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Kaantabay sa Kauswagan, An Urban Poor Program in Naga City

Philippines

Keywords: Social Exclusion/Integration

Poverty Eradication

Background

The Kaantabay sa Kauswagan (or Partners in

Development) Program is a social amelioration program
primarily designed to empower squatters and slum
dwellers which comprise some 25 percent of the city
population residing in 21 urban barangays of Naga City. So
far, it has resettled 2,017 families to relocation sites with a
combined area of 33 hectares; secured homelots for 789
squatter families; and upgraded 27 urban poor
communities which host around 2,700 families.

Anchored on the belief that the urban poor is a vital sector

in Naga's quest for total development, the program
addresses the sector's two main problems --(1) the
absence of security of land tenure, and (2) the lack of
basic infrastructure and facilities in their communities--
primarily by adopting a "partner-beneficiary" perspective in
dealing with clients. This approach sees the urban poor
both as a program partner and beneficiary, and as such is
compelled to actively participate in every step of problem
resolution.

In response to these major problems, the Program focuses

on two main components: (1) land acquisition which
provides as sense of permanence to the urban poor's
occupancy of a property, and (2) urban upgrading which
provides decency, ease and comfort to daily life in the
blighted areas.

By institutionalizing a functional mechanism for

permanently settling land tenurial problems between
landowners and land occupants; elevating living conditions
of the urban poor through on-site upgrading projects for
blighted urban poor communities; establishing intra-city
relocation sites for victims in extreme cases involving
eviction and demolition; and providing them livelihood
opportunities by introducing a livelihood component to the
Program, the Kaantabay sa Kauswagan was able to shape
new strategies in cushioning negative impacts of
urbanization.

These strategies include accessing various modes of land

acquisition--like direct purchase, land swapping, land
sharing, community mortgage, and resettlement;
institutionalizing a separate window catering specifically to
urban poor clients of the lending arm of the local
government; and evolving a financing scheme anchored
on internally-generated resources of the beneficiaries.

Narrative

BEFORE

Before Kaantabay sa Kauswagan (or Partners in

Development) Program came into being, Naga was
grappling with a serious urban poor problem which is
characteristic of any other rapidly urbanizing city in the
Philippines and even the world.

A bitter fruit of urbanization, the obtaining situation in

Naga was then distinguished by adversarial relationship
and frequent animosity between the City Government, the
urban poor and private landowners. Cases of squatter
eviction and ejection are rampant, and demolitions are
commonplace.

The problem has been worsening over time. In magnitude

alone, around 5,000 of 19,500 households in 1990 were
classified as squatters and slum dwellers, almost double
the figure in 1980. Not only the absolute number but also
their share in the total population had risen. In 1980, the
National Statistics Office reported that only 14.6 percent of
households in Naga were squatters; during the program's
inception in 1989, they already account for 25 percent of
the total.
Their number notwithstanding, the sector is mostly
unorganized. In all of Naga, there were only 9 urban poor
associations when the program was born. On the other
hand, majority of individual urban poor families go on with
their lives--and face attendant threats of ejection and
demolition--practically in their lonesome.
Previous local government administrations share a part of
the blame for this situation. For so long a time, they had
been indifferent to the plight of squatters.

This indifference primarily shows in the following:

- The blighted condition of 27 urban poor communities in
Naga which lack basic services such as shelter, potable
water, streetlights, pathways and drainage.
- Government's passivity in the face of squatter ejection
and demolition by private landowners which masks its tacit
approval of such measures to eradicate these urban
"eyesores."

AFTER

Six years after Kaantabay sa Kauswagan was launched,

Naga's urban poor have been empowered and
mainstreamed back in society, primarily through a fair,
credible and effective tripartite mechanism for solving land
tenurial issues that the Program has institutionalized.

Beyond sheer numbers, Kaantabay sa Kauswagan's single

most important achievement to date was the
institutionalization of such a mechanism that effectively
addresses pressing problems of the urban poor sector.
This mechanism brings together (1) government agencies,
(2) urban poor associations and their allied NGOs, and (3)
private landowners to solve standing tenurial problems
with finality. Today, all land problems involving the urban
poor in Naga are referred to and pass through this
mechanism.

