FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 137 3 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
A common attribute of Philippine urban areas is the proliferation of illegal settlers, more 
commonly known as "squatters" in danger areas such as esteros, garbage dumps, riverbanks, 
waterways, as well as other public places such as sidewalks, roads, parks and playgrounds, 
and also in private lands. For the owners of the private lands they occupy, these tenacious 
settlers are a menace. For the rest of the citizenry, they are an eyesore and an urban blight. 
What the citizens and their leaders fail to see is that the homeless who inhabit these danger 
places put their lives and limbs at risk every minute they stay in danger areas, not because 
they want to but because they are deprived of opportunities and are left with no choice. 
Indeed, inequality, apathy of the citizenry, and government neglect have pushed them to 
settle in these danger areas. 
Removing settlers from these areas and demolishing their homes are often characterized with 
violence resulting in damages to property as well as danger to life and limb of the informal 
settlers who fight nail and tooth to resist the demolition or evacuation orders. There is always 
a dilemma: should they be deprived of their homes or should they be left at the mercy of 
violence, accidents and disasters? A simple solution is to provide habitable housing for the 
homeless. 
This Act will benefit poor and homeless Filipinos who suffered damages and injuries to their 
persons and properties while being removed from danger areas. Victims of disasters and 
calamities and those affected by government infrastructure projects are also covered by this 
Act. Resettlement centers, home sites or town sites will be established for the immediate relief 
of the displaced underprivileged families and homeless citizens in urban areas. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage ot this bill is earnestly sought. 
~OREJfi£i:DA 
=-;, 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
, SENATE 
S.B.No.1373 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE RESETTLEMENT, AID AND REHABILITATION 
SERVICES FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED AND HOMELESS CITIZENS 
AFFECTED BY THE DEMOLITION OF HOUSES/DWELLINGS ALONG DANGER 
AREAS AS WELL AS THE VICTIMS OF DISASTERS AND 
CALAMITIES AND THOSE AFFECTED BY GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE 
PROJECTS IN URBAN AREAS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
assist the underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban areas adversely affected by the 
demolition of houses/ dwellings along danger areas such as esteros, garbage dumps, 
riverbanks, shorelines, waterways and other public places such as sidewalks, roads, parks 
and playgrounds as well as the victims of disasters and calamities and those affected by 
government infrastructure projects. 
SEC. 2. Statement of Objectives and Guidelines. - This Act is intended to help the 
underprivileged and homeless citizens who suffered damages to property and injury to 
persons resulting from the demolition in or the clearing up of the aforementioned danger 
areas as well as the victims of disasters and calamities and those affected by government 
infrastructure projects in urban areas. It aims to provide funds for the immediate relief of the 
displaced underprivileged families and homeless citizens and the establishment of 
resettlement centers, home sites or town sites under local and national housing programs or 
under the other socialized housing programs of other agencies. 
SEC. 3. Guidelines in the Allocation of Funds. - Government funds and resources shall 
be spent effectively in consonance with the principle of providing the greatest good for the 
greatest number. Accordingly, the following guidelines shall be observed in allocating the 
funds made available for the implementation of this Act: 
(a) Funds shall be allocated exclusively for the underprivileged and homeless citizens affected 
by the demolition of their houses/ dwellings in urban areas; 
(b) Funds shall be used exclusively for relocation or resettlement sites under local and 
national housing programs or under the other socialized housing programs of other agencies; 
(c) Funds shall be used, when necessary, for the construction of basic services and facilities 
such as schools, health centers as well as roads or access to places of employment and 


livelihood which should be sufficient to meet the basic needs of the affected families; and 
(d) In no case shall any portion of the sum herein appropriated be used in payment of any 
subsisting obligation contracted before the passage of this Act. 
SEC. 4. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
shall be included the annual General Appropriations Act until such time that the total 
requirements for this purpose shall have been fully implemented. 
SEC. 5. Determination of Beneficiaries and Projects. - City mayors, in consultation 
with national and local government agencies, shall assist in the resettlement of beneficiaries 
under local and nationaJ housing programs or under the other socialized hOUSing programs 
of other agencies. 
The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, in coordination with the LGU concerned, 
shall take the census of beneficiaries and cross-check the same with the census of the National 
Housing Authority (NHA). 
Sec. 6 Alpha Listing of Beneficiaries. - The Housing and Urban Development 
Coordinating Council (HUDCC), in coordination with local government units, shall produce 
an alpha listing of the beneficiaries covered under this Act. 
SEC. 7. Rules and Regulations. - The HUDCC, in coordination with local government 
units, shall within thirty (30) days from the approval of this Act, issue the necessary rules and 
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 8. Penalty Clause. - Any person or persons who shall take advantage of the 
situation for undue personal and private gain by committing an act of profiteering in the 
purchase of lots or materials, or by committing an act of misrepresentation in the 
documentation, or by falsifying reports shall be imposed the penalty of not more than six (6) 
years of imprisonment or a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,OOO.OO) but not more 
than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,OOO.OO). Any other illegal act that may be committed 
in relation thereto shall be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provisions of this Act shall be held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other .provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, decree, rules and regulations which are 
inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby amended or repealed 
accordingly. 
SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
2