The past decades have seen the Philippines experience a remarkable growth in its urban population. Between 1960 and 1995, it is estimated that the urban population grew by 5 percent before slowing down to 3.1 percent in recent years. Notwithstanding the difficulties of living in overcrowded places, people continue  to migrate to urban areas in search of better employment and income opportunities. Rural-urban migration is further fueled by the indiscriminate conversion of prime agricultural lands for residential, commercial and industrial uses.