Personal experience? I'm assuming you mean in the 40m zone? I would think govt would handle that since it's their land.

No. Of course. No, have you ever enjoyed the experience of trying to get the Philippine Government to do something for you? It depends on where you are. One expat got frustrated and bulldozed down the house. Another bribed both the government and the squatters to get them off the land. Some people have no problem bu it takes two years. Maybe you get lucky.

I lived in Lahug, Cebu, next to a squatter area for a year. I was surprised they built low to medium quality housing (tin shacks to actual dwellings with nice roofs and sides. There was little improvement while I was there, but they built a new fancy bridge, which helped traffic. They need to get very tough on encroachments, because everyone does it, and Permit Issuers get bribed to easily. So the sidewalks get blocked by parking, the streets get narrowed by people walking om the streets because the sidewalks are blocked. Not everywhere, but a lot. I bought my wife a gas tuk-tuk and she went everywhere. Get to the states and she's afraid to drive. Go figure. My wife wanted to own her own Jeepney and take her friends places. I like the look of the old style Jeepney, not the new ones.

If you buy property in the Phils, it's a good idea to walk the perimeter with someone and video it.