ADB, Philippines ink accord to relocate slum dwellers

Asian Economic News, August 20, 2001

MANILA, Aug. 13 Kyodo

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Philippine government signed an agreement Monday for a $1 million project to relocate poor Filipinos illegally squatting along railroad tracks in Muntinlupa City in southern Manila.

The Manila-based regional bank said the integrated urban development project will pilot-test a community-based, self-help approach to resettle two urban poor communities composed of 567 families of an estimated 9,000 households living in hazardous conditions along the rights-of-way of the Philippine National Railway.

The project, to be implemented by nongovernmental organizations (NGO), is designed to explore new approaches to squatter relocation in Metro Manila, the bank said.

''The project aims to establish a cooperative relationship among local government units, NGOs and people's organizations in both the sending and receiving municipalities to enable the community to avoid economic dislocation,'' the bank said in a statement.

''The project will provide a range of livelihood opportunities, including access to jobs in the city, new job opportunities at the relocation site and access to credit,'' it said.

''The pilot project will reduce poverty in the communities in Muntinlupa City and provide guidance to ADB's proposed $50 million Metro Manila Urban Services for the Poor Project.''

The bank stressed conditions along the railway tracks are not fit for human habitation.

''Quite apart from the lack of basic services, lives have been lost in accidents involving passing trains,'' said Matthew Westfall, ADB project officer and senior urban development specialist.

''This project will create and test new partnerships at the community level to secure lasting solutions to a problem that has plagued Metro Manila for decades,'' he added.

The project will be financed by the bank's Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, which is financed by the Japanese government. The fund, with total resources of 17.9 billion yen (about $145 million), was established last year to provide grants for poverty reduction activities that add substantive value to ADB projects.

ADB Vice President Joseph Eichenberger, Philippine Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, Philippine Assistant Finance Secretary Roberto Tan and Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed the agreement.