CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCES AND FEELINGS IN

A SELECTED EVACUATION CENTER IN

MARIKINA CITY

Maria Talitha Estrella L. Borines

Submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Family Life and Child Development
Department of FLCD
College of Home Economics
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

October 2016

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem,

research objectives, and significance of the study.

A. Background of the Study

The year 2013 was marked by major natural disasters for the Philippines as the country

bore the brunt of typhoons and a deadly earthquake that killed thousands and left billions of

pesos in damage to infrastructure and properties (Flores, 2013).

The World Disaster Report 2012 in Brussels, Belgium, ranked the Philippines as the third

most disaster prone country in the world because of its high exposure to natural calamities

(Flores, 2013). According to the Natural Disaster Risk Management in the Philippines

(NDRMP), due to a combination of factors - the Philippines is at the junction of several tectonic

plate boundaries, as well as being in an area of frequent tropical cyclones - the nation is

unusually susceptible to natural hazards, with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones,

and floods being the most catastrophic hazards (Natural Disaster Risk Management in the

Philippines: Enhancing Poverty Alleviation Through Disaster Reduction, n.d.).

Storms and floods are the major types of disasters in the Philippines, both in terms of

frequency and the number of people affected. (Natural Disasters in the Philippines, 2011).

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA), in 2013, a total 25 of tropical cyclones entered the country,

surpassing the average of 19 to 20 cyclones annually (Flores, 2013). However, earthquakes

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and volcanic eruptions, while more dramatic, are infrequent (Natural Disasters in the

Philippines, 2011).

In recent years, floods have become more frequent and of increasing severity

resulting to loss of lives, injury, homelessness, and damage to infrastructure and the

environment. Their impact has been widespread, affecting critical sectors such as education

and agriculture (Third World Water Forum: Poverty and Floods, 2003).

According to the National Mapping Resource and Information Agency (NAMRIA),

102 areas in the Philippines are in danger of being submerged in floodwaters. Many are

located near river systems which are mostly low-lying and are vulnerable to flashfloods during

heavy rains and high tide. The areas in Metro Manila have all these characteristics (Almario,

1992). Zoleta-Nantes (2000) explained that the physical characteristics of Metro Manila make

it prone to flooding. The lack of comprehensive planning and program implementation that

addresses the infrastructure needs of the metropolis is very evident; this is compounded by

rapid urbanization, encroachment of informal settlers in riverbanks, and the placement of

major roads and buildings (Flood Hazards in Metro Manila. Recognizing Commodities,

Differences, and Course of Action).

During disasters or natural calamities, evacuation is one of the pre-disaster

responses that ensures people’s safety and security (Philippines: Establishment of permanent

evacuation centers sought, 2014). In the event of a flood, families are sent to the nearest

evacuation center where they spend weeks or months, depending on the severity of the flood.

Evacuation centers are existing buildings used as “temporary shelter for the displaced

population in the event of natural disasters or conflict” (Camp Coordination and Camp

Management Cluster [CCMC], 2010, p.1). These may include public school buildings,

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hospitals, factories, religious buildings, government buildings, and community centers.

Among these transitional structures, school buildings are commonly used due to their number

and accessibility. Furthermore, they are authorized by the Philippine government for that

purpose (Department of Education [DepED], 2006).

For families living in flood-prone areas, a massive displacement of residents always

happen at the onslaught of flood. Many families immediately evacuate whenever there is a

typhoon and warning of a possible flood. However, while children have been identified as a

vulnerable sub group, especially those who live in flood-prone areas, little research has sought

to understand children’s experiences in evacuation centers.

From the many onslaughts of flood that our country has gone through the past few

years, the researcher is aware that thousands of children have directly experienced the force

and damage of flood. This brought about the curiosity of the researcher on children’s

experiences and feelings in evacuation centers. Children are a diverse group and their

information and opinions related to their experiences and feelings in the evacuation centers

are many and may be varied. Thus, looking into their experiences, people will come to know

more about how they interpret and understand their world especially during times of disasters

(Greene and Hill, 2005).

B. Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to identify children’s experiences and feelings in a selected

evacuation center in Marikina City. Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What do six-to-eight-year-old children experience in the evacuation center in

the event of a flood?

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 2. What do six-to-eight-year-old children feel in the evacuation center in an event

of a flood?

3. What do six-to-eight-year-old children expect to see in an evacuation center in

response to these experiences and feelings?

C. Research Objectives

The specific objectives of the study are the following:

1. To describe the experiences of six-to-eight-year-old children in the evacuation

center in an event of a flood;

2. To determine the feelings of six-to-eight-year old-children in the evacuation

center in an event of a flood;

3. To identify what six-to-eight-year-old children expect to see in an evacuation

center in response to these experiences and feelings.

D. Significance of the Study

It is envisioned that the output of this study can aid in designing programs for young

children who seek refuge in evacuation centers in the event of a flood.

For the Department of Family Life and Child Development (FLCD), College of Home

Economics of the University of the Philippines (UP), the study may be beneficial in

conducting seminars, for both parents and teachers, in addressing the concerns their children

experience after the flood and in anticipation of flood during rainy season. With a better

understanding of children’s experiences and feelings in the evacuation areas, the Department

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may develop a program for professional teachers, parents, and caregivers working with

children after a disastrous flood.

For administrators and teachers, this study may encourage them to include flood

awareness and preparedness in school programs. This will help teachers encourage children

to talk about their experiences during their stay in the evacuation centers. In dealing with

lessons from flood, teachers can use real-life examples to teach math, weather, geography,

social studies, and values. Classroom activities could help in the healing process after a

disaster. Hence, through these activities, children will be able to share their experiences and

hardships. As Lee (1999) stated, a crisis can open individuals to new learning, and teachers

may be presented with the ultimate teachable moment.

For the parents, this study may serve as a guide in helping them make their children’s

stay in the evacuation center comfortable and in providing ways to support the children during

these difficult times.

For the health and social services sector, the study may aid them by providing the

necessary information needed for the children’s psychosocial therapy to help the children cope

with the psychological effects of flooding. Decisions regarding the level and timing of

appropriate care require careful clinical judgment. This study will support the recognition that

formal intervention is appropriate until sometime after the event. In the interim, appropriate

support and advice, along with careful monitoring, should be administered to children.

For policy makers, this study may serve as a basis for forming a Municipal Ordinance

regarding Disaster Preparedness Program focusing on young children. In collaboration with

the Department of FLCD, College of Home Economics of UP, government and non-

government organizations working with young children, each barangay can spearhead a mini

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day-care center in each evacuation center to gather young children in the event of an

evacuation. The policy will include provision of teachers trained in disaster response for

young children. The policy, if passed, will promote effective course of action in making

children’s time in evacuation centers fruitful and meaningful. Also, the researcher hopes that

this study will contribute as a step towards designing an evacuation center, in collaboration

with Department of Clothing, Textile, and Interior Design (CTID), College of Home

Economics of UP that will make children’s stay safe and comfortable. Furthermore, this

research may be of aid to the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN), College of

Home Economics of UP in making children’s stay in the evacuation happy and comfortable

by preparing healthy and nutritious meal.

According to Rodriguez (2008), children are the most vulnerable among all sectors,

yet their needs are also the least attended to in current aid programs. Through this study, it is

proposed, that rights of children may be more effectively protected especially during times of

disaster.

By undertaking this study, the researcher hopes to include young children’s voices and

opinions in wider dialogues on children’s rights so that teachers, parents, policy-makers, and

the community of service providers to young children, will carefully consider children’s rights

from various perspectives.

The experiences of children in evacuation centers and their feelings will bring

important messages and advice to all these key stakeholders and the local communities.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In this chapter, related literature and studies are cited to reinforce and support the

study. There are five major components in this chapter: (1) Developmental Characteristics of

Six-to-Eight-Year-Old Children; (2) Theories of Development; (3) Experiences of Children;

(4) Children’s Drawings; and (5) Evacuation Centers in the Philippines.

A. Developmental Characteristics of Six-to-Eight-Year-Old Children

Physical Development

Berk (2005) stated that physical development deals with the growth in body size,

improvements in motor coordination and perception. Whereas the child’s physical

development during the early childhood is marked by large growth spurts, during the early

school years it is rather gradual and constant (Ackermann, 2004). According to Gordon

(2010), by six to eight years of age, development of most motor skills has been accomplished.

Moreover, Gordon (2010) added that these years form the foundation for movement and motor

proficiency. Furthermore, Ackermann (2004) emphasized that children at these ages have

better control of their large muscles than their small muscles. They are mastering their

physical skills and enjoying testing their muscle strength, skills and coordination.

Berk (2005) stated that during six to eight years of age, gross motor skills such as

running, jumping, hopping, and ball skills are more refined. Moreover, they have greatly

improved in their balance, flexibility, agility, and force. Ackermann (2004) supported these

findings by stating that children at this age are strong, mobile, and agile and they like to share

many activities with others. Their body awareness and perceptuo-motor integration continue
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to increase, and so does their sense of balance, both static and dynamic. Six-to-eight-year-

olds readily engage with grown-ups in everyday activities and want to be taken seriously.

Also, advances in fine motor skills are also apparent in their writing and drawing. Berk (2005)

cited that during middle childhood, children’s writings are legible and their drawings

illustrates dramatic improvements in organization, detail, and representation.

Cognitive Development

Ackermann (2004) explained that the age of six to eight years mark the beginning of

Piaget’s stage of concrete operations. Children think about things that were previously acted

out, and make “logical” conclusions in their head. As the attribution of animistic qualities to

inanimate objects lessens, the thinking becomes less “egocentric.” These children develop a

clearer understanding of cause and effects, and spatiotemporal events.

According to Berk (2005), as they reach the stage of concrete operations, children

make massive growth in their understanding of what makes something else happen (cause and

effect) and what comes next in a series of events (temporal ordering). Moreover,

understanding causality requires a child to lessen his or her egocentric perception of the world

which, according to Piaget, happens through a gradual socialization of thinking or

sociocentrism (Abling and Gabriel, 2010). Furthermore, Ackermann (2004) states that all of

a sudden, their understanding moves from magical to logical, from egocentric to de-centered

or “objective.” The children now have a sense of necessity that things “ought” to happen in

certain ways. As the child’s cognitive skills increase he matures in his capability to understand

people and the events that happen around him. This ability would make him function

independently (Bright Future Middle Childhood 5 – 10 years old, 2001).

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Socio-emotional Development

According to Berk (2005), during the middle childhood, children are able to

distinguish the thoughts and feelings of others. They are able to put themselves in another’s

place. They are able to demonstrate empathy and compassion. The same author has also

mentioned that children at these ages are good in distinguishing and responding to their own

feelings and they are also able to recognize the thoughts and feelings of others. Ackermann

(2004), supports this statement when she stated that it is during these ages when children

understand and empathize with others.

