Binay’s anti-squatting drive

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The government has announced the granting of prizes for local government units that report the existence of professional squatters and syndicates that set up housing in their towns or cities. This is intended to discourage the settling by unauthorized persons on properties owned by other people, or even by the government, who have proliferated all over the country in the past years.

The movement is headed by the National Drive Against Professional Squatters and Squattng Syndicates, or the NDAPSSS, and is known for its Best Practices Award for 2012. Its aim is to involve local governments in the anti-squatting campaign of the government.

Squatting is a problem that can no longer be ignored, especially by the national government, because of the major problems it has caused, not only in depriving the actual lot owners of the use of their property, but also making them, in some cases, objects of blackmail, when the squatters refuse to leave when the owners themselves need their lands, and the squatters threaten, or demand exorbitant amounts for them to get off the property.

Let us not be diverted by euphemisms. Some officials tiptoe around the issue and avoid calling a spade a spade, or a squatter the squatter that he is. But such softened terms as “informal settlers” and the like may ease the tender feelings of the illegal settlers, but does not face the blunt fact that they are going against the law by their acts.

The worse is that one development from this practice is the growing number of what are called now as professional squatters, who make a career of the act, and squatting syndicates, who even dupe people by offering them lots, allegedly with titles, that turn out to be fake.

The NDAPSSS is led by Vice President Jejomar Binay in this campaign. Its main purpose is to increase awareness of LGUs and government housing beneficiaries of their role in countering the practices of these professional squatters and the syndicates who may even swindle them.

Winners of this drive will be granted plaques, and cash awards they can use in building up their programs in anti-squatting. Binay, who is also a veteran LGU head, informs them. Let our own LGUs take note of this.*