Thriving in the slums: progressive development and empowerment of the urban poor to achieve secure tenure in the Philippines

Abstract

Thriving cities are characterized by vigorous growth and associated with concepts and the existence of flourishing, healthy communities. However, such concepts are not immediately connected with the living conditions in squatter settlements in developing countries. With a rapidly increasing urban population, slum dwellers in developing countries continue to occupy vulnerable positions, functions and appearances in urban areas, leaving their residents exposed to the fear of eviction and displacement from their livelihoods, lifestyles and homes. While acknowledging a range of different approaches to the housing of slum dwellers, including the experience of problematic efforts to relocate inhabitants from a squatter settlement into a regular housing market in a single step, this paper examines a different case study. It describes the circumstances which have enabled squatter settlers in Davao City, in the Philippines, to achieve legal tenure and to build homes, incrementally, that are eventually compliant with the local building codes. Based on a detailed physical analysis of individual homes in combination with interviews with householders, this paper presents the findings of a comprehensive study of slum settlements in which the progressive development of urban settlements was analysed in the context of Filipino pro-people policies. These have prioritized the rights of the urban poor and empowered them to build low-income housing, enabling them to develop sustainable, secure, thriving urban settlements within cities which provide a credible and hopeful role model for the foundation of better communities and cities for the future.