The social cost of upgrading informal settlements in Butuan City, Philippines

Abstract

The informal settlements in Butuan City, Philippines, pose the intractable problem of housing and providing services for the urban poor. In particular, their displacement as a result of the implementation of a government infrastructure project presents tremendous challenges in coming up with just solutions. In this study, the solutions focus on upgrading the informal settlements. The different modalities are accounted for and the government costs they will incur are estimated. Overall, the results present a rich picture of the experience of upgrading informal settlements in the Philippines. The findings of the study have crucial policy implications.