Diversity of emotional experiences is now being felt by children under these ages. As

stated by Berk (2005), by age eight, children are now aware that they can experience more

than one emotion at a time, each of which may differ in valence (positive versus negative). A

child may feel sad and happy at the same time.

Children at these ages can come up with ways to handle emotionally arousing

situations (Berk, 2005). Behavioral techniques such as reading and watching television are

some of the ways to distract them from negative emotions.

Ripke, Huston, and Eccles (2008) mentioned that compared with the cognitive and

academic outcomes in the middle childhood, children’s social behavior and emotional well-

being are more strongly related to parents interaction with them, including the quality of

discipline that was imposed on them.

Six-to-eight-year-old children are inclined to engage in more interactions with their

peers. This is supported by Berk (2005), when she stated that school-aged children desire

group belongingness. Ripke et al. (2008) supported Berk’s statement when they stated that it

is during these ages that peers become increasingly important. They are beginning to build

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and understand friendships and want to be accepted by peers. Friends that children may have

at these ages may live in the same neighborhood and are most commonly of the same sex

(DeBord, n.d.).

Language Development

According to Russian researcher Lev Vygotsky, language stems from social

interactions in which the need to communicate drives development. Using Vygotsky’s

framework, six- to -eight-year-olds are often quite chatty, telling jokes, expressing ideas, and

making more extended comments on situations and events. They begin a time of rapid

vocabulary expansion, learning five to ten new words a day. Berk (2005) supported this

statement when she explained that the vocabulary of children at six years old reaches 14,000

words and this more than doubles, reaching about 30,000 words during elementary years and

young adulthood. Moreover, children at six to eight years of age give very concrete

descriptions to refer to functions and appearance. This statement was supported by

Sonnenchein (1986), when he conferred that children at these ages are better at increasing the

detail of their descriptions of objects and of the things that are happening around them (Berk,

2005).

The school-aged period is characterized by the enhancement of language skills. Abling

and Gabriel (2010) supported this statement by explaining that children belonging to this stage

engage in more meaningful and effective communications with others. Berk (2005) believes

in the same thing and expounds that six-to-eight-year-old children like to engage in

conversations, and are willing and able to exchange ideas and opinions.

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 Six-to-eight-year-old children’s ability to speak and express themselves develop

rapidly. This is expounded by Berk (2005) when she stated that children at this age think and

understand more complex concepts which make them want to express more complex ideas.

They are better at interacting socially with their peers and adults and their desire to be part of

adult conversations and behave more like adults is also increasing.

Given these characteristics, the researcher has gained an understanding of the

developmental characteristics of six-to-eight-year-old children. Their development at these

stages adds to the knowledge that children are capable of being aware of what transpires

around them through their physical, cognitive, language, and socio-emotional experiences.

B. Theories of Development

The intellectual skills or patterns of thinking that a child exhibits are not mainly

determined by inherent factors, specifically, inherited intelligence or mental abilities. Instead,

patterns and stages of thinking are products of the activities lived out in the social institutions

of culture in which the child grows up. The researcher made use of two theories to support

the study.

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Cognitive Theory

Russian developmentalist Lev Vygotsky (1896-1734) argued that children actively

construct their knowledge. Vygotsky’s theory is a sociocultural cognitive theory that

emphasizes how culture and social interaction guide cognitive development (Santrock, 2009).

Vygotsky emphasized that children actively construct their knowledge and

understanding. In Vygotsky’s theory, children are far more often described as social creatures.

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They develop their ways of thinking and understanding primarily through social interaction.

Their cognitive development is governed by the tools given by society, and their minds are

molded by the cultural context in which they live (Cole & Gajdamaschko, 2007; Holzman,

2008, as cited in Santrock, 2009).

According to Thomas (1992), the history of the society in which a child is reared, and

the child’s own developmental history in terms of his experiences in that society, are both

extremely important in fashioning the ways the child will be able to think. Furthermore,

advanced modes of thought-conceptual thinking must be transmitted to the child by means of

words, so language becomes a critical tool for deciding how children learn to think.

Vygotsky’s theory of development pictures children engaging in activities and, from

this engagement, constructing the context of their minds. Thus, thinking does not initially

create action; instead, action creates thought (Thomas, 1992). Intellectual development is the

process of children’s internalizing the outcome of their communication with the environment.

According to Gordon (2010), in Vygotsky’s theory, adults teach socially valued skills

at a very early stage; children’s knowledge is, therefore, relatively influenced by what their

social world values. One way he explained this was by his theory of Zone of Proximal

Development. If significant learning occurs in a social context, the learning is interpersonal

and active and depends on who and how much a child’s experiences interaction with others.

Initially, it is the family that is part of the child’s Zone of Proximal Development. The family

shares and develops cooperative dialogue with the child. The shared connections in the child’s

Zone of Proximal Development can also include the teacher. Finally, the older peers can be

part of child’s learning in this sociocultural theory.

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Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model

Developmentalists have offered various range of approaches to help people understand

the environmental factors that affect the lives of children. Ecological theorists assert that we

can explain a child’s behavior if we know his current environment (Thomas, 1992). One of

the most extensively used Ecological theory is the one created by Urie Bronfenbrenner.

Bronfenbrenner (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006) has illustrated the child’s developmental

ecology in his Bioecological Model, an explanatory and theoretical framework describing the

impact of social attachments that extend across the child’s social ecology, providing distinct

types of support and guidance throughout the developmental process and creating a solid

foundation for coping with a variety of life challenges. When threatened by a disaster or other

trauma, the child depends on these attachments, beginning with the parent-child relationship

and extending outward in the Bioecological Model toward social bonds with others at the

community and societal level (Charuvastra & Cloitre, 2008).

Bronfenbrenner defines Ecological theory as

The scientific study of the progressive mutual, accommodation

between an active, growing human and the changing properties of the
immediate settings in which the developing human lives, as this
process is affected by relations between those settings, and by the larger
contexts in which the settings are embedded (Bronfebrenner, 1979, as
cited in Thomas, 1992, p. 439).

According to Boon, Cottrell, King, Stevenson, Robert, and Millar (2012),

Bronfenbrenner’s theory holds that the development of a human being mirrors the influence

of several environment systems. The children belong to numerous and diverse groups,

systems, and communities that interact with each other to influence development. Figure 1

shows the diagram that Bronfenbrenner has positioned among the elements of his definition.

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Figure 1. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model (http://www.bioecological
model.com)

The first layer encompassing the child and the setting in which he lives is the

Microsystem. Within Microsystems are the individuals and groups with whom the child

interacts directly and on a regular basis including, for example, parents, close friends, role

models, and teachers (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006). Children are dependent upon these

significant others to meet their basic every day needs. This is supported by Santrock (2009)

when he stated that the child is not a passive recipient of experiences in these settings, but

someone who helps construct the settings.

Although the family is the principal context in which human development takes place,

it is but one of several settings in which developmental process can and do occur

(Bronfenbrener, 1986). Furthermore, the processes operating in different settings are

dependent on each other. The term Mesosystem comprises the interrelations among two or

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more settings in which the developing person actively participates, such as for a child, the

relations among home, school, and neighborhood peer group (Bronfenbrenner, 2006). For

instance, children’s experiences in the classroom on any given day are typically affected by

their impressions of their parents and their peers (Thomas, 1992).

The psychological development of children in the family is affected not only by what

happens in other environments in which their children spend their time but also by what occurs

in other settings in which their parents live their lives (Bronfenbrenner, 1986). In the

Exosystem, the settings do not involve the developing person as an active participant, but the

events that occur in those setting affect the developing person.

Finally, the source of influence most distant from the children’s experience is the range

of attitudes, practices, and convictions shared throughout society in general. The Macrosystem

involves the culture in which the child lives. Culture refers to the behaviors, patterns, beliefs,

and all other products of a group of people that are passed from generation to generation

(Santrock, 2009). As Boon et al. (2012) stated in their journal, Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological

theory for modeling community resilience to natural disasters, the interplay among these

nested environments within the social ecology is active and interactive, with the component

parts responding and adjusting across tragedies and triumphs.

The implications of these theories are that children are greatly influenced by their

social interactions with their parents, adults, peers, and their observation of their world.

C. Experiences of Children

According to Greene and Hill (2005), experience is the fact of being consciously the

subject of a state or of being consciously affected by an event. Children’s perspectives on or

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views about issues and events can be seen as a subset of the wider enterprise that is aimed at

understanding children’s experience of the world.

Children of all ages, in all cultures, know important things about life and the world.

Their knowledge is based on experiences of love, trust, and justice and also of dislike,

disrespect, and unfairness (Sargeant and Harcourt, 2012). Even though relationships with

significant adult, such as parents and teachers, are very important for emerging insights and

abilities about children and childhood, the child encounters the world on their own (Sargeant

and Harcourt, 2012). Children’s experience is a part in the development of their outlook in

life, but more than that, it is about the entirety of their subjective engagement with humanity.

Knowledge about what life is all about is shaped through experiences understood and

made sense of by the child himself. This means that the child bears knowledge that is not

previously known by anyone else. According to Lloyd-Smith and Tarr (2000), the meanings

that the children attach to their experiences are not necessarily the meanings that their teachers

or parents would ascribe. This statement is supported by Sargeant and Harcourt (2012) when

they stated that we can expect the child has something to tell, something that is only available

through their voice.

Mayall (2002) discussed that the sociology of childhood conceptualizes children as

active and competent beings and key witnesses to their own lives. This is supported by

Archards (2004), when he stressed that each child can provide insights into our current

understanding about children, how they mature, their processes of cognitive and emotional

development, and their place in the world as influenced by their experience and physical

environment (Sargeant and Harcourt 2012). The existence of children and their description of

their own experiences is a vital element in understanding their world. This statement is

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strengthened by Kagan when he commented, “The person’s interpretation of experience is

simultaneously most significant product of an encounter and the spur to the next.” (Kagan,

1984, p. 279). It can be argued that without some kind of access to the person’s experience,

we have a very incomplete account, from a scientific perspective, of what it is that causes any

person, adult or child, to act as they do (Greene and Hill, 2005). Understanding the lived

experiences of children will motivate us to find out how they interpret, negotiate, and feel

about their daily lives. Hence, valuing children’s experiences will assist us in exploring how

children learn and how they perceive life as they see it through their eyes.

According to Cohen and Naimark (1991), the perception that children’s subjective

experiences should be better valued and understood is reflected in recent international policy

changes particularly in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. There is

considerable consensus that the convention, adopted in 1989, reflects the unprecedented value

of the subjective worlds of children and for their right to be consulted and taken seriously.