Program impact is also indicated by the following:

- INSTITUTIONAL. From only 9 in 1989, there are more
than 70 urban poor associations in Naga today belonging
to two citywide federations. They are amply represented in
the city legislature, the City Development Council, as well
as the Housing and Urban Development Board, Naga's
main policy-setting body on housing matters.
- LAND ACQUISITION AND RESETTLEMENT. As of yearend
1994, the five-year old Program has made possible the
disposal of 33 hectares of private and government-owned
lands to 2,017 landless families. This means that it had
already addressed the land tenurial concerns of about 50
percent of the urban poor in Naga. Further, an additional
25.4 hectares had been secured for the remaining
unserved families.
- URBAN UPGRADING. Moreover, the Program facilitated
the renewal of 27 blighted urban poor communities in
Naga, where multimillion-peso worth of basic
infrastructure like pathways, drainage canals, shallow
wells, public faucets, streetlights and multipurpose
pavements were provided and/or upgraded.
- Finally, the Program is acknowledged today as a model
urban poor program among Philippine local governments,
and has already attained a measure of international
recognition as well.

Impact

- Institutionalized a fair, credible and effective tripartite

mechanism for solving land tenurial issues
- Organized the urban poor sector from only 9
organizations at the outset to more than 70 today
- Represented the urban poor sector in local policy-setting
bodies, including the City Council
- Disposed 33 hectares of private and public land to 2,017
landless families
- Addressed the land tenurial concerns of about 50 percent
of Naga residents in just five years of implementation
- Facilitated the renewal of 27 blighted urban poor
communities that house around 2,700 families
- Evolved its own financing scheme utilizing internally-
generated resources that now amount to about P500,000
- Is acknowledged as a model urban poor program among
Philippine local governments today

Sustainability

The success and sustainability of the Kaantabay sa

Kauswagan Program is anchored on the following:

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
ADOPTION OF A "PARTNER-BENEFICIARY" PERSPECTIVE.
This approach sees the urban poor both as a program
partner and beneficiary, compelling them to actively
participate in every step of problem resolution.

STRATEGY OF FOCUS. At the top management level, a

fundamental strategy is the strategy of focus that delimits
coverage only to the urban poor sector in Naga. Client
identification is facilitated by a single criterion: presence of
land tenure problem.

Over the past six years, the program also chose to

prioritize land tenurial concerns over shelter. This
stemmed from the fact that while 72 percent of Naga
residents own their house, only 44 percent actually own
their homelots. But with land tenurial issues expected to
be resolved by 1998, the program is now beginning to set
its sights on shelter needs.

ROLE DEFINITION AND SPECIALIZATION. This stems from

the recognition that there are certain areas where NGOs
do much better than government. Thus, in community
organizing and social preparation of beneficiaries, the City
Government has relied on an NGO partner--COPE
Foundation--which specializes on these tasks.

POLICY OF DEALING WITH ORGANIZATIONS, NOT

INDIVIDUALS. This compels interested applicants to take
the initiative in organizing themselves, thus facilitating
community organizing.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS

The Program's bias for the periphery is reflected in the

TRIPARTITE APPROACH TO PROBLEM RESOLUTION
observed by program partners. Basically, this involves (1)
city and national government agencies; (2) urban poor
associations aided by their NGO allies; and (3) private
landowners. This was further institutionalized through the
Naga City Housing and Urban Development Board, the
main policy-setting body on housing concerns in the city.
Under this setup, national government agencies extend
operational and financial support to the program's land
acquisition thrust. Urban poor associations signify their
support and commitment through their willingness to
negotiate, get organized and raise equity for land
acquisition and provide labor for urban upgrading projects.
Finally, landowners show their cooperation through a
willingness to explore more peaceful means of settling
tenurial disputes as an alternative to squatter ejection and
demolition of their shelter.

