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

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe 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.