Living in displacement context: Coping strategies, changing attitudes and family dynamics among Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mindanao, Philippines

The main objective of the paper is to critically examine and document the living conditions of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Marawi City. Forcibly displaced more than a year ago due to armed conflict, these IDPs managed to find their way to an unoccupied building in the outskirt of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte Province, Philippines. Results show their range of main concerns such as the supply of electricity and water, health services and medicines and more importantly, food. Disruptions on children’s schooling and most especially the discontinuation of their parents’ livelihood were also documented. The community is waiting for their “turn” to access better temporary shelters provided by the government. The study utilized key informant interview (KII) among 10 household heads (from among the 75 families living in the building). Their narratives reveal several coping strategies amidst insufficient government assistance and community feeling of isolation, the most glaring of those, is the dependency to social network, capitalizing on the social ties with relatives and friends for assistance. The IDPs admitted however that the same assistance is not enough. Additionally, the reduction of food consumption and selling of food relief packs remain unsustainable in coping with their destitute condition. Moreover, the article also touches on the consequence of their displacement context on socio-familial dynamics. © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Better meals build better family: Food and eating practice\u27s and their consequences to familial relationship among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Marawi City, Philippines

The study aimed to describe food and eating practices before and during displacement among Maranao families who were displaced due to the conflict in Marawi City in 2017. It also investigates how such food and eating practices impact their quality of family relationships. Moreover, this study aims to determine if eating and food practices and their impact on quality of relationship differ before and during displacement. More specifically, the quantitative component of the study answered the following questions: 1. Is there a significant differences in the perceived quality of \u27food and eating practices\u27 prior to conflict and during the first 3-6 months of displacement in terms of: a. meal preparation, b. during mealtime dynamics, c. after mealtime dynamics, and d. frequency of mealtime together? 2. Is there a significant difference in the perceived quality of familial relationship prior to conflict and during the first 3-6 months of displacement in terms of: a) familial communication, b) familial intimacy, and c) familial conflict? 3. Can family \u27food and eating practices\u27 influence the quality of familial relationship in the context of displacement?For queantitative research questions, the following were addressed to further elaborate the quantitative results: 1. How do IDP couples perceive their general life situation before the war and during displacement? 2. How do IDP couples describe their food and eating practices before the war and during displacement? 3.How do IDP couples perceive their quality of family relationship before the war and during displacement? 4. How do the dsiplacement experiences shape food and eating practices? 5. What are the consequences of food and eating practices to the quality of family relationship? The study used mixed method approach to examine the phenomenon under consideration. Within the nexus of displacement and food insecurity, the quantitative aspect of the study is set to accomplish two (2) things, namely: (a) compare the difference in the \u27food and eating practices\u27 and familial relationship, before displacement, and during the displacement predict the quality of familial relationship among IDPs. While the qualitative aspect of the research aimed to look at the narratives of the IDPs in the aspects of mealtime-related activites. This is done through acquiring the narratives of the participants about their (1) living conditions before displacement and during the displacement, (2) \u27food and eating practices\u27 before displacement and during displacement, and (3) the quality of familial relationship before displacement and during the displacement

Children’s Engagement in Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) Amid the Pandemic: A Predictive Analysis on the Role of Internet Access, Household Food Security, and Parental Involvement to Modular Classes

This study examines essential factors that affect children’ quality of response towards a non-traditional learning platform specifically, self-learning modules (SLMs) as Philippine public school’s mode of service-learning delivery. Our objective is to determine the predictive power of access to internet, household food security, and parental involvement on the level of students’ engagement in these modular classes amid the health crisis. Drawing online responses from parents of public-school students (n=359), our regression analysis confirms the viability of our model F(3,355) = 19.2,

Sexual intimacies in displaced environment

© 2020, © 2020 College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists. This qualitative study examined the sexual intimacies of marital partners in displaced environment. Empirical material was obtained through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 12 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) husbands. Due to conflict, they were forced to leave their communities of origin in Marawi City, in the Philippines, consequently displacing them into crowded evacuation sites and home-based accommodations. The participants were selected through purposive homogenous sampling. Transcripts were reviewed and subjected to thematic analysis. Results revealed less opportunities for sexual activities owing to unconducive environment—tight physical set-up, and presence of a number of people in the immediate surroundings. In addition, fear of pregnancy and prioritizing family’s basic needs (e.g. food) significantly discouraged couples to indulge in sexual intimacies. Despite the situation, participants were able to employ strategies to fulfill their sexual needs such as “visiting”, “timing”, and “paying” strategies. Unfulfilled sexual needs were reported to cause minor tensions between couples. However, mutual understanding and marital communication appeared to effectively mitigate the impacts. The practical implications and future research are discussed

School climate for the internally displaced children (IDPs) in Manila, Philippines

The article aims to examine the spheres which help create positive school climate suitable for the integration of internally displaced children (IDPs). The paper looks at how the experience of IDP children affects their overall school life as perceived by their own teachers. Data from this study were taken from nine (9) elementary school teachers who participated in the focus group discussion (FGD). The participants, all from a particular school in Manila, handled the IDP students as they continued their studies after displacement. Results suggest that the spheres of safety, supportive and inclusive environment have created a positive school climate for the IDP students. The paper argues that school integration of IDP children requires the positive fulfillment of these spheres. Feeling secured, being surrounded with supportive social network, and learning in inclusive environment are all non-negotiable features of a school climate that facilitates successful school integration. Results of this study provide insights as to what components have to be improved and focused on by host schools when receiving IDP school children. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

