In October 2009, I witnessed the demolition of Kabuti, an informal settlement in Barangay Cembo in Makati City, Metro Manila. Because Kabuti was located atop a hill overlooking the highway, it was deemed a “danger zone”—an area risky for the people residing there. The local government justified its demolition in the name of its residents’ safety. The residents themselves objected to this reasoning. For them, a place in the city—largely available in areas that are neglected or considered uninhabitable—is key to finding work and improving their lives. Being relocated to the outskirts of Metro Manila means being cut off from livelihood opportunities. Hence relocated squatters often end up moving back to the city and settling in similarly precarious places. Recently, severe flooding in Metro Manila has been blamed on illegal settlements congesting waterways, thus the claim that squatters need to be relocated for their own good has become more important as a rationale for slum clearance.