Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 153)
The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) is designated as the lead agency for identifying and monitoring professional squatters and squatting syndicates and launching operations against them. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is tasked to take the lead in prosecuting the identified perpetrators.
The National Committee Against Squatting Syndicates and Professional Squatters was abolished pursuant to EO No. 153, and all its functions were transferred to the HUDCC.
The agencies required to support include the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); Philippine National Police (PNP); National Urban Poor Sectoral Council of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NUPSC-NAPC); National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); Land Registration Authority (LRA); and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
The National Police Task Force is strengthened under EO No. 153 and serves as the operational arm of HUDCC in the drive against professional squatters and squatting syndicates, with full-time PNP personnel designated for this task force.
The PCUP is assigned to provide secretariat support to HUDCC, DOJ, and the National Police Task Force (NPTF) in their efforts against professional squatting.
Initial funding shall come from the budgets of HUDCC, DOJ, PNP, and PCUP respective to their functions, and subsequent funding shall be incorporated into their regular annual budgets.
The HUDCC and DOJ must submit regular reports to the Executive Secretary regarding the implementation of the provisions of the order.
Yes, the HUDCC and DOJ, in consultation with relevant agencies and stakeholders, are mandated to jointly formulate and adopt implementing guidelines to ensure effective enforcement of the order.
Executive Order No. 153 takes effect immediately upon its adoption on December 10, 2002.