to vacant lands near where some distant relatives lived such as in Tondo, Binondo, San Andres Bukid, Pandacan and other areas where job sites were nearby. They found out later that while there were indeed jobs, the earnings were not enough for their growing families. And the opportunities were not as unlimited as they were made to believe. And so many of them got stuck in another trap – poverty and the slums. 5. Do we need to pay attention to the poor people? Yes or No and Why?
Yes, help them change their way of thinking. Education and morality is very low here in the Philippines.
Trivia: go to poor places (squatters area) like beside the railroad, and you’ll be surprise that they have complete and expensive gadgets like CPs, computers, IPod, components, (fake gadgets) but no money to buy food and besides where did they get the money they use for drinking and gambling?
