Bishop pitches ‘in-city relocation’ of informal settlers in Metro Manila

A Catholic bishop on Wednesday said informal settlers in the National Capital Region should be relocated within the city and not to nearby provinces.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said “in city relocation” would solve the persistent problem of informal settlers returning to their original settlements after being relocated.

“Kaya ang hinihiling natin palagi ay ‘in city relocation,’ kahit na ilikas natin ‘yan doon, babalik at babalik pa rin dito ‘yan. Pinahihirapan lamang natin ang mga tao,” Pabillo said over Church-run Radyo Veritas.

(This is why we always ask for “in city relocation” because even if we move them [elsewhere], they will always come back here. We will just make it difficult for the people.)

Pabillo, head of the Episcopal Commission on the Laity of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, was reacting to the plan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to relocate about 26,000 informal settlers this year.

But Pabillo said the National Housing Authority (NHA) and not the DSWD should be in charge of relocation.

DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman previously said the department has relocated about 20,000 informal settlers to Bulacan and Rizal since 2013.

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According to 2010 data of the Metro Manila Development Authority and the NHA, about 2.8 million informal settlers or equivalent to 500 million families have been living in the metropolis. CDG

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