SEEKING THE SILVER LINING: THE NARRATIVE AND LIVED

EXPERIENCES OF SOCIAL WORKERS DURING TYPHOON

An Undergraduate Thesis

Presented to the Faculty of the

College of Arts and Sciences Education

University of Mindanao

Davao City

In Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Bachelor of

Science in Social Work

Cambalon, Jelian C.

Francisquete, Devamae L.

Gasta, Renalyn A.

March 2023
 INTRODUCTION

Social workers significantly contribute to Filipino people's lives during

disasters, especially typhoons. They know about hardship, surviving poverty,
and resilience. They also have these strengths; not only did they bear the same
conditions as other survivors, but they also assisted people every day to
reformation on the survivors of the trauma whose lives and families were
utterly devastated. According to Shokane (2019), they have a positive impact
as they encompass the survivors in their social development, helping them to
work together to recreate to build back their confidence, purpose, and dignity to
control their futures.

Last October 2019, Typhoon Hagibis made landfall in Japan during

Rugby the World Cup. Their intensive rainfall and gale-force winds caused
major floods and landslides in the central and northern regions of Japan many
people tragically lost their lives. The Japanese Government established more
than 100 evacuation centers together with social workers in response to the
tragedy, to provide assistance such as food and clothes to those who have
suffered the loss in the affected communities and individuals (Susilo, et.al,
2019).

Similarly last 2020, typhoon Quinta is one of the destructive typhoons

that landed in the Philippines and caused widespread damage in the Bicol
region. As residents manage their daily lives and work toward recovery, social
workers assist the affected communities. Social workers help with a variety of
services, including shelter for displaced families and providing counseling for
survivors who experience post-traumatic stress disorder assistance was given to
Filipino families by the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(Cudis, 2020)
 In addition in Mati City, Davao Oriental conducted a preemptive
evacuation for humans and animals has been simulated in two flood-prone
communities due to the high probability hit by typhoon Pablo in San Isidro
town last September 5, 2019. Social workers play a crucial role in communities
hit by disasters as people manage their day-to-day lives and move toward
recovery. Social workers assist with services ranging from counseling for
people facing post-traumatic stress to finding temporary housing for displaced
families and they are giving cash assistance to those families affected by the
flood in San Isidro (Golez, 2019).

The researchers aim to know the registered social workers' life

experiences during typhoons and calamities, in Davao City. Specifically, this
study seeks to answer the following questions such as, what are social workers
lived experiences and challenges during typhoons, how were they able to cope
with and sustain those problems, and what are the important lessons and
insights they have learned from their experiences. The purpose of this study is
to seek the lived experiences of social workers during typhoons. The
researchers want to know and gather information about the social experiences,
challenges, and coping mechanisms during typhoons. The purpose of this study
is to seek the lived experiences of social workers during typhoons.

The researchers shall conduct this study as this will be beneficial and
significant first, the Higher Education Institution, since this study may prompt
higher education to develop efficient programs or any student involvement
activities that will educate students about the life experience of social workers
during typhoons. Secondly, the Social Work Students, to continually improve
their preparedness and response capacity ultimately preventing and reducing
the impacts of disasters on communities. Lastly, the future researchers since
this study will serve as a guide to the students in their studies and improve
services and treatments for future generations.
 This study shall use Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory since it
focuses on how people cognitively process their social experiences and how
these cognitions influence behavior and development. It is by understanding
the processes involved in the construction of a reality that allows human
behavior to be understood, predicted, and changed (Stone, 2010). The theory
provides a framework for understanding how social workers are actively
shaped by their experiences. In particular, the theory details the processes of
observational learning and modeling, the influence of self-efficacy in
producing behavior and the individual learns by observing their environment.
Therefore, it is a good place the adoption of this theory for social work studies
(Vinny, 2019).

Moreover, this study will also be anchored the Ecological Systems

Theory by Urie Brofenbrenner. This study is great emphasis on involving
people in both the identification and the implementation of any disaster
program activities and interventions (Rakodi, 2002). Hence, this theory
explores the role played by social workers in the assessment of natural disasters
to ascertain the proper development of intervention strategies for social work
disaster management in both urban and rural areas (Zastrow, 2010). The
purpose of this study is to seek the lived experiences of the social worker
during typhoons.

METHOD

This chapter presents and exhibits the methodological process of the

study it includes the Research Design, Research Participants, Research
Instrument, Data Gathering Procedure, Data Analysis, and Ethical
Considerations.

Research Design
 According to Aspers (2019), Qualitative research uses a variety of
methods, such as intensive interviews or in-depth analysis of historical
materials. The method researchers are going to use in our study is the thematic
analysis method. The researchers chose this method because the primary
purpose of our research is to know and transcribe the lived experiences of
social workers in their field during typhoons. Also, it can help assess and
perceive benefits. According to Neubauer, et.al (2019). Phenomenology is a
form of qualitative research that focuses on the study of an individual’s lived
experiences. The researcher wants to know the results of this study of lived
experiences of social workers during typhoons.