SUPPORTING SECTORAL STRATEGIES

At the project level, various supporting strategies were

shaped, falling into three broad categories:
1. ON-SITE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. These are
basically aimed at facilitating transfer of land ownership
from government and private owners to individual
occupants. They include:
DIRECT PURCHASE. This involves purchase of an occupied
land by the City Government itself. The occupants then
amortize the cost of their individual homelots to the City
Government.
LAND SWAPPING. This involves the exchange of an
occupied property with another of roughly equal value
without occupants. The occupants then amortize the cost
of their individual homelots to the new owner.
LAND SHARING. This involves working out a mutually
acceptable arrangement over a property that allows both
the landowner and the occupants to satisfy their
respective needs.
COMMUNITY MORTGAGE. This allows the wholesale
purchase of an occupied property using the community
mortgage financing program of the national government.
2. OFF-SITE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. These are
focused on the establishment of safety nets both for
victims of eviction and demolition and those who want to
have their own homelots. They include:
ESTABLISHMENT OF RELOCATION/RESETTLEMENT SITES.
This involves acquisition of properties, consolidating and
developing them as relocation sites for victims of eviction
and demolition. In cases where the consolidated lot is
underutilized, the site is opened for voluntary resettlement
of urban poor families.
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZATION TO
SUPERVISE DISPOSAL OF PUBLIC LANDS. This involves
seeking authorization from national government to
supervise disposal of public lands, where urban poor
families can be prioritized as beneficiaries.
3. SUPPORT STRATEGIES. These address peripheral
program areas, including capability building and program
sustainability. They include:
INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF SEPARATE URBAN POOR
WINDOW UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE LIVELIHOOD
PROGRAM OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT. This facilitates
action on and release of urban poor livelihood loans.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE URBAN POOR TRUST
FUND. Aimed at financial stability, this trust fund was built
on CMP origination fees, amortization for resettlement
sites and sale of other government properties. As of June
30, 1995, it had an outstanding balance of P494,554.04.

PROACTIVE POLICIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY,

REPLICABILITY

To address expected increase in demand for program

services, the following were adopted:
LANDBANKING. This refers to the acquisition of more
public and private landholdings which will serve as future
relocation sites. In 1994, a total of 25.4 hectares was
secured.
STRONGER SHELTER PROGRAM. This involve piloting and
adoption of new approaches to mass housing--row houses
and tenements at the urban district, core shelter units at
the relocation sites.
INTENSIFIED LIVELIHOOD COMPONENT. This is anchored
on the principle that "giving a man a fish enables him to
live for a day, but teaching him how to fish enables him to
live for a lifetime."
ENHANCED FINANCIAL RESOURCE MOBILIZATION. This
refers to a financing scheme evolved by the program that
utilizes internally-generated resources. Here, the City
Government uses the Urban Poor Trust Fund to lend as
much as P10,000 per beneficiary to augment their equity
in homelot purchase.
SHARING WORKSHOPS. This refers to local and national
fora where the program is presented for possible
replication by other local governments. Already, two
national workshops of the League of Cities of the
Philippines and a regional sharing have featured the
program.

Indicators

IMPACT

Disposed 33 hectares of private and public land to

 2,017 families

Addressed the land tenurial concerns of about 50

percent of Naga residents in just five years of
implementation

Facilitated the renewal of 27 blighted urban poor

communities that house around 2,700 families

SUSTAINABILITY

Organized the urban poor sector from only 9

organizations at the outset to more than 70 today

Represented the urban poor sector in local policy-

setting bodies, including the City Council

Evolved its own financing scheme utilizing

internally-generated resources that now amount to
about P500,000

Implemented a landbanking strategy that acquired

25.4 hectares for future program needs

Is piloting new approaches to mass housing to

strengthen shelter component

SUCCESS

Institutionalized a fair, credible and effective

tripartite mechanism for solving land tenurial

Is acknowledged as a model urban poor program

among Philippine local governments today

Contact

Mr. D.C. Nathan Sergio/UPAO Coordinator

City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue
Naga City
Camarines Sur
Philippines
4400
(5421)73-8391/(54)811-1286

Sponsor
 City Government of Naga
Hon. Jesse M. Robredo/City Mayor
Juan Miranda Avenue
Naga City
Camarines Sur
Philippines
4400
(5421)73-2240/(54)811-1286 FAX

Partners

Community Organization of the Philippines (COPE)

Foundation
Ms. Jo Vicente/COPE Coordinator
De Leon's Apartment, Calauag
Naga City
Camarines Sur
Philippines
4400
(5421)73-2675

Naga City Urban Poor Federation (NCUPF)

Mr. Honesto Perez/NCUPF President
Fraternidad Street, Zone 2, Tabuco
Naga City
Camarines Sur
Philippines
4400

National Housing Authority (NHA)

Mr. Marciano Pineda/NHA General Manager
Elliptical Road
Quezon City
Metro Manila
Philippines
(632)922-2460/(632)922-9820

To MOST Clearing House Homepage

Self-Rated Poverty

Poverty can be assessed in relation to the subjective assessment of the community.

This approach is called the self-rated poverty (utilized notably by the Social Weather
Station). Specifically, in a survey, household heads are asked to assess their
situation in terms of poor, not poor and on a line in between.

