A total of 57,134 informal settler families (ISFs) have been relocated to safer grounds from high-risk zones under the Manila Bay Clean-up, Rehabilitation, and Preservation Program (MBCRPP), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Friday, Aug. 15.

In a statement, the DILG said that the ISFs, previously living along waterways and easement areas vulnerable to typhoons and monsoons, were provided shelters in government-owned housing units “to improve their safety and resilience.”

The DILG said 36,56 percent of Metro Manila’s ISFs have been resettled, giving it the highest relocation success rate at 36.56 percent. It was followed by Calabarzon (Region 4A) with a success rate of 21.06 percent.

The DILG emphasized that the MBCRPP is a vital strategy to protect lives, livelihoods, and property, particularly within the Manila Bay Watershed. It said the project is aligned with the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. to intensify efforts in addressing the country’s persistent flooding woes.

Through MBCRPP, the DILG said it works with other national agencies and local government units (LGUs) to protect lives, livelihoods, and properties in vulnerable areas across the Manila Bay Watershed.

Under the program’s LGU Compliance Assessment, the DILG monitors 187 cities and municipalities across Regions III, IV-A and the National Capital Region (NCR) for adherence to environmental laws and national policies that support Manila Bay rehabilitation.

The DILG also pointed out that 61 LGUs have completed socialized housing projects (SHPs), 52 SHPs are under construction, and 90 others are in the proposal stage.

The DILG also stated that 182 LGUs have established a Local Housing Board (LHB), 133 have an approved Local Shelter Plan (LSP), and 46 have SHPs backed by a Resettlement and Relocation Action Plan (RRAP).

To sustain progress, the DILG conducted a stakeholder orientation last March, focusing on strategies to safeguard cleared areas, prevent ISF re-occupation, and promote humane and inclusive engagement.

The DILG called on the LGUs within the Manila Bay Watershed to accelerate resettlement programs and ensure the sustainability and people-centered focus of Manila Bay’s rehabilitation, in line with President Marcos’ call for long-term flood solutions.