The Philippines faces a worsening housing backlog and rising informal settlements (IFS), which negatively impact urban communities and the environment, often leading to degradation and disasters. Government housing agencies have implemented various resettlement programs to provide safe, permanent shelter for low-income and informal settler families, either as a preventive measure or in response to natural and man-made calamities. These projects are typically government-funded and built on public land designated for socialized housing often on city outskirts or rural areas where land value is at a minimum. Despite this intervention, there are nearly 115,000 units of public housing unoccupied or abandoned across the country in 2018 according to NHA. Thus, this study examines the Sense of Place (SOP) in the selected informal settlements (IFS) and relocation housing sites (RHS) as a case study in Tagum City. The data gathered through surveys and interviews with informal settlers, relocated families, and housing authorities, supplemented by site inspections. Findings reveal key factors such as livelihood opportunities, accessibility, affordability, social connections, and housing quality which strongly influence decisions to relocate, remain, or return to informal settlements despite risks. Hence the study identifies the components of SOP which are the physical, social, and economic, identifies its variables, and develops a theoretical framework to determine the SOP in both settlements. Thereby the study recommends a viable architectural program for a relocation or socialized housing that is appealing to the low-income and/or informal settler families in Tagum City, ensuring a sustainable development. The study aligns with the aspects of sustainable development goals particularly the UNSDG 11, UNSDG 8 and UNSDG 6 in ensuring inclusive access to adequate housing, basic services, and livelihood.