Uneven recovery: a case study of factors affecting remittance-receiving in Tacloban, Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over the last 15 years, a growing literature has suggested that remittances are important for post-disaster recovery in many developing countries. Yet, limited research has explored the complex relationships between remittance senders and receivers during and after disasters. The focus is on remittance-receiving households in Tacloban City in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. This study identifies five main factors that affect the ability of households to turn their links with migrants into remittances after disasters. These factors are (1) the households’ socio-economic class, (2) the household’s relation with the migrant, (3) the migrant’s occupation and the country they are living or working in, (4) intra-family dynamics, and (5) cultural norms. This analysis provides further evidence to illustrate that, even in the context of remitting after disasters, the power-dynamics of transnational migrant relationships are often highly complex with economic, societal and cultural factors at play.