Children’s right to hold and express personal beliefs is contained in Articles 12, 13, and 14 of

the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 14 bears the greatest

relevance since it reflects the principle that the child’s own views should be respected and

should be listened to:

State parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming

his or her own views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views
of the child be given due weight, in accordance with the age and
maturity of the child. (Cohen and Naimark, 1991, p. 183).

On the other hand, attitudes of suspicion towards children’s capacities remain

widespread. For a long time, people have taken children for granted by believing that children

have nothing of value to tell about their lives and that adults understand much adults

understand better and know what is good for and how events affect children. As Langsted has
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asked with respect to the paucity of research on children’s perspectives on early childhood

services: “Is anyone interested in the kind of daily life the children want? Does anyone regard

children as experts when it comes to their own lives?” (Langsted, 1994, p. 29). Furthermore,

Greene and Hill (2005) have explained that children’s views are often observed as simply

learned or mimicked response. It is perceived that when you listen to children’s voices, you

hear their parent’s voices as well. Children in most societies are valued for their potential and

for what they will grow up to be but they are devalued in terms of their present perspectives

and experiences. It is presumed that they cannot convincingly and consistently supply

information about events or experiences. Younger children are seen as unreliable reporters

even of their own experience that we seldom ask them about their own perspectives.

Donaldson (1978) argued that we often confuse children’s language ability with their

general intellectual ability and when we attempt understand children, we find them more

competent than we expected (Hogan, 2005). Furthermore, recent findings about children’s

abilities dispute the premise that children are not sufficiently capable to report on their own

experience. In addition, Ceci and Bruck (2005) contended that researchers are now finding

that young children can give accurate accounts of personally experienced events. This study

is supported by the statement of Christensen and Prout (2005) that children came to be seen

as much more active in the process of cultural learning as interpreters and creators of meaning

rather than simply absorbing what adults say. They are far from being seen as passive subjects

in social structures and processes, instead they are seen as active in the construction and the

determination of their social lives and active in the lives of other people around them and the

societies which they live. Also, as Hogan (2005) stated that children can remember accurately

when they are freely allowed to recall the details of events they have personally experienced.

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School-aged children are better able to recall, although they are still very sensitive to

contextual suggestions and particularly to their interpretation of the investigator’s

expectations (Garbarino & Scott, 1992).

Overcoming children’s invisibility and muteness in sociology and anthropology has

involved attempting to construct a more detailed and complex account of the social life of

children. It has required suspending taken-for-granted notions about children (Greene and

Hill, 2005).

D. Children’s Drawings

Children’s drawings are increasingly being used as a means of researching children’s

experiences (Veale, 2005). Drawing, as a creative method of research, draws on inventive

and imaginative processes and can serve as a constructivist tool to assist research participants

to describe and analyze their experiences (Veale, 2005). A number of researchers have

recognized the potential contribution of drawing as a research process that offers a

representation of children’s worldview (Golomb, 1992). According to an article written by

art therapist Malchiodi, drawing is an activity that taps a variety of senses--tactile, visual, and

kinesthetic--in ways that verbal processing alone does not (Using drawing as intervention with

traumatized children, 2001). Drawing is particularly useful in trauma intervention because it

facilitates children’s ability to verbalize their experiences and encourages the expression of

emotionally-laden events more successfully than talking alone.

Gross and Haynes (1998) conducted a series of studies to explore how and if drawing

facilitated verbal reports in children, supporting the premise that drawing does indeed appear

to enhance children’s communication of feelings and perceptions. In their initial investigation,

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they compared two groups of children: one group talked about their experiences while they

drew and another who were simply asked to tell about their experiences. Children who were

given the opportunity to draw while talking about their experiences reported more information

than the children who were merely asked to talk. A second experiment was conducted to

examine children who were interviewed with both procedures; it also revealed that children

do report more when asked to draw. These researchers hypothesized that drawings are helpful

adjuncts to increasing verbal reports and may reduce anxiety and help the child feel more

comfortable with the interviewer. Drawing may help in prompting children to tell more than

they would during a solely verbal interview (Gross & Haynes, 1998).

E. Evacuation Centers in the Philippines

Disasters leave many people homeless. Temporary shelters, in some ways, provide a

measure of comfort and safety for the victims. The following researches are vital to the study

since this is the location wherein the children amassed their experiences and feelings.

The provision of adequate temporary shelters is of invaluable importance during

cataclysmic times (NDRRMP 2011-2028). Evacuation centers are existing buildings used as

“temporary shelter for the displaced population in the event of natural disasters or conflict”

(CCCM Cluster, 2010, p.1). Apart from being evacuation centers, these places serve as the

distribution center of donated consumer goods. The municipal government allocates packs of

goods composed of rice, noodles, canned goods, coffee, sugar, bottled water, and biscuits.

Cooked foods were also apportioned to the evacuees (Distribution of relief goods continues

in Isabela evacuation centers, 2011).

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 In the Philippines, school buildings are commonly used for evacuation centers because

they are among the best constructed buildings in the community. According to Duran (2013),

school buildings are used as evacuation centers due to their quantity and accessibility. Thus

they are able to provide vital protection against natural disasters. Moreover, the Philippine

government has made a directive for all public schools to function as evacuation centers in

times of calamity (DepEd, 2006). However, lawmakers have urged the government to stop

using public schools as evacuation centers during calamities and instead construct more

permanent structures. According to the article Philippines: Establishment of Permanent

Evacuation Centers in the Country Pushed (2014), these permanent evacuation centers should

be located in safe areas and constructed with internationally acceptable standards which can

be used as safe havens in the country. In some cases, basketball courts, gymnasiums, and

parks are also converted into evacuation centers to accommodate displaced families.

According to an article written by Lozada (2013), during Typhoon Maring that hit

Metro Manila in August 2013, evacuees transform classrooms into makeshift bedrooms

(Evacuation and relief. The life of a Marikina family). Typically, 12 families or about 55

persons crowd in a seven by seven meter classroom. Evacuees are cramped at a density of one

person in less than one square meter space, way below the recommended standard of the

World Health Organization (WHO) which is about 3.5 square meters absolute minimum floor

space per person. This would be about 20 persons per regular classroom in the Philippines.

However, Ortega et al. (2006), stated that this standard is often difficult to achieve. Because

of which, overcrowding and strains to privacy, health and sanitation problems, lack of food,

and missed income opportunities are among the evacuees’ concerns. In the aftermath of

natural disasters and with the setting up of evacuation centers, the risks for the spread of

23
communicable diseases also increase. Congestion in most evacuation centers puts at risk the

evacuees, especially the pregnant women, the disabled, senior citizens, and the children who

are the most vulnerable in times of disasters (Philippines: Establishment of permanent

evacuation centers in the country pushed, 2014). Dr. Shin Yong-Soo, Regional Director of

WHO has reported that because of the experiences these people in evacuation centers have

gone through, they are prone to feel distress and anxiety (The World Health

Organization/Philippines: WHO warns of emotional burnout in the wake of Philippine flood,

2009).

According to an article written by Whaley (2011), as death toll from flash floods

soared, the Philippine government turned their attention to survivors and the threat of diseases

in crowded evacuation centers (Disease poses new threat crowded evacuation centers raise

concern after flash flood). This statement is supported by the Department of Health (DOH)

when they said that sick people in evacuation centers have complained of acute respiratory

infection, fever, skin diseases, minor injuries, and diarrhea (Some 2,000 people sicken in

Philippine flood evacuation centers, 2012). DOH is providing public health services to ensure

adequate and safe water supply, toilet facilities, and proper waste disposal in all evacuation

centers (Whaley, 2011).

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) saw that children live

in extremely different circumstances as a result of disaster and its associated problems. Thus,

it is encouraging all day-care workers to conduct supervised neighborhood play sessions with

children zero-to-six-years-old in evacuation centers. This is to promote the welfare of children

while they are in evacuation centers. The Supervised Neighborhood Play Program is a

neighborhood community-based Early Childhood Care Development (ECCD) for children

24
ages six years and below. It utilizes play as an approach in providing early stimulation

activities that are developmentally appropriate for each target areas of the children in the

community (Philippines: DSWD promotes supervised neighborhood play in evacuation areas,

2011).

Despite the efforts of the local government, conditions in the evacuation centers are

often difficult most especially for children. According to an article released by the DSWD,

the department will continue to boost the establishment of functional child-friendly spaces

inside the evacuation centers to oversee the welfare of children. The DSWD Secretary

Corazon J. Soliman, said that these child-friendly spaces and temporary day-care centers in

the evacuation centers were put up to make sure that these most vulnerable sector (children)

are properly protected (Philippines: DSWD to continue establishing functional child-friendly

spaces in Zamboanga’s evacuation centers, 2013).

While evacuation centers are an option of last resort, they are sometimes the only

choice for the temporary provision of protection and assistance to displaced populations

forced to flee their homes due to natural disaster or conflict. In the NDRRMP 2011-2028, an

evacuation center is considered as a “temporary home for people, it is also a place of safety

for sources of livelihoods and important valuables to find refuge in times of trouble”. One

goal of NDRRMP is to “provide life preservation and meet the basic subsistence needs of

affected population based on the acceptable standards during or immediately after the

disaster” (NDRRMP 2011-2028, p. 9). One of the outcomes that is expected in this plan is

that the evacuation centers or temporary shelters are adequately attended to.

Table 1 shows the listed outputs and their corresponding activities (NDRRMP 2011-

2028).

25
Table 1. Output and Corresponding Activities in the Evacuation Center in the
Philippines (DSWD, Ph.).
Operational Timeline
Outputs Activities 1-7 1-3 Beyond 3
Days Months Months
1. All evacuees are 1.1 Identification of
sheltered in standard-based relief
adequately equipped shelters and sites.
facilities for all 1.2 Provision of tents and
(including lactating other temporary shelter
mothers) facilities.
X X
1.3. Implement set of
standard for temporary
shelters.
1.3. Implement set of
standard for temporary
shelters.
2. Child-friendly 2.1 Establishment of
spaces or temporary child-friendly spaces/
learning area in the temporary learning are
X X
evacuation area for in the evacuation center
continuing of for continuity of
education. education
3. Safety of the 3.1 Provide spaces for
sources of livelihood people’s livestock,
X X
of the people. poultry and pets in the
evacuation center.
4. Increased and 4.1 Conduct livelihood-
diversified people’s oriented activities for X X
livelihood skills internally displaced
persons

The lead agency to conduct these activities is the Department of Social Welfare and

Development (DSWD), with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Civil Society

Organizations (CSO), Department of Education (DepEd), Local Government Units (LGU),

Non-Government Organizations (NGO), Non-Profit Organizations (NPO), and the Philippine

National Police (PNP) as implementing partners (NDRRRMP, 2008).

