Pag-ahon at Pagbangon: A Sequential Exploratory Study on the Resiliency to Hydrological Disasters of the Informal Settlers Living in Marikina

Abstract

Resilience fortification that aims to reduce the vulnerability of the people is what constitutes the backbone of disaster risk reduction management (DRRM). Resilience is a prerequisite for individuals, especially those who are disadvantaged, so that they can recover from the shocks of disaster. Given that the Philippines ranked fourth for being the most disaster-prone country in the world, the main objective of this study is to assess the resiliency of the informal settlers living in the disaster-prone areas of Marikina, specifically in Barangay Tumana that is bisected by the Marikina river. Since the study employs a sequential-exploratory design, Key Informant Interviews were first conducted with 4 local government units officials; then phenomenological interviews were carried out with 8 residents in the identified barangay; and lastly, through the data gathered from the qualitative phase, a survey questionnaire that included the 25-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was generated and administered to 400 residents that were chosen through stratified sampling. The study found out that the keys to fortifying the resilience of the people include policies formulated for disaster risk reduction (DRR), the community participation of the residents to the programs of the barangay for DRR, and the behavioral adaptation measures employed by each individual in the community. The mean resilience score of the respondents is 78.45 out of 100, meaning on average, most of respondents are moderately resilient. Through one-way analysis of variance, it was revealed that community participation and involvement is statistically significant in relation to resiliency. The factors that strengthen the resiliency of the residents include motivation, preparedness to disasters, active community participation, and social cohesiveness. On the other hand, the main factor that weakens their resiliency is their economic difficulties.