From displacement to resettlement: How current policies shape eviction narratives among urban poor in the Philippines

Purpose: This study aims to examine the experiences of urban poor relocatees in their resettlement communities, specifically those who were relocated from the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela and Quezon City areas to the province of Bulacan, Philippines. This study hopes to convey the importance of revisiting the law on socialized housing in the Philippines. Design/methodology/approach: This study gathered qualitative data through 2 focus group discussions among 28 participants who came from 3 resettlement sites in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan Province, Philippines. The resettlement areas are owned and managed by the National Housing Authority of the Philippine Government. Findings: Results show that resettlement experiences are stories of survival under impoverished conditions. Lack of housing facilities or poorly built units characterize their relocation experience aside from having no immediate access to basic utilities such as electricity and water, despite a law that supposedly secures these rights to relocatees. The expensive cost of transportation and the lack of livelihood also heavily strain the lives of the relocated population. Originality/value: This study illustrates that involuntary displacement predicts poor living conditions upon resettlement. This study is an inquiry not only of existing conditions of socialized housing in resettlement areas but also past realities of these housing communities at the onset of the displacees’ relocation. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

Exploring marine citizenship among young people in select urban and rural villages in the Philippines

This article explores the understanding of marine citizenship among young people from two villages (urban and rural) in the Philippines. The purpose of the article is to examine the differences and similarities of their attitudes toward and engagement in marine environment conservation in rural and urban contexts. Young Focus Group Discussion (FGD) participants in both villages are familiar with the concept of marine citizenship. Participants from the island barangay, however, look at the marine environment as a source of identity. Meanwhile, FGD participants from the urban barangay seemed to have a “distant” connection. However, they expressed concerns about the status of marine environment. © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

“What are they up to?”: The pre-election mindset and behavior of young Filipino voters

© 2019 RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR ALL. The article examines the young Filipino voters’ pre-election mindsets, and behavior during the campaign period in the Philippines. The study involved young voters at 17 to 25 age bracket. The respondent students (n=1018) came from different higher institutions in the greater Manila region. Data gathering was conducted two months prior to the May 2019 elections. Among others, results reveal that young Filipino voters are likely to show their support to their preferred candidates among their peers and families than in online communities. It further reveals their desire to increase the quality of campaign activities in the country and their preference to candidates who can communicate their platforms and plans for the country through public discussions and debates. While it appears, based on the results, that young voters actively seek political information on the records or history of aspiring public officials, the results also highlight their high voting independence from the recommendations of their families and religious groups. The young voters’ “elastic” voting commitment also is a positive indication of their ability to intelligently discern in the election process. The government must encourage the young’s participation in these democratic practices in the manner that makes an intelligently informed choice possible

Touch Me Please—When This Enhanced Community Quarantine is Over: Sexual Intimacies Among Pre-Marital Partners During Pandemic-Induced Lockdown

The study aims to examine the experiences of pre-marital; noncohabiting partners while coping with the Covid-19-induced lockdown. With specific focus on sexual intimacies; our interest is to investigate the degree or extent by which the pandemic has constrained people’s sexual interests and expressions with the intention to determine whether or not the overall relationship would be negatively affected by the paucity of sexual encounters. Findings drawn from online interviews involving 28 participants reveal that the pandemic has indeed affected sexual intimacy aspirations among partners; with some participants calling these times as “dry season.” For this very reason; the pandemic has also emerged as a sexual issue. Further results reveal that partners employ technology-based strategies in order to satisfy their sexual desires during these times when restrictions in movement are in place. Trust; love; communication and understanding serve also to assure partners of the integrity of the relationship. The study suggests that the loss of physical sexual encounters during lockdowns is not sufficient to result in negative relationship outcomes

“Shookt by COVID-19”: The pandemic as lived experience among young people under virus-induced lockdown in the Philippines

The article aims to describe the pandemic experience from the vantage point of the youth. We wish to uncover the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes of the youth while being under the virus-induced lockdown and examine how the whole experience shapes the way they look at the crisis. Our subjects were students of non-health related courses studying in the National Capital Region, Philippines. Findings drawn from 29 written interview participants, whose data were obtained through the internet, reveal that the pandemic is predominantly seen as a disappointing and anxiety-inducing experience. The results also indicate how the pandemic challenged the young people’s indifference towards public health prior to the pandemic. Moreover, the magnitude of the crisis stirred them to view the pandemic as something more than just strictly a medical issue. Largely dissatisfied in the way the crisis is being handled, our participants acknowledged that the disease has a socio-political dimension requiring meaningful political solutions. The youth participants remained cognizant of the indispensable part of political actors and institutions in the fight against the disease while not excusing themselves of their very own vital role. Our study suggests that, within the context of a highly concerning pandemic experience, the youth are able to engage critically in our quest to end the crisis. © RJ4All 2020