Man vs. Nature: The study on the proposed amendment of R.A. 7279 catering to making water pollution a ground for evicting informal settlers

• Main Authors: Maniago, Alnord Kevin G., Ona, Christopher Michael G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2013
• Subjects: Commercial Law
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/18018
• Institution: De La Salle University

An Informal Settler is a person who unlawfully occupies an uninhabited building or piece of land. While Environmental Degradation refers to any damage caused to the land, to water or the air. Environmental Degradation can also mean a loss of biodiversity and a loss of natural resources in an area. Under Section 28 of the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, it states that settlers may be evicted when people occupy danger zones such as riverbanks, shorelines and waterways. But what if they are not living on those aforementioned danger zones and merely live very close to it? Informal settlers contribute to the environmental degradation of coastal zones without being mindful of the different environmental laws. These acts clearly violate article II Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution regarding but also for the coming generations. Thus, this thesis aims to propose the validity of making water pollution an ground for evicting informal settlers in addition to the grounds already stated in R.A. 7279. Towards the end, the data gathered were analyzed to arrive at recommendations geared toward changes in policy, programs, and relevant laws in response to the problem of environmental degradation. Key areas covered by the recommendations include (1) amendment of the Urban development and Housing Act of 1992, and (2) penalizing informal settlers found to be major contributors of water pollution.