Based on three rounds of a public opinion poll conducted by the ASSRC among 150
respondents (sampling error = 8%) in Naga City, the self-rated poverty incidence
was relatively high but at varying levels. It rose from 49 percent in 1996 to 59
percent in 1998 and then declined to 44 percent in 1999 (Figure 8). These figures
were basically supported by another survey conducted in 1998 by the ASSRC among
215 members of the urban poor federation in the city. Using the 1998 official
poverty threshold of P10,497, the computed poverty incidence among the surveyed
urban poor families was 40 percent.

Making the most of our fresh mandate

An Executive-Legislative Agenda for the Next Three Years
BY MAYOR JESSE M. ROBREDO
LAST FEBRUARY, I addressed our people to report on the state of our city, outlining
the five key strategies that our administration will pursue.
In that report, we marked our quick recovery from the devastation wrought by Super
Typhoon Reming – with the help of such partners as the Task Force Reming, the
Naga City People’s Council, the Metro Naga and the Filipino-Chinese chambers as
well as the PICE, which provided the manpower in the rebuilding efforts for our
schools and other public facilities.
We celebrated our continuing rise as a beacon of good governance in a country –
attested by the steady stream of national and international recognition that came our
way.
And we took stock of the developmental gains we have achieved in the lives of our
people, using the Millennium Development Goals as benchmark.
The state of the city of the city has never been better. If we simply do more of the
same, we can rack up the numbers and continue to improve the lives of our
constituency. But then, we will not measure up to the unprecedented new mandate
that has been reposed to us. Deviating from the previous addresses, let me therefore
do a critical assessment of where we are and what needs to be done.
Development milestones
As we renew another three-year mandate for this administration – the last for some,
including myself – it is but fitting to look back at them:
� In terms of poverty, Naga has the lowest incidence, with only 1 of every 5
households below poverty line. This is half of the regional average – where 2 of
every 5 live below the poverty line and definitely better than the national average.

LAST YEAR, the school board also began funding Nutri-Dunong, an in-school
focused feeding program introduced by the city government after an “Operation
Timbang” survey revealed that one out of five public-school children to be
underweight. For its pilot implementation, the feeding program targeted five big
public schools with the highest incidence of malnutrition among elementary
students.

Noting a 65-percent improvement in school children’s weights, the school board this
year has expanded Nutri-Dunong’s coverage to all of Naga’s 29 public elementary
 schools, more than doubling its funding support for the program from P500,000 to

RATIO OF REQUIRED PROBABILITY OF

BASELINE CURRENT TARGET
PROVINCE/CITY RATE TO AVERAGE ATTAINING THE
(2003) (2004) (2015)
RATE OF PROGRESS TARGET
PROVINCE
Albay 40.5 23.1 20.25 0.01 High
Camarines Norte 21.2 17.5 10.6 0.17 High
Camarines Sur 41.4 26.5 20.7 0.04 High
Catanduanes 34.9 23.8 17.45 0.05 High
Masbate 35.5 24.4 17.75 0.05 High
Sorsogon 21.8 20.8 10.9 0.90 High
CITY
Iriga 10.4 9.8 5.2 0.70 High
Legazpi 25.6 16.0 12.8 0.03 High
Naga 6.7 5.6 3.35 0.19 High
REGION V 33.6 22.6 16.8 0.05 High
P1.2 million.

Table 3: Goal 1 — Eradicate Extreme Poverty & Hunger

Target: Half the proportion of underweight among 0-5 year old children
Indicator: Proportion of underweight among 0-5 year old children based on
IRS
Source: NEDA Region V MDGs Report, 2005
Nutri-Dunong is actually only one of several hunger-mitigation measures instituted
by the City Population and Nutrition Office. Other programs like Nutri-Nanay and
Nutri-Ataman (“to take care” in Bikol) have been in existence for close to two
decades now. The former provides free medical check-ups (every other Sunday) and
food assistance in the form of milk and cereals, to pregnant and lactating mothers,
while the latter conducts feeding programs to preschoolers, especially those with
severe malnutrition cases.

These days, Naga’s malnutrition rate among children aged five and below is the
lowest in the region, and even for the rest of the country. From an already low 5.6
percent in 2004, the proportion of underweight children had been further reduced to
4.2 percent in 2006, surpassing this particular target for the MDG to eradicate
extreme poverty and hunger 10 years ahead of schedule. Naga has also already
achieved the target to cut by half its poverty incidence, which stood at one of every
five households living below the poverty line, also the lowest in the region that is the
fourth poorest in the country.