When disastrous flood arrives, many volunteers are willing to help in the evacuation

centers. According to DSWD Secretary Soliman, in this current crisis, volunteers play a big
26
role in helping in the evacuation centers, food giving distribution, counseling services,

medical assistance, and other services to the evacuees (DSWD, 2013).

In the article of DSWD (2013), teacher volunteers from different schools are holding

special classes in the evacuation centers (Philippines: DSWD to Continue Functional Child-

friendly Spaces in Zamboanga’s Evacuation Centers). According to Hadjirul, a kindergarten

teacher, “It is a big help to the children when they undergo activities that will lessen or make

them forget the trauma they have experienced” (DSWD, 2013, p. 5).

In another article of DSWD, couple volunteers Joey and Lorna Eguia conducted

storytelling and reading sessions for children in the evacuation centers managed by DSWD.

The couple believed that through Story and Play Therapy Sessions, they would hasten the

healing of children, inspire them more to read and transform their lives (Couple Conducts

Storytelling for Kids in Evacuation Centers, 2013).

In Belgrade, Serbia, the United Nation International Children’s Emergency Fund

(UNICEF) has equipped child-friendly spaces with didactic materials, books, and toys.

Psycho-social volunteers were sent to provide counseling, creative workshops, and warm and

accepting environment to relieve the evacuees of their stress and tension. The volunteers made

it possible for the children to enjoy their playtime and games, to relate to each other, and to

get to know each other. The volunteers also asked the children to draw and do creative work

UNICEF continues to provide assistance to help children overcome crisis situation with as

few consequences as possible (Kovacevic, UNICEF, 2014).

While a vast number of literature detail on the impact of flood to children, very few

have been published locally about children’s experiences and feelings in evacuation centers

specifically among six-to-eight-year-old children. There is undoubtedly a dearth of research

27
asking children to depict their own feelings and behaviors or to evaluate the services provided

to them.

The developmental characteristics of six-to-eight-year-old children explained in this

chapter aid in the understanding of how children acquire knowledge of what occurs around

them through the experiences that they go through. The two theories of development, namely,

Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model were

used to support the study. The Sociocultural Theory explains how culture and social

interaction guide cognitive development and Bronfenbrenner’s Theory expounds on how

environmental factors affect children’s lives.

Articles, journals, and theses on children’s experiences were utilized to help in

comprehending how children understand their world and how they perceive the things that

occur around them through their eyes.

Studies on children’s drawings help in understanding how children view their world.

Drawings are helpful in increasing verbal reports and make the child feel comfortable while

being interviewed. Researches reveal that drawings help children to convey more than

interview alone.

Studies on evacuation centers aid in recognizing the grim realities that happen inside

the evacuation center and the government’s actions to these lessen these problems.

28
 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH DESIGN

This chapter presents the conceptual framework, definition of terms, scope, and

delimitations of this study.

A. Research Framework

Conceptual Framework

The independent variables are the participants’ ages that rely on the dependent

variables which are the experiences and feelings of children and what children expect to see

in an evacuation center. The line that connects the independent variable to the dependent

variable shows that the results will be reliant on the latter. The experiences and feelings of

children in an evacuation center and what they expect to see in an evacuation center vary

with children of different ages. Figure 1 shows the graphical representation of the variables

used for the study.

Six-to-Eight-Year-Old
Children
Children in a
• residents of
Selected Evacuation
Barangay Tumana
Center in Marikina
• currently studying
City
• have previous
• Experiences
experience in the
• Feelings
evacuation center not
• What children
more than three
expect to see in an
months at the time of
evacuation center
this study due to a
flood disaster
Evacuation Center
Figure 1. Graphical Representation of Children’s Experiences and Feelings in a
Selected Evacuation Center in Marikina City

29
Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarity, the study used the following operational definitions:

1. Children – Six-to-eight-year-old male and female Filipino children of Barangay

Tumana, Marikina City, who are currently studying, who belong to low-income

families and who have previous experiences in an evacuation center, not more than

three months at the time of this study.

2. Experience – In this study, this refers to children’s perspectives, views, thoughts, and

feelings during their stay in the evacuation center in times of disastrous flood.

3. Feelings – The emotions that children feel while they were in the evacuation center in

an event of a disastrous flood.

4. Recommendations – Refers to what children expect to see in the evacuation center

such as people and things that would make their stay happy and comfortable.

5. Evacuation Center – Refers to the H. Bautista Elementary School, a public school

that served as a transitional facility that was used to temporarily house displaced

participants and their families to protect them from natural elements.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

The study focused on children’s experiences and feelings in the evacuation center. It

was limited to six-to-eight-year-old Filipino children who experienced the same flood disaster

and were at this age during their stay in the evacuation center. The children are currently

studying. At this age, children are advanced in verbal skills compared to younger children.

These children and their families are residents of Barangay Tumana, Marikina City, who

normally seek shelter in H. Bautista Elementary School whenever there is flood. The study is

30
narrowed down to flood disaster as it is the most recurrent natural disaster experienced in

Metro Manila.

Barangay Tumana, Marikina City is one of the flood-prone areas in the metropolis.

This place was specifically chosen due to numerous incidences of flood disaster since this is

near the Marikina River. The study involved one-on-one interview of these children. Thirty

participants were identified to answer interview questions. The interview intended to

determine children’s experiences and feelings in the evacuation center. The study was limited

to the use of interviews and drawings that elicited from the children their experiences and

feelings in the evacuation centers. The study was also time constrained since the most recent

typhoon occurred on December 9, 2014, two months before the gathering of data started.

The study focused on children from urban areas, thus the conclusion may not be

applicable for the rural setting. However, the study may serve as a support for other studies to

be conducted in the future.

B. METHODOLOGY

This section presents the methodological approach, research site, sampling design,

research participants, instrumentation, data gathering procedures, and the methodology for

the data analysis.

Methodological Approach

This is a descriptive study which made use of qualitative approach to describe

children’s experiences and feelings in a selected evacuation center in Marikina City.

31
Qualitative method is used since it tends to be open-minded, narrative, and holistic. It is more

able to capture the full richness of experiences (Greene & Hill, 2005).

Research Site

Barangay Tumana, Marikina City served as the venue for this study. It has a population

of 41,809 persons (NSO, 2012). This place was chosen because of the frequency of disastrous

flood during the event of a storm. Since this barangay is near the Marikina River, it is one of

the flood-prone communities in Marikina City. The water in Marikina River rises in an event

of a very strong rain or typhoon. Torrential rains that fall on the mountains of Rizal rush down

to the river and spill into the inner city causing catastrophic floods (Philippines: A Park by

the river, 2010). When Marikina River’s water level reaches 17 meters, alarm level three is

declared and evacuation is enforced (Flood level alert guide, 2013). Families affected by the

flood seek shelter in H. Bautista Elementary School, a public school in Marikina City that

serves as one of the evacuation centers.

Sampling Design

The study involved 30 six-to-eight-year-old male and female children who are

currently studying. They are all living in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City and belong to low-

income families. All the participants interviewed stayed in the evacuation center on December

2014, three months from the date of the interview which was conducted on February 2014.

Instrumentation

The researcher prepared an interview guide for this particular research. The interview

guide consists of three parts: The first part consists of warm-up questions which are meant to
32
build rapport with the participants (Appendix A-I page 98). The questions will gather their

demographic profile in this part of the interview. In the second part of the instrument, the

respondents will be asked to draw what they have experienced in the evacuation center. The

respondents will be encouraged to talk about what they have drawn (Appendix A-II page 98).

The third part consists of six open-ended questions which will produce the crucial and most

important part of the data (Appendix A-III page 98). The questions were translated to Filipino

so the children would easily understand and answer more comfortably.

The researcher provided pencils, colored pens, and crayons as well as blank, white

paper for every child for the drawing procedure. A voice recorder was used to gather a more

accurate information. Before this was used, the researcher asked the parents’ and the

participants’ permission.

Data Gathering Procedures

Data gathering was composed of two parts. The first part involved giving out of

preliminary letters to the Barangay Chairman, Honorable Zifred A. Ancheta, to ask

permission to conduct the study. After the approval of the Barangay Chairman, 30 parents and

neighboring families were given letters defining the objectives of the study. A letter of

permission was also included to allow the researcher to conduct interviews with their children.

The parents of the participants were given full information about the research. The 30

participants were also given thorough information about the research and were willing to be

a part of the study. The 30 participants who usually sought shelter in H. Bautista Elementary

School were sourced in the barangay using purposive sampling. Purposive sampling is when

a researcher chooses specific people within the population to use for a particular study or

33
research project. The specific people were recommended by the Barangay Zone Leader. The

data gathering was conducted on the month of February 2014, two months after the Typhoon

Ruby entered the country.

This study described direct measures of children’s experiences and feelings in the

evacuation center, hence interviews were used prominently. An interview was scheduled after

the consent forms were given to and signed by the parents indicating their approval that their

children be part of the study. The children were interviewed during the weekends. The

researcher asked each child questions that would create rapport, questions such as “anong

pangalan mo?” (What is your name?), “ilang taon ka na?” (How old are you?) to name a

few. Afterwards, each child was asked to draw their experiences during their stay in the

evacuation center. The researcher gave each children paper, crayons, and pencils for them to

draw. The researcher was beside each child during the drawing process, prompting the child

to draw what he or she have experienced inside the evacuation center.

After the task, the researcher sat at a level comfortable to the child and started speaking

with the child using informal language. The child was invited to tell something about his/her

drawing following the cue of Malchiodi that free drawings will yield visual data but it is the

verbal material that will provide the data for interpretation (Veale, 2005).

The researcher proceeded to interview each child individually by using the questions

in the interview guide. The researcher was aware that children are very sensitive to contextual

suggestions particularly to their interpretation of the researcher’s expectations (Garbarino &

Stott, 1992). Children are capable of providing reliable responses thus appropriate ways to

phrase questions have been considered. It is the task of the researcher, from both practical and

ethical considerations, to ensure that right questions are asked and that the research will be

34
conducted in a manner that optimizes the opportunity for children’s perspectives to be listened

to and heard (Lloyd-Smith & Tarr, 2000). It is essential that the researcher empowers the

children such that they can tell of their experience (Westcott & Littleton, 2005). Open-ended

questions were used to allow the children to answer in their own words. The interview lasted

for thirty minutes. A voice recorder was used to record the actual interview. The recorder was

also utilized in transcribing the data.

