Meycauayan C OMM UNITY Northville 3 MUNIC IPALIT Y Meycauayan, Bulacan RE LOCAT ION DAT E 2006 P OP ULAT ION 3,000 Households Northville 3 is located in Meycauayan, Bulacan, to the North of Metro Manila. The original location of the community was a line of dwelling structures adjacent to the railway line, also in Meycauayan, in Barangays Bangkal and Osla Norte. Northville 3 is located on a lake that was reclaimed as part of the development of the site for social housing. The community was resettled as part of the Government’s programme to expand the Philippine National Railway (PNR) and first became aware of the need to relocate during the mid 1990s. Between this time and 2004 residents received notices of eviction on a regular basis; however, these were not acted upon by the Government. In February 2005, a local inter-agency committee (LIAC) was formed to handle the resettlement process and engage in consultations with the community. Leaders were represented at the LIAC, but residents reported no further consultations and also complained that the Mayor, who was chair of the LIAC, was able to exercise considerable influence over other parties in pushing for the Northville resettlement site. After some initial complaints about the process, individual community members were offered a choice between the Northville 3 resettlement site and the balik probinsya programme, which provided families with an approximately PHP15,000 assistance package to resettle back to their provinces of origin. Those opting for the NHA sites were required to enter into an amortisation agreement and consent to resettlement to Northville 3. Resettlement took place in batches with the first group being transferred in May 2005. The Northville 3 site was ‘lot only’, with residents receiving a subsidy to construct their own dwellings on the site. Residents understood that, in addition to the subsidies provided under the amortisation agreement, they were to receive a PHP10,000 cash payment to assist with relocation, PHP50,000 for construction materials and PHP1,000 for a food allowance. Some residents who refused to relocate reported that they were ultimately forced to resettle to Northville 3. 30-day notices of eviction were generally being sent on a monthly basis and being allowed to lapse. However, those final remaining residents noted that by late 2005 the notices of eviction stopped containing any notice period, with the final remaining residents being forcibly removed without prior notice. 87