Philippine authorities in Pampanga province have relocated 90 families from Pulo Island to a low-lying site that suffers from chronic year-round flooding, leaving residents struggling to access basic services and maintain their livelihoods, according to Human Rights Watch. The move, carried out as part of a flood control project, was flagged for disregarding residents’ rights and failing to follow national or international protection standards.
The relocation site in the town of Macabebe is a former fish pond in Barangay Candelaria that floods throughout the year, with river tides reaching 1.6 meters at the high point of flooding. Residents reported facing severe challenges accessing work and services, and some family members have left the community because of the conditions. While some residents built elevated houses anticipating frequent flooding, floodwater occasionally enters unfinished homes.
Relocation Process and Lack of Consultation
Between 2020 and 2023, the Pampanga municipal government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) dredged Pulo Island and removed its residents. In 2022, the Macabebe government relocated the 90 families without adequate consultation and information. Human Rights Watch noted that the authorities responsible did not follow standards requiring planned relocations to be a measure of last resort based on community consultation.
They removed us [from Pulo Island], and they put us in a place where we feel we were thrown here like trash,
said a 48-year-old mother of two children, describing the site.
Broader Flooding and Future Concerns
Between 2015 and 2025, floods and sea-level rise displaced 6.6 million people in the Philippines. Although the national government has adopted a planned relocation policy, the specific measures taken for the Pulo Island community fell short of United Nations guidance.
Human Rights Watch researchers interviewed 35 residents of the Pulo relocation site and 9 authorities between July and August 2026, alongside analyzing satellite imagery and photogrammetry. Philippine authorities in Pampanga have threatened the safety and livelihoods of Pulo Island residents by relocating them to a low-lying area as part of a flawed flood control project,
stated Lian Buan, Southeast Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, urging the government to consult the community for a better solution.
