MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered to lift the ban on demolition activities, as well as the eviction of informal settlers in “danger areas.”
In a memorandum circular dated March 11, the DILG said that it has lifted its previous memorandum issued April 2, 2020, where it banned demolition and eviction activities due to the period of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and state of national emergency.
“The memorandum circular was issued to minimize the movement of people and to instruct local government units to accommodate all displaced citizens situated within their respective jurisdictions in order to safeguard their health and safety,” DILG officer in charge Usec. Bernardo Florece Jr. said in the memorandum.
Florece added that from then on, the DILG received reports that a number of informal settler families (ISFs) “have started to construct dwellings on several danger areas.”
And since the majority of the regions have been placed under the less stringent General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), Florece said that it was time to lift the ban.
“In light of the easing of the quarantine restrictions, and incoordination of the pressing urgency to safeguard the safety of ISFs living in danger areas, the postponement of all administrative demolition and eviction activities prescribed by M.C. No. 2020-068 is hereby lifted,” the memorandum read.