Abstract:
Trains are considered symbols of progress. Ironically, railroad in the
Philippines seems to be just another reflection of the nation's poverty. Railroads
become the dwellings of less privileged Filipinos.
Indeed, homelessness is one of the major predicaments of the
Philippines. This is the most visible problem the nation faces. Indicating a worsening
housing crisis and chronic national poverty is the rise in number of families who squat
in vacant places. One of these places is along the railway. Consequently, this study
centers on the urban poverty conditions of a community along the PNR railroad in Paco,
Manila. Moreover, the research investigates the government's assistance of the essential
urban services, particularly the sufficiency of socialized housing for the urban poor.