Data Analysis

The recorded interviews of the participants were transcribed. Concepts were generated

and obtained data were classified into categories. Constructing categories are not done to label

and explain children’s behavior and experience. Rather, it is to thematize (that is, to structure

meanings) through descriptive methods, and to strengthen the observer’s sense of what it

means to be a child, to live in the world as a child (Greene, 2005). Concept and categories

were inferred for each question and were reduce in a common listing of themes. The

researcher made a frequency count for the categories which emerged for each query. Each

category has sub categories and these were arranged according to the answer that obtained the

highest percentage. Categories that were drawn out from the obtained data were validated

with their similarities to the information from the reviewed literature. Each category and their

sub categories were described. The researcher utilized the drawings of each participant to

support and complement the data obtained.

35
 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the results of the data gathered as well as the analysis

and interpretation of the data in relation to the objectives that were propositioned.

Discussion of the results is divided into four parts: 1) Demographic profile of the

participants; 2) Experiences of six-to-eight-year-old children in the evacuation center; (3)

Feelings of six-to-eight-year-old children in the evacuation center; and 4) What six-to-eight-

year-old children expect to see in an evacuation center in response to their experiences and

feelings.

Demographic Profile of the Respondents

Table 2 shows that the mean age of six-year-old children is 6.75 years old. The mean

age of seven-year-old participants is 7.87 and the mean age of eight-year-old participants is

8.86 years old. The grand weighted mean of six-to-eight-year old participants is 7.82 years

old which denotes that they are in their middle childhood and in their formative years.

Table 2. Age of the Participants (n = 30)

Age 6 years old 7 years old 8 years old
Mean 6.75 7.87 8.86
Grand Weighted Mean 7.82

As shown in Table 3, most of the participants study in H. Bautista Elementary School.

Some of the participants go to other schools near their residences, namely Concepcion

Integrated School, St. Mary Elementary School, and Fortune Elementary School.

36
 H. Bautista Elementary School is a public elementary school located at J.P Rizal,

Concepcion Uno, Marikina City. It caters to pupils from grades one to six. The school has 40

classrooms with a standard size of seven by seven square meters and six non-instructional

rooms. In school year 2013 – 2014, the population is 3,672 pupils with a class size of around

92 pupils. This means class size at this school is much larger than the average class size. Most

parents in Barangay Tumana prefer to send their children to H. Bautista Elementary School

because of the school’s proximity to their homes (Find the best public schools in Marikina

City, n.d.).

Table 3. Location of the Schools where the Participants are Enrolled (n=30)
Age
Name of School TOTAL
6 years old 7 years old 8 years old
H. Bautista Elementary School 7 5 6 18
Concepcion Integrated School 1 3 3 7
St. Mary Elementary School 2 1 1 4
Fortune Elementary School 0 1 0 1
TOTAL 10 10 10 30

In the succeeding parts of the interview, response categories were generated based on

the answers given by the participants. The responses were tallied and key concepts were

identified based on their common idea. These key concepts were analyzed through frequency

counts.

Experiences of Six-to-Eight-Year-Old Children in the Evacuation Center

Tables 4 to 7 present the responses of six-to-eight-year-old children in terms of their

experiences when placed in the evacuation center during typhoon.

37
Reasons why six–to-eight-year-old children go to the evacuation center

As shown in Table 4, the responses of children were categorized into two: safety

reasons and prevent repeat of bad experiences. For safety reasons, almost all of the

respondents go to the evacuation center when the typhoon approaches. The participants

reported that they do not want to get caught in the flood. It is evident with the reason “para

hindi mabaha” (so we will not be flooded) scoring the highest among six-to-eight-year old

participants, with six responses among six-year-old participants and five responses each for

both seven- and -eight-year old participants. “Para hindi mamatay” (so we won’t die) was

the second highest response with two responses among seven-year-old participants and four

responses among the eight-year-old participants. On the other hand, children also go to the

evacuation center to prevent the repeat of bad experiences. “Para di ma-Ondoy” (so what

happened during the Typhoon Ondoy won’t happen to us) was the response of one eight-year-

old girl. Though she was not yet born when Typhoon Ondoy occurred and brought disaster to

our country, stories from her parents made her aware that typhoon and flood can take lives

and cause destruction.

38
Table 4. Children’s Report on Reasons Why They Need to Go to the Evacuation Center
during Typhoon

Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old Old Responses
f f f
Safety Reasons
• para hindi mabaha 5 5 6 15
• para hindi mamatay - 2 4 6
• para hindi malunod 2 3 - 5
• para hindi mabasa sa 3 - - 3
ulan
• para lumikas 2 - - 2
• para hindi mapahamak - - 1 1
• pag may bagyo - - 1 1
Prevent Repeat of Bad
Experiences
• para hindi ma-Ondoy 1 - - 1
*multiple responses were given

Ackerman (2004) stated, that at this stage, children are able to determine what would

happen when a situation arises or its cause and effect. It was seen that the children’s responses

on the reasons why they go to the evacuation centers validated NDRRMP 2011-2028’s (2011)

statement that evacuation centers are the only choice for the temporary provision of protection

and assistance to displaced population in times of natural disaster. Mainly, this reason

prompted the family to seek shelter in the evacuation center. The participants were fully aware

that when the water rises their lives would be in danger. They were responsive to the

information that going to the evacuation center in the event of a flood would keep them safe

from harm and prevent repeat of bad experiences.

Based on the result, the children were able to realize the need to go to an evacuation

center during typhoon. The result means that children understand that going to and staying in

39
the evacuation center is for their safety and they are capable of discerning that their place is

not safe during typhoon.

Environmental signs and emotional prompts that signal six-to-eight-year-old children

when to go to the evacuation center

The responses of the children were categorized as follows: environmental signs and

social prompts. The environmental signs are the strong typhoon and continuous rain that

signal the children the need to go to the evacuation center. Under this category, the response

“pag malakas ang ulan” (if the rain is strong) received the highest score among the six-to

eight-year-old participants, scoring ten from the six-year-old participants, ten from the seven-

year-old participants, and eight from the eight-year-old participants. Social prompts are

signals from people that motion the children to go to the evacuation center. The highest

number of responses for this particular question was “pag sinabi ni mommy” (when mother

says so). This particular answer received one score each among six-year-old and eight-year-

old participants. It can also be noted that the responses “pag sinabi sa TV” (if it is announced

on the television), “tuwing tutunog ang alarm” (every time the alarm rings) and “pag sinabi

ni Kapitan” (when the Barangay Captain tells us) strictly appeared among eight-year old

participants which received one score each.

40
Table 5. Children’s Report on Environmental Signs and Social Prompts that Tell When
Children Should Go to the Evacuation Center
Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total no. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
Environmental Signs
• ‘pag malakas ang 10 10 8 28
ulan
• ‘pag walang tigil
ang ulan - 1 4 5
Social Prompts
• ‘pag sinabi ni 1 1 2
mommy
• ‘pag sinabi sa TV - - 1 1
• ‘pag pinatunog nila
ang alarm - - 1 1
• ‘pag sinabi ni
Kapitan - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

According to Piaget, children at concrete operational stage manage to be logical or

objective on the things that happen in their environment (Ackermann, 2004). They are aware

of their surroundings and its explanations as to why things happen and the things that they

need to do in order for them to be out of danger. The answers of the six-to-eight-year-old

participants illustrate that they need to go to the evacuation center when they see the

environmental signs or in case they are informed of impending storm or flood by either

parents, the media, or the authorities. Some of the responses of the children, however,

corroborate the statement of Greene and Hill (2005) that children’s views are simply learned

and mimicked response as they just followed their parents’ actions. Although both parents’

and children’s exposure to a disaster may be similar, children take cues from their parents

about danger and safety. On the common responses cited by the participants, they go to the

evacuation center when heavy rain or typhoon is observed and when the people around them

41
prompt them to do so. This states that children are able to grasp the signs of when they should

be go to evacuation center and how often they need to. Henceforth, children learned to observe

and follow precautions for their protection.

Duration of children’s stay in the evacuation center

The answers of the children were mostly based from their recent experience brought

forth by the storm Ruby. The responses of the participants were categorized into two, namely,

quantitative and qualitative responses. In the quantitative responses, the children were able

to give certain number of days that tell the duration of their stay in the evacuation center. It is

apparent that among six-to-eight-year-old participants, the response “tatlong araw” (three

days) garnered the highest score which scored five among six-year-old participants, five

among seven-year-old participants and four among eight-year-old participants. Under the

qualitative responses category, the participants did not give the exact number of days. The

responses “pag may ulan pa” (if it is still raining), “minsan matagal, minsan sandali lang”

(sometimes we stay for a long time, sometimes for a few days only), scored one response each

among the six-year-old participants. The responses “basta tuwing may bagyo” (every time

there is a storm), and “madaming araw” (for many days) received one score each among the

seven-year-old participants. Some of the responses of the children indicate not only their

Typhoon Ruby experience but also in comparison to other flood experiences.

42
Table 6. Children’s Report on Their Duration of Stay in the Evacuation Center
Age
Response Category 6 years 7 years 8 years Total No.
old old old of Responses
f f f
Quantitative Responses
• tatlong araw 5 5 4 14
• isang araw 2 1 2 5
• isa o dalawang araw 1 1 3 5
• dalawang araw - 1 1 2
Qualitative Responses
• ‘pag may ulan pa 1 - - 1
• minsan matagal, minsan
sandali lang 1
1 - -
• basta tuwing may bagyo - 1 - 1
• madaming araw - 1 - 1
n=30
Typhoon Ruby hit the country last December 9, 2014. The typhoon was down-graded

to a tropical storm. As of 2 PM in Marikina City, at least 547 families or 2,418 individuals

from the flood-prone Barangays Tumana were in evacuation centers in preparation for the

damage it might bring to their barangay. H. Bautista Elementary School, a public school in

Barangay Tumana, was one of the shelters that they sought for refuge. Though the storm did

not bring strong rains, the families in Barangay Tumana were prompted to go to the evacuation

center. The families stayed there mostly for three days before they were assured that the storm

has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Families stayed in the evacuation center

for at least a day to a maximum of three days. This means that during typhoon season, families

opt to stay in the evacuation center for a maximum of three days to make certain that the

typhoon has already left the area for their safety.

43
 It is commendable to note that the eight-year-old participants were able to give definite

duration of their stay in the evacuation center as compared to the six-year-old and seven-year-

old participants. Some of the six-year-old and seven-year-old participants gave responses that

do not indicate a definite duration of their stay in the evacuation center. This is validated by

the statement of Poole, Miller, and Church (2006) that children at six years old define time by

recognizable events and symbols. Six-year-olds learn about time by observing and recording

it (for example, charting the weather). They begin to express time when certain events occur

at a defined period as proven in their responses.

