UP denies ordering demolition in Pook Malantic, says housing project will not displace residents

The University of the Philippines (UP) on Friday denied ordering the demolition of homes in Pook Malantic inside the UP Diliman campus, saying the activity that sparked a confrontation earlier this week was limited to preparatory work for an on-site housing project and would not displace residents.

The clarification came two days after tensions flared in Barangay UP Campus when residents and police confronted one another over what community members believed was the start of a demolition.

In a statement, UP said no demolition had been ordered or scheduled on 8 July.

Instead, the university said contractor Megawide Construction, engaged by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), was installing perimeter fencing for temporary or transition housing that will accommodate families during the construction of permanent rental units.

"There was no demolition ordered or scheduled on that day," the university said.

According to UP, at least 26 informal settler families expected to be directly affected by the construction will first be transferred to on-site transition housing before low-cost rental units are built later this year under the government's Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.

The university said the arrangement ensures that no family will be relocated outside the community.

The project is part of a memorandum of agreement signed by UP and DHSUD in November 2025 to develop rental housing within the Diliman campus for university faculty, non-teaching personnel and long-time informal settler families.

Last week, the two agencies unveiled a model unit for the Southern Diliman Gardens Rental Housing Project, one of the pilot developments under the expanded 4PH program.

UP said the broader project envisions about 2,000 rental housing units and forms part of the university's effort to improve living conditions while preserving campus land.

The university also reiterated that it is the lawful owner of the property, citing Supreme Court rulings affirming UP's ownership of the Diliman campus.

It referred to a 2016 decision warning against fraudulent ownership claims that, it said, have encouraged illegal occupation and unauthorized sale of university land.

"The University has a legal duty to protect and utilize its land for the UP community," it said.

Beyond housing, UP said the project includes livelihood training, urban farming initiatives, educational support and other social services for beneficiary families.

Residents of Pook Malantic, Pook Aguinaldo and nearby communities have repeatedly raised concerns over possible displacement, saying consultations were insufficient and seeking greater transparency on relocation plans.

University officials, meanwhile, have maintained that the projects are intended to upgrade living conditions through in-city relocation rather than eviction.

The university said it was saddened by the confrontation involving residents, private security personnel and police, acknowledging the "pain and anxiety" it caused despite efforts to maintain order.

UP said it would continue conducting consultations with affected communities, noting that previous dialogues had shown support from many families seeking improved housing.