Dear PAO,

I am a beneficiary of a housing project by the government, but I sold the property because the relocation site is too far from the city. Tulio and I are now occupying a certain land near our former settlement, but the same property is again projected for road widening by the government. During the consultation by the authorities, they offered financial assistance to Tulio and to those affected families. I asked them why I was not included in the list of beneficiaries. They claimed that I am a professional squatter, so I am disqualified. Now the authorities have changed their mind. They claimed that our houses may be summarily demolished without any court order. According to them, Tulio and I are not underprivileged and not entitled to financial assistance since we are considered professional squatters. Are the authorities correct?

Arinea

Dear Arinea,

Based on the facts that you provided, it appears that you may fall under the definition of professional squatters. Stated below is the definition of 'professional squatters' under Section 3 (m) of Republic Act (RA) 7279, otherwise known as the 'Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992':