Children’s Experiences in the Evacuation Center

From the interview, the children gave various and diverse responses. Their responses

were based from the experiences that they underwent when they were in the evacuation center.

The children’s detailed account of the things that happened to them as well as to other people

around them is made stronger by Lloyd-Smith and Tarr’s (2012) statement that the children

have something to tell, something that is only available through their voice. As Vygotsky

described, children are social creatures. It is through social interaction that they learn and

cultivate their ways of thinking and understanding as based on the avenues that society has

given to them and their mindset is fashioned by the culture where they live (Cole &

Gajdamaschko, 2007; Holzman, 2008, as cited in Santrock, 2009).

The children were able to notice different situations happening inside the evacuation

center. Out of their responses, five categories were generated. The categories are as follows:

sensory experiences, bio-physical experiences, family-related experiences, social activities,

and rules imposed by parents.

44
 The categories which appeared throughout the entire interview regarding children’s

experiences were described on the succeeding parts of this discussion. Every category that

appeared among six-to-eight-year old participants was supplemented by their drawings.

Table 7. Children’s Report on Their Experiences in the Evacuation Center

Response Categories Total No. of
Responses
• Sensory experiences 52
• Bio-physical experiences 18
• Family-related experiences 22
• Social activities 29
• Rules imposed by parents 7
*multiple responses were given

Table 7 shows the results on children’s experiences in the evacuation center. Majority

of the six-to-eight-year-old participants shared their experiences as to what they have seen,

heard, felt, and smelled inside the evacuation center. The children also described the

evacuation center in terms of space. From the sensory experiences category, the children

narrated their experience as to what they have heard. “Maingay” (noisy) was the answer that

received the highest number of responses among all the participants, with five responses

among the six-year-old respondents, six responses among the seven-year-old participants, and

five responses among the eight-year-old participants. This was due to the presence of many

people or “maraming tao” (crowded) that they have seen inside the evacuation center. This

was also one of the responses of the children that garnered the second highest number of

responses, with four responses among six-year-old participants, four responses among seven-

year-old participants, and three responses among the eight-year-old participants. Other

experiences of children based on what they have seen were “madumi ang classroom” (dirty

classroom), which scored one among the six-year old participants and “basa ang classroom”

(wet classroom), which scored two among the six-year old participants. “Mabaho ang CR”
45
(foul-smelling comfort room) was also the experience of two eight-year-old participants. The

children also shared their experiences in terms of what it felt like inside the evacuation center.

A number of participants, four among six-year-old participants, one among seven-year-old

participants and one among eight-year-old participants stated that they felt cold or ‘malamig’

inside the evacuation center. Under the sensory experiences category, the children described

the evacuation center in terms of space. “Masikip” (the classroom was too small) was the

description one six-year-old participant and two eight-year-old participants.

In the bio-physical experiences category, the children described how they felt or

what they were doing during their stay in the evacuation center. The response that received

the highest score is “kumakain” (eating) from two six-year-old participants, four seven-year-

old participants, and one for eight-year-old participant. Other responses that tell what they

were doing inside the evacuation center were “natutulog sa sahig” (sleeping on the floor),

which acquired the second highest number of responses, and “nanonood ng TV” (watching

television). Other experiences of children that showed how they felt were “nagugutom”

(hungry) and “pagod” (tired).

For the family-related experiences category, the responses were divided into three

sub categories: role of parents, mother-father relationship, and interrelationship. Under the

role of parents, the children described what their parents did while they were inside the

evacuation center. The response that got the highest score is “nag-aalaga ng mga bata ang

mga nanay” (the mothers are taking care of their children) from one six-year-old, two seven-

year-old, and two eight-year-old participants. The second highest number of response was

“pumipila sa relief goods’” (lining up for relief goods) from one six-year-old, one seven-year-

old, and two eight-year-old participants. Parents were also seen cleaning the room, cooking

46
their food, and storing their things. The mother-father relationship describes how children

observed their parents react to the circumstances inside the evacuation center. “Wala si

mommy at daddy” (mommy and daddy were not around) was the response of one seven-year-

old and one eight-year-old participants. One eight-year-old child described her parents as

“namumrublema” (burdened by problems). “Nag-aaway ang mga magulang” (the parents

were arguing) was an experience that one eight-year-old participant revealed. Under the sub

category interrelationship, the children described the relationship of neighbors. The highest

number of response under this sub-category is “nag-aaway ang mga nanay o kapit-bahay”

(the mothers or neighbors were arguing with each other). This was the experience of one

seven-year-old and two eight-year-old participants. “Nagkukwentuhan ang mga nanay” (the

mothers were sharing stories with one another) was the response of one six-year-old

participant.

The social experiences describes the activities or play experiences the children

engaged in during their stay inside the evacuation center. Activities such as “naglalaro”

(playing), “nagsusulat sa blackboard” (writing on the blackboard) and “kasama ko ang mga

kaibigan ko” (I am with my friends) were the answers of the participants that show the

presence of playmates and friends inside the evacuation center. “Naglalaro” (playing) was

the response which acquired the highest number of responses from nine six-year-old, seven

seven-year-old, and seven eight-year-old participants. “Nagsusulat sa blackboard’ (writing

on the blackboard) was the activity of two seven-year-old participants. “Kasama ko ang mga

kaibigan ko” (I am with my friends.) was the answer of one of the six-year-old participants.

However, the responses of the participants also indicate the lack of playmates within the

evacuation center. The responses “hindi nila ako sinasali” (they do not let me play with

47
them) was the response of two eight-year-old participants. They revealed that other children

do not include them in their play. “Walang kalaro” (no playmates) was the response of one

eight-year-old participant.

The rules imposed by parents category describes the rules that the children have to

follow during their stay in the evacuation center. “Pinapalo kami pag makulit” (we are

spanked if we are naughty) was the response that acquired the highest score from two six-

year-old and three seven-year-old participants. Other rules imposed by parents were “bawal

kami lumabas” (we are not allowed to go out) from one seven-year-old participant and

“pinapatulog kami” (we were told to sleep) from one eight-year-old participant.

Tables 7.1 to 7.5 show the sub categories for each response category.

Table 7.1 Response Category on Sensory Experiences

Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
Sound
• maingay 5 6 5 16
• nagdadatingan ang mga 2 2 2 6
taong may dalang pagkain
• maraming bata ang umiiyak 1 1 - 2
Sight
• maraming tao 4 4 3 11
• makukulit ang mga bata 1 1 - 2
• basa ang classroom 2 - - 2
• nag-aaway ang mga bata - 1 - 1
• madumi ang classroom 1 - - 1
• maraming daga - 1 - 1
Feel
• malamig 4 1 1 6
Smell
• mabaho ang CR - - 1 1
Space
• masikip 1 2 - 3

*multiple responses were given

48
a. Sensory Expereriences

For the sensory experiences category, the children recounted their experiences

with the use of their senses. They described how the place looked, smelled, sounded,

and what it felt like inside the evacuation center. They also described the place in terms

of the space they were in. The participants experienced chaos or disorder when they

were in the evacuation center. This was due to the presence of many families in one

classroom. Most of the participants reported that the evacuation center was

“maingay” or noisy because the classroom was crowded and the children were mostly

playing inside. Drawings 1, 2, and 3 (pages 49-51) confirm this claim. The drawings

of the six-to-eight-year-old participants show that the evacuation center was a chaotic

and noisy place due to the presence of many people and also the presence of children

playing. The children described the evacuation center as “masikip”or the space is too

small. This confirms the statement of Lozada (2013) in his article that, typically, 12

families or about 55 persons crowd in a seven by seven meter classroom. The presence

of many families contributes to the noisy and crowded atmosphere. The participants

recounted that the evacuation center has foul-smelling comfort rooms. The school has

only one comfort room for every floor. It was shared by many families during their

stay in the evacuation center. Lack of sufficient water supply in comfort rooms was a

major factor for dirty and foul-smelling comfort rooms. The participants also

described that it felt cold inside the evacuation center. They reported that they had to

wear jackets to feel warm.

49
Drawing 1. Bianca (six years old) “Maingay sa loob ng evacuation center kasi
maraming batang naglalaro.”

50
Drawing 2. Katie (seven years old) “Magulo sa loob ng classroom kasi maraming
naglalaro.”

51
Drawing 3. Yasmine (eight years old) “Maingay sa loob ng classroom kasi
maraming tao.”

52
Table 7.2 Response Category on Bio-physical Experiences
Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
• kumakain 2 4 1 7
• natutulog sa sahig 4 - 2 6
• nagugutom - 1 1 2
• nanonood ng TV 1 1 - 2
• pagod - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

b. Bio-physical Experiences

In the category bio-physical experiences, the participants reported what they

were doing and what their bodies felt during their stay in the evacuation centers. Most

of the respondents recounted that “kumakain” (eating) was what they and other

families did so they won’t feel hungry while they were in the evacuation center. They

were either eating the food that they brought with them or the relief goods that they

received from people. Drawings 4, 5, and 6 (pages 54-56) confirm this. “Natutulog sa

sahig” (sleeping on the floor) was also one of the experiences of the participants.

Some of the participants shared that they also watched television or “nanonood ng

TV” inside the evacuation center. The families were allowed to use the television

owned by the school. The families in each room had to pay Php 350.00 a day for the

use of the television. This validates the statement of Berk (2005) that children at these

ages can come up with ways to handle emotionally arousing situations. Therefore,

watching television is a way for them to amuse themselves and distract them from the

negative situations that are presently occurring.

Some of the participants also narrated how their bodies felt during their stay

in the evacuation center. Few of the participants felt hungry. They detailed that they

53
were not able to bring food sufficient for their stay. Also, they had to line up for relief

goods to fill their hungry stomachs.

It is also worthy to note that one eight-year-old participant recalled that she

was always tired or “pagod” every time they had to go to the evacuation center. The

participant’s parents always asked her to take care of the younger siblings or go to the

nearest store to buy food such as noodles and canned goods while her parents prepare

their things for their stay in the evacuation center. The participant felt that as the eldest

among the siblings, she was given more tasks to accomplish than her younger siblings.

