FIG Peer Review Journal

Perceptions of Tenure Security in Camalig Municipality in the Philippines (5550)

Muhibuddin Usamah (Indonesia), David Mitchell and John Handmer (Australia)

Dr. David Mitchell
Director, Land Centre
School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences
RMIT University
GPO Box 2476V
Melbourne
3001
Australia

Corresponding author Dr. David Mitchell (email: david.mitchell[at]rmit.edu.au, tel.: +61 3 9925 2420)

[ abstract ] [ paper ] [ handouts ]

Published on the web 2012-03-08
Received 2011-11-01 / Accepted 2012-02-02

This paper is one of selection of papers published for the FIG Working Week 2012 in Rome, Italy and has undergone the FIG Peer Review Process.

FIG Working Week 2012
ISBN 97887-90907-98-3 ISSN 2307-4086
http://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2012/index.htm

Abstract

Camalig Municipality is one of the most disaster-prone regions in the Philippines. It is affected by annual typhoons, has a significant threat of floods, and faces the potential of eruptions from the nearby Mayon volcano. The region is also at risk of landslides and earthquakes. This paper presents the results of interviews and focus group discussions with residents living in disaster-prone areas in the five major categories of land tenure in the Municipality. These land tenure types include informal settlement’s, government assisted housing, resettlement areas, titled properties, and tenancy. The interviews were designed to investigate the perceptions of land tenure of the residents, and to identify the factors that were perceived as improving tenure security. The research also includes an investigation of the de-jure and de-facto elements of the perceptions of tenure security. We conclude by ranking each of the tenure categories with respect to its social and legal legitimacy.

Keywords: Security of tenure; Access to land; Informal settlements; natural disasters; vulnerability; Philippines

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