In coordination with the National Committee Against Squatting Syndicates and Professional Squatters, the Task Force shall: a. Initiate the identification of professional squatters and squatting syndicates including the names of public officials and/or private individuals or companies abetting or tolerating the commission of the act; b. This bill also violates international covenants on economic, social, and cultural rights in which the Philippines is one of the signatories. — Nothing herein shall be construed to nullify, eliminate or diminish in any way Sec. 5. MANILA, Philippines – A property owner’s worst nightmare is to have abusive squatters, professional squatting syndicates and unlawful tenants on his premises. Metro Manila has a … professional squatters or members of squatting syndicates, and any individual or group who will occupy or cause any other person to occupy the cleared areas. Sec. It shall serve as the operational arm of HUDCC in the drive against professional squatters and squatting syndicates. 2. There is also Republic Act No. Even as the Philippines marches on towards development, many Filipinos remain poor. 7279 or any of its provisions relative to sanctions against professional squatters and squatting syndicates. Sec. In 2016, a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations revealed that 10.5 million Filipinos identify themselves as inferior. 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act, where Section 27 of the Act defines the actions against Professional Squatters and Squatting Syndicates. President of the Philippines or by the local government unit concerned, as the case may be, for proper disposition in accordance with this Act (e) Section 13 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: ... Act, except when they are professional squatters or squatting syndicates. RA 7279 however explicitly excludes from the definition “individuals or groups who simply rent land and housing from professional squatters or squatting syndicates.” These laws, in effect, make the process of removing squatters from one’s property a long and convoluted one. 27 of Republic Act No. 1.2 Squatting syndicates refers to groups of persons engaged in the illegal business of squatter housing for profit or gain. In so doing, all urban poor will fall within the category of professional squatters and hence, automatically will be considered criminal. The Inquirer quoted a report of the MMIAC saying that there are more than 544,609 households of informal settlers in Metro Manila, representing 21% of the total 2.6 million households population. With a general lack of livelihood opportunities, inflation, high unemployment and underemployment rate, and low wages for those who find work, a persistent problem […] Effectivity. If the report of the Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee on Informal Settlers (MMIAC) is to be believed, one out of every five residents in Metro Manila is a squatter. 7. Professional Squatters created under Executive Order No. The term shall not apply to individuals or groups, who simply rent land and housing from professional squatters or squatting syndicates. 178 dated 23 November 1999 is hereby strengthened. As a small consolation to the hapless property owners, however, the act still penalizes “professional squatters and syndicates” according to the provisions of another controversial law, Republic Act 7279, which is better known as the Lina Law. Penal Provisions 7.0 All persons especially local officials and employees who shall violate any of the statutes stated herein, as well as any provisions of this Memorandum Circular,