54
Drawing 4. Nicole (six years old) “Kumakain kami para ‘di kami magutom.”

55
Drawing 5. Mark (seven years old) “Kumakain kami ng dala ni mama na
pagkain.”

56
Drawing 6. Joshua (eight years old) “Mga bata kumakain ng dala nilang pagkain.”

57
Table 7.3 Response Category on Family-related Experiences
Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
Role of Parents
• nag-aalaga ng mga bata
ang mga nanay 1 2 2 5
• pumipila sa relief goods 1 1 2 4
• naglilinis ang mga nanay 2 - - 2
• nagluluto ang mga tatay
at nanay - 1 1 2
• nagliligpit ng mga gamit 1 - - 1
Mother-Father
Relationship
• wala si mommy at - 1 1 2
daddy
• namumroblema si - - 1 1
mommy at daddy
• nag-aaway ang mga - - 1 1
magulang
Interrelationships
• nag-aaway ang mga
nanay/kapit-bahay - 1 2 3
• nagkukwentuhan ang
mga nanay 1 - - 1
*multiple responses were given

c. Family-related Experiences

A number of children’s responses were categorized as family-related

experiences. These experiences were grouped as follows:

Role of Parents

Under this category, the participants described what the parents were doing

inside the evacuation center. Mostly, parents were busy taking care of their children.

Drawing 7 (page 59) confirms this statement. Parents, most especially the mothers,

stayed close to their children to ensure their safety and protection while they were in

the evacuation center. Abnormal conditions during disasters have prompted some

people to exploit the vulnerable sectors of society. The Gabriela Party List, a non-
58
government organization that oppose violence against women and children, cited the

rape and sexual cases in evacuation centers where many women and girls were

victimized. “The experiences brought forth by disasters teach us that disaster situations

heighten women and girls’ vulnerability to rape and sexual violence as desperation

pushes people to commit violence against what society deems as the weakest.” (Umil,

2013, p. 4). In the crowded condition of evacuation centers, women and children

become vulnerable to rape, trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of exploitation.

Few of the participants recounted that their parents were lining up for relief

goods, busy cooking, cleaning their own space, and fixing their things.

Mother-Father Relationship

Under this category, the children described how their parents felt and reacted

to the circumstances they were in. An eight-year-old participant mentioned that he

observed that his parents were burdened by problems or “namumroblema” about their

plight in the evacuation center. Drawing 9 (page 61) corroborates this claim. “Nag-

aaway ang mga magulang” (the parents were arguing) was the observation of one

eight-year old participant. This validates the statement of Dr. Shin Yong-Soo, The

World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, that

many of the people in evacuation centers will feel anxious and distressed after the

experience they have gone through (The World Health Organization/Philippines:

WHO warns of emotional burnout in the wake of Philippine flood, 2009). The

children’s statements regarding their parents’ reactions indicated that they were aware

of the dilemmas their parents were undergoing.

59
 Some participants stated that their parents, mostly fathers, were not with them

in the evacuation center because they had to go back to their house and look after their

things. If both parents had to check on their house, they left their children behind,

under the care of the older siblings, for safety. Drawing 8 (page 60) verifies this report.

60
Drawing 7. Kristine Ann (seven years old) “Inaalagaan kami ng nanay namin.”

61
Drawing 8. Celso (six years old) “Si ate kasama ko kasi wala si mommy at
daddy. Tinignan ang bahay namin.”

62
Drawing 9. Gian (eight years old) “Namumroblema si tatay at nanay kasi malakas ang
ulan at baha na naman sa bahay namin..”

63
Interrelationship

This category involves the relationship of neighbors with one another. “Nag-

aaway ang mga kapit-bahay” (the neighbors were arguing) was the experience of

some of the participants. The children narrated that neighbors argue because of lack

of space in the classroom. Congestion in the classrooms exacerbates the feeling of

anxiety and distress which leads to neighbors fighting with one another. Arguments

also break out when they line up for relief goods. Stress and anxiety are the normal

reactions of people after a disastrous event. This substantiates the report of Dr. Shin

Dr. Shin Yong-Soo, WHO’s Regional Director of Western Pacific, that people who

have undergone extreme events such as disasters are likely to feel emotional burnout

which leads to being irritable and short-tempered (The World Health

Organization/Philippines: WHO warns of emotional burnout in the wake of Philippine

flood, 2009). However, the children have also observed that mothers talked with one

another. They heard them exchanging stories about their experiences during previous

storms. Drawings 10 (page 63) and 11 (page 64) verify this report.

64
Drawing 10. Joshua (eight years old) “Ang mga nanay nag-uusap.”

65
Drawing 11. Jhon (seven years old) “Ang mga nanay nag-uusap.

66
Table 7.4 Response Category on Social Activities
Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
Presence of Playmates
• naglalaro kami 9 7 7 23
• nagsusulat kami sa
blackboard - 2 2
• kasama ko ang mga
kaibigan ko 1 - - 1
Lack of Playmates
• hindi nila ako sinasali - - 2 2
• walang kalaro - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

d. Social Activities

In this category, the participants gave an account of the activities that they did

while they were in the evacuation center. “Naglalaro” or playing was the response

that prevailed as the highest among all the six-to-eight-year-old participants. Children

played inside the evacuation center to fill their time and to entertain themselves. The

games ranged from playing balls, playing tag, jumping rope, and “bilog-bilugan,” a

game wherein children, hand in hand, go around in circles while chanting. Drawings

12 (page 66) and 13 (page 67) validate this statement. “Nagsusulat sa blackboard”

(writing on the blackboard) was one of the past times in the evacuation center of some

of the participants. Being with one’s friends is the experience one six-year-old

participant mentioned, “kasama ko ang mga kaibigan ko” (I am with my friends).

However, an eight-year-old male participant shared “wala akong kalaro” (I don’t

have any playmate). Although many children were with him, he would rather play

with his own group of playmates than with other children. Two eight-year-old

participants recounted “hindi nila ako sinasali” (they don’t let me join them) in their

play.
67
Drawing 12. Ann (seven years old) “Naglalaro kami ng bilog-bilugan.”

68
Drawing 13. Aira (eight years old) “Naghahabulan kami ng mga kaibigan ko.”

69
Table 7.5 Response Category on Rules Imposed by Parents
Age
6 years 7 years 8 years Total No. of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f f f
Rules Imposed by Parents
• pinapalo pag makulit 2 3 - 5
• pinapatulog nila ako - - 1 1
• bawal kami lumabas - 1 - 1
*multiple responses were given

e. Rules Imposed by Parents

Parents impose rules for their children to follow while inside the evacuation

centers. Children understand that they need to abide by their parents’ rule in order for

them not to be chastised. “Pinapalo ako pag makulit” (I get spanked when I disobey)

was the common response of the participants. They were disciplined if they were

disobedient. Drawing 16 (page 70) verifies this report. Others mentioned that they

were not allowed to play with other children. They were asked to just stay with their

siblings, sit with their parents, or stay in their own space in the evacuation center.

Drawing 15 (page 69) confirms this claim.

70
Drawing 15. Bianca (six years old) “Hindi kami sumasali sa kanila kasi ayaw
ni nanay.”

71
Drawing 16. Kristine (seven years old) “Pinapalo ng nanay kasi makulit.”

72
 As Ackermann (2004) stated, the child now shares his or her reflections about

emotions, intentions, desires, and thoughts. This statement was validated by the many

responses expressed by the children. Awareness about what life in the evacuation center is

all about is shaped through experiences that children encountered, understood, and made

sense of by the children themselves.

By looking at the findings from the children’s responses, young children can give

accurate accounts of personally experienced events as indicated by Ceci & Bruck et al.

(1993). Children can vividly recall the encounters that they have lived through.

Children’s Feelings in the Evacuation Center

Table 8. Children’s Report on Their Feelings in the Evacuation Center

Response Categories Total No. of
Responses
• natatakot 47
• masaya 4
• malungkot 19
• naaawa 2
• nahihirapan 1
• naiinis 2
• nagugutom 1

*multiple responses were given

Table 8 shows the results on children’s feelings in the evacuation center. By looking

at the table, the participants gave numerous answers that tell of their feelings when they stayed

in the evacuation center. The responses of the participants were categorized into seven. It can

be seen that the common feelings of the six-to-eight-year-old participants were “natatakot”

(afraid), “masaya” (happy), “malungkot” (sad), and “naawa” (pity), “nahihirapan” (having

a difficult time), “naiinis” (frustrated), and “nagugutom” (hungry). Some participants gave

73
answers that show they have mixed feelings while they were in the evacuation center. They

felt happy and sad at the same time. This validates Berk’s (2005) statement that children at

these ages, can experience more than one emotion at a time, either positive or negative

emotions. Some categories are not apparent among six- and seven-year-old participants such

as “nahihirapan” (having a difficult time) “naaawa” (pity), and “nagugutom” (hungry). The

eight-year old participants were able to identify their feelings beyond “natatakot” (afraid),

“masaya” (happy) and “malungkot” (sad). The data show that unseen events such as “baka

tumaas ang baha” (the flood will rise), “baka mamatay” (we might die), “baka malunod”

(we might drown), and “baka hindi makabalik” (we might not be able to return [to our house])

gave a feeling of fear among all the six-to-eight-year-old participants. The responses under

these categories generated the highest number of scores in the data.

From the varied responses of children, we can see that six-to-eight-year-old children

start to display an increasing awareness of their own and others’ emotions. They can

distinguish the thoughts and feelings of others as substantiated by Berk (2005). This is also

validated by Ackermann (2004) when she stated that it is during these ages that children

understand and empathize with others

Tables 8.1 to 8.7 show the sub categories for each response category.

74
Table 8.1 Response Category “Natatakot”
Age Total No.
6 years 7 years 8 years of
Response Category
old old old Responses
f F f
Seen Events
• nagbabaha 2 1 - 3
• kasi bumabagyo 2 - - 2
Unseen Events
• baka tumaas ang baha 1 4 3 8
• baka mamatay 3 2 1 6
• baka malunod 2 3 1 6
• baka hindi makabalik - - 2 2
Repeat of Bad Experience
• basa na naman ang gamit 1 - 2 3
• aalis kami sa bahay namin 1 1 - 2
• babaho ang bahay namin 1 - 1 2
• mao-Ondoy kami 1 - - 1
• magugutom ako - - 1 1
• pipila kami sa relief goods - - 1 1
• lagi ako kinukwentuhan
tungkol sa baha 1 - - 1
Separation Anxiety
• naiiwan si tatay sa bahay - 2 3 5
• iniiwan kami ni mommy at
daddy kay ate 2 - 1 3
• hindi ko na makikikta ang
pamilya ko 1 - - 1
*multiple responses were given

a. Natatakot

This category was grouped into four. The participants felt that afraid because

of seen events. Seen events are the tangible occurrences that children witnessed either

from their own surroundings or on television. Events such as strong rains and rising

floods evoked the feeling of fear among the respondents. Aside from the seen events,

the six-to-eight-year-old participants were also afraid of unseen events. Unseen events

are circumstances that were imagined by the children. A high percentage of the

75
participants’ statements show that dying made them feel scared. They felt afraid

because they thought they would not be able to go back to their houses, they might

die, and the water will rise and eventually drown them. These thoughts, although

unseen, bring fear into the minds of these participants. A number of respondents also

felt afraid because they presumed that there would be a repeat of bad experiences

that occurred during previous typhoons. Bad experiences such as “babaho ang bahay

namin” (our house will stink) and “basa na naman ang gamit” (our things are wet

again) also gave them fear. A six-year-old participant narrated that she was afraid

because her parents told her numerous times of their experiences during Typhoon

Ondoy in 2010. Another six-year-old participant shared that her parents kept telling

her stories about the flood. The thoughts evoked by such stories produced fear in this

participant. She feared that the same events will happen once again. The children also

feared getting hungry. The food that they brought in the evacuation center was not

sufficient. Eventually, they had to wait in long lines for relief goods for them to eat.

