The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor on Sunday raised concern over incidence of demolitions and evictions in Metro Manila and other parts of the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and warned local government units that would fail to provide relocation or financial assistance to affected informal settler families.
Undersecretary Alvin Feliciano, PCUP chairperson and chief executive officer, cautioned that failure to provide relocation or financial assistance by LGUs to families affected by demolition and eviction is contrary to the provisions of Section 28 of Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 for a just and humane demolition.
The law clearly states that if the occupants of a lot or land are considered “underprivileged and homeless” who need to be demolished or evicted, it is only appropriate for the LGU to give the affected families the relocation or the provision of financial assistance first before proceeding the demolition, he stressed.
He lmented that there are still LGUs that do not follow the stipulations of the law.
The PCUP is determined to file a lawsuit against any erring local governments.
“The PCUP will file appropriate cases against the LGUs that do not provide relocation or financial assistance to the families affected by the demolition and evictions,” Feliciano said.
“During the pandemic, the situation of families who have lost their homes is very deplorable, so we are asking the local governments to provide the assistance and subsidies needed by the victims of demolition and eviction,” he added.
He vowed to intensify their monitoring of all demolition and eviction activities in the country to ensure that LGUs comply with the provisions of the law for a just and humane demolition.