Research Participants

The participants were recruited using sampling. This technique seeks to

identify individuals that are especially knowledgeable about their experiences
with a phenomenon of interest (Creswell, 2018). The participants of this study
are Registered Social Workers in Davao City. The researchers will interview a
total of eight (8) participants which will be done online through google meet
and researchers will use snowball sampling. According to Krichher (2018),
snowball sampling is a commonly employed sampling technique in qualitative
research, utilize in various social sciences. The participants, in turn, provide the
name of at least one more potential participant, and so on, with the sample
growing like a rolling snowball if more than one referral per participant is
provided. The participants must be 25 years old and above, male or female,
have at least two (2) years of experience in the field and must be residents of
Davao City.

Research Instrument

The primary instrument that will be use in data gathering for this study
is the interview guide questionnaire devised by the researchers. The guide
questions are formulated to enable the participants to respond directly. It
contains identifying questions to a generalized response which builds a
connection between the researcher and the participants. In this study, the
researchers will be done online interviews through Google Meet or phone calls.
The interview is a set of ordered questions carefully prepared to answer by the
participants and designed to collect facts and information and specify the level
of the participant’s statements.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher collects the data with the following steps.

First, hand a letter of permission that contains the nature of the study.
Second, the researchers will explain to the participants the goals and benefits of
the study. Third, after getting the approval to conduct the study. The
researchers approach the participants one by one and the guide interview
questionnaire was distributed. Fourth, after the online or phone call interview,
the researchers will transcribe and interpret the data from the participants using
the thematic analysis method.

Data Analysis

The thematic analysis is a data analysis of participants' experiences,

coping strategies, and lessons learned during a disaster (Benson, 2018). This
study used thematic analysis as a tool to analyze data and then gather data and
also a dual layer of interpretation. The participants' interpretation of their own
experiences and the researcher's interpretation of that narrative. According to
Alem (2020), Data analyst is part of the research which makes the result of the
study more effective. It is a process of collecting, transforming, and organizing
data with the goal of discovering the required information. Also supports the
researcher to reach a conclusion. In this method, the researcher decides which
statements provide answers to the research question, rather than trying to
provide a complete account of everything each participant said therefore,
different researchers make different analyses. In this study working together as
collaborative research partners to reflect on and analyze narrative reflections.
Ethical Considerations

There are some basic recommendations for conducting research that you
can follow. When gathering data from participants, researchers must always
abide by ethical standards (Bhandari, 2022). In the conduct of the study, the
researchers shall ensure the different aspects of ethics. First, is consent
participants shall receive consent wherein participants will decide whether to
take or decline the interview. Secondly, respect is where participants
considered their rights to decide whether they want or not involved in this
research. Third is confidentiality where the self-administered questionnaires
can potentially protect the anonymity and privacy of the respondents
contributing to the confidentiality of the responses. Fourth, the participants will
not be forced It should indicate that participants are free to participate or not
participate in the research without prejudice them. Lastly, data privacy
participants shall be free from unauthorized intrusion or release of their
personal information.
 REFERENCES

Alem, D. (2020). An Overview of Data Analysis and Interpretations in

Research.
https://www.academicresearchjournals.org/IJARER/PDF/2020/March

Aspers, P. (2019) What is Qualitative in Qualitative ResearchQual

Sociol. 2019; 42(2): 139–160.Published online 2019 Feb
27. doi: 10.1007/s11133-019-9413-7

Bandura, A. (1990). The Social Cognitive Theory Reciprocal Determinism

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-ss-151-1/chapter/learning
- approaches

Benson, P. (2018) Narrative Analysis. In The Palgrave Handbook of Applied

Linguistics Research Methodology; Springer: Berlin/Heidelberg,
Germany; pp. 595–613. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Bhandari, P. (2022). Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples.
Retrieved from. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/researchethics

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, and

mixed methods approach. Sage publications, Inc.: Thousand Oaks.
Cudis, C. (2020). Social protection during a pandemic, typhoon onslaught.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1125843?fbclid=IwAR04Ws3oRT
Golez, R. (2019). Human, Animal Preemptive Evacuation Simulated in San
Isidro Communities. https://davaooriental.gov.ph/news/disaster-
preparedness/human-animal-preemptive-evacuation-simulated-in-
san-isidro-communities/.
Krichher, J. (2018). Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples:
Recommendations from a research project on anti-dam movements in
 Southeast
Asia. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6104950/
Neubauer, B. et.al (2019) How phenomenology can help us learn from the
experiences of others.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6468135/
Rakodi, C., Jones, T. (2002) Urban LivelPeople-Centered-Centered Approach
to Reducing Poverty. London: Earthscan.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Urban+livelihoods
Stone, D. (2010). Social Cognitive Theory. The University of South Florida.
www.med.usf.edu/~kmbrown/Social_Cognitive_Theory_Overview.htm
Shokane, A. (2019).Social work assessment of climate change: Case of
disasters
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6620489/

Susilo, D., Indrasari, M., Iristian, J., & Yunus, E. (2020). Managing
Uncertainty During Disaster: Case on Typhoon Hagibis Japan. In IOP
Conference Series: Earth & Environmental Science (Vol. 519, No. 1, p.
012015). IOP Publishing.
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755

Vinney, C. (2019). Social Cognitive Theory: How We Learn From the behavior
of others.Retrieved from: https://www.thoughtco.com/social-cognitive-
theory4174567
Zastrow, C. (2010). Empowerment Series: Introduction to social work and
social welfare: Empowering people. Cengage
Learning. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?
title=Introduction+to+social+work+and+social+welfare