A LAWMAKER here proposed an ordinance that would keep land acquired for socialized housing under collective community ownership, instead of giving urban poor families individual titles.
City Councilor Temujin B. Ocampo presented the “Davao City Urban Poor Collective Land Tenure Ordinance” in a privilege speech during the 21st City Council’s regular session on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
In his speech, Ocampo said individual titling leaves poor families open to distress sales, predatory developers, and forced displacement.
“Housing is not a mere commodity; it is a fundamental human right and the bedrock of human dignity,” Ocampo said.
He said families are forced to sell their titled lots because of poverty and often end up back in riverbanks, hazard-prone slopes, and new informal settlements.
Under the proposal, land would be acquired through a Collective Land Acquisition Program (CLAP), with Master Titles and Community Land Trusts (CLTs) put in place.
He said land bought for socialized housing would stay under collective ownership “in perpetuity.”
“By enacting this ordinance, we give our urban poor communities not just a roof over their heads, but enduring stability, legal security, and a permanent stake in Davao City’s shared prosperity,” Ocampo stressed.
Under the proposed measure, families would receive long-term Certificates of Occupancy and Usufruct Rights (COUR), which Ocampo said would protect their homes while keeping the land insulated from market speculation.
The ordinance also proposes a Davao City Collective Socialized Housing Trust Fund, to be financed by an initial seed allocation, development funds, and idle land tax collections.
The fund would pay for land acquisition, site development, and direct equity subsidies for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and single parents.
The proposed measure was considered read on first reading and referred to the Committee on Housing, Rural, and Urban Development (Socialized Housing Projects).