Separation anxiety was also one of the reasons the participants felt afraid. The

children’s parents had to leave them behind and go back to check on their houses.

They were left under the care of their older siblings. Mostly, the fathers had to stay at

home and protect the house from theft. The children were afraid that their fathers

would not be able to go back to the evacuation center because of the flood.

76
Table 8.2 Response Category “Masaya”
Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old old
f f f
Safety
• hindi kami mapapahamak - 1 1 2
Presence of Playmates
• maraming kalaro 1 - - 1
Togetherness of Family
• kasama ko ang pamilya ko - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

b. Masaya

“Hindi kami mapapahamak” or safety was the primary reason that made the

children feel happy despite their circumstances in the evacuation center. The thought

that they were out of harm’s way (from the storm and rising flood and inside the safety

of the evacuation center brought them happiness. The presence of playmates and

friends and togetherness of the family, gave them a sense of happiness, as their

response show. Their presence in the evacuation center alleviated their fears.

77
Table 8.3 Response Category “Malungkot”
Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old old
f f f
Seen Events
• nagbabaha sa labas
1 1 2 4
• kasi may bagyo
- - 1 1
• walang pasok - 1 - 1
Absence of Friends and
Playmates
• walang kalaro - 2 - 2
• nami-miss ko ang mga
kaibigan ko 1 - 1 2
• walang kaibigan - 1 - 1
Family-related Issues
• malungkot si nanay - 1 1 2
Repeat of Bad Experience
• basa na naman gamit namin 1 - - 1
• lagi pumupunta sa school pag
may baha - - 2 2
Rules Imposed by Parents
• papaliun/ pinapagalitan
‘pag makulit - 1 - 1
• bawal maglaro 1 1 - 2
*multiple responses were given

c. Malungkot

This category tells the reasons why the participants were sad during their stay

in the evacuation center. This was caused by many factors.

“Nagbabaha sa labas” (It is flooding outside) was the response that generated

the highest score among the participants. Seen events such as flood and storm induce

the feeling of sadness among the six-to-eight-year-old participants.

Absence of playmates and friends also evoked sadness among the

participants. “Nami-miss ko ang mga kaibigan ko” (I miss my friends), “wala akong

kalaro” (I don’t have any playmates), “walang kaibigan” (I don’t have any friends)

were the answers that show how friends and playmates were important to them at this

78
 point in time. Though the children were in a room full of other children, these were

not their playmates. They would rather play with their own group of friends and

playmates. These responses corroborate the statement of DeBord (n.d.) that friends

that children may have at these ages may live in the same neighborhood. Family-

related experience also made most of the participants feel sad. They were sad because

they were aware of the emotions of their parents. The response “nalulungkot si nanay”

(mother is sad) tells how sensitive they were to what their parents were feeling. This

validates the statement of Berk (2005) that children at these age are able to

demonstrate empathy and compassion. They have an increase awareness of their own

feelings as well as others’.

Repeat of bad experiences were also the reasons that made some of the

participants feel sad. The thought of their things becoming wet again and the trouble

of going to the evacuation center evoke sadness among the six-to-eight-year-old

participants.

A number of participants narrated that they were sad because of the rules that

their parents imposed while they were inside the evacuation center. When rules were

broken, they were either scolded or spanked.

Table 8.4 Response Category “Naawa”

Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old old
f f f
• naaawa kay mommy at daddy - - 1 1
• naaawa sa ibang bata - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

79
 d. Naawa

“Naawa kay mommy at daddy” (I feel pity for mommy and daddy) and

“naawa sa ibang bata” (I feel pity for the other children) were also the responses of

the eight-year-old participants. Children at this age are responsive to other people’s

difficulty. They can now understand and empathize with others.

Table 8.5 Response Category “Nahihirapan”

Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old Old
f f f
• laging inuutusan - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

f. Nahihirapan

It was worthy to note that one eight-year-old participant answered

“nahihirapan” (having a difficult time) when asked this question. She felt that she was

having a difficult time since she was the eldest among the siblings. Her mother asked

her to go to the store to buy food and take care of younger siblings while her parents

prepare the things that they need for their stay in the evacuation center.

Table 8.6 Response Category “Naiinis”

Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old old
f f f
Discipline issues
• laging napapagalitan - - 1 1
Bad Experience
• laging inaapakan ang kamay - 1 - 1
ko pag natutulog
*multiple responses were given

80
 g. Naiinis

“Naainis ako kasi pinanapagalitan ako palagi” (I feel frustrated because I was

always scolded) was the experience of one eight-year-old boy. One eight-year-old

girl mentioned that she felt frustrated because her hand was always stepped on while

she was sleeping (“laging inaapakan ang kamay ko ‘pag natutulog”). The pain that

she felt and the disturbance of her sleep made her feel frustrated.

Table 8.7 Response Category “Nagugutom”

Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old old
f f f
• kakaunti lang ang dala - - 1 1
naming pagkain
*multiple responses were given

h. Nagugutom

An eight-year-old participant shared his experience of being hungry while

inside the evacuation center. This was because the food they brought was not sufficient

to sustain them for many days. His family had to wait in line for a long time before

they can eat again.

The responses of the children confirm Baker-Ward et al.’s (1993) statement that

children can remember accurately when they are freely allowed to recall the details of events

they have personally experienced. It was evident from the children’s responses how they can

recall their experiences in the evacuation center and can give accurate description of personally

experienced accounts (Ceci & Bruck et al., 1993).

81
What Children Expect to See in an Evacuation Center

Table 9. Children’s Report on What They Expect to See in an Evacuation Center

Response Categories Total No. of
Responses
• Material things 40
• Social relationships 25
*multiple responses were given

In response to their experiences in the evacuation center, the children expressed what

they expect to in an evacuation center in order to make their stay happy and comfortable the

next time they need to go there and seek refuge during the event of a disastrous flood. They

were categorized into two namely, material things and social relationships.

Table 9 shows the results on what children expect to see in an evacuation center. By

looking at the table, it can be understood that 18 out of 30 participants answered “mga laruan”

(many toys), six among six-year-old participants, seven among seven-year-old participants

and five among eight-year-old participants. Thirteen participants out of 30 answered “pamilya

ko” (my family) and “mga kaibigan/ kalaro ko” (my friends/playmates) to this question

which garnered the second highest score. Among the six-year-olds, seven participants gave

this answer, two for the seven-year-old participants and four among the eight-year-old

participants. “Mga kaibigan/ kalaro ko” (my friends/playmates) and “maraming pagkain”

(much food) garnered the third and fourth highest scores. Other answers such as “damit”

(clothes), “Mama Mary” (Mother Mary) and “wala po” (none) garnered the lowest score

among the responses.

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Table 9. 1 Response Category on Material Things
Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old old Old
f f f
Material Things
• mga laruan 6 7 5 18
• maraming
pagkain 2 2 6 10
• kama 3 2 - 5
• books 1 2 - 3
• TV 1 - 1 2
• kurtina - 1 - 1
• Mama Mary - - 1 1
*multiple responses were given

a. Material Things

Most participants answered “mga laruan” (many toys) as what they expect to

see in an evacuation center that will make their stay happy and comfortable. Most of

the participants mentioned that toys such as cars, trucks, and robots for boys and dolls,

parlor, and cooking set for girls would alleviate their fear and bring them happiness.

Children’s request for toys to play with inside the evacuation center is their means of

coping with the negative feelings brought about by the disaster. This authenticates

DSWD’s petition to set up Supervised Neighborhood Play Session inside evacuation

centers. DSWD has seen the condition of these children and the extreme situations

they are in. However, the Supervised Neighborhood Play Session only caters to zero-

to-six-years-old children (Philippines: DSWD Promotes Supervised Neighborhood

Play in Evacuation Areas, 2011). Books and television were some of the material

things that the participants mentioned that would make them happy. These would

83
distract them from the negative impacts brought about by the disaster as supported by

Berk (2005).

Another response that garnered a high score was “maraming pagkain” (much

food). Families tend to go to evacuation centers unprepared or with little food. They

are likely to line up in distribution centers for some relief goods composed of rice,

noodles, canned goods, and cooked food in order to be fed. The idea of having plenty

of food to eat, without them lining up for relief goods, would make them happy during

their stay. “Kama” (bed) was also one of the answers of the respondents that received

a high score. According to an article written by Lozada (2013), evacuees transform

the classroom into makeshift bedrooms with flattened boxes covered with blankets as

their mats. A comfortable bed to sleep on is what they expect to see for a happy and

comfortable stay in an evacuation center. The researcher also deemed it worthy to

mention that one seven year old female participant answered ‘kurtina’ (curtain) as

what she expects to see in an evacuation center since she was concerned with her

family’s privacy. This confirms Ortega’s (2006) statement that privacy was also one

of the evacuee’s concerns. Reports on rape cases are not uncommon in the evacuation

areas where many women and girls were victimized (Umil, 2013). A curtain that

would cover them and give them privacy while they were sleeping is what she expects

to see to make her happy and comfortable during her stay in the evacuation center.

84
Table 9.2 Response Category on Social Relationships
Age
Total No. of
6 years 7 years 8 years
Response Category Responses
old Old Old
f f f
Social Relationships
• pamilya ko 7 2 4 13
• mga 5 3 4 12
kalaro/kaibigan
Wala po 1 - - - 1
*multiple responses were given

b. Social Relationships

The response that generated the highest score is ‘pamilya’ (family). As long

as their family is with them, no matter what circumstances or place they are in, they

would feel happy. This is confirmed by Charuvastra & Cloitre’s (2008) statement that

when threatened by a disaster or other trauma, the child depends on the parent-child

relationship, according to the Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model. Another

response that generated a high score was “mga kalaro o kaibigan” (playmates or

friends). Their own circle of playmates and friends was what they expect in an

evacuation center for a happy stay even during difficult times.

Some respondents prefer not to play with other children in the evacuation

center. They would rather play with their own group of friends or not at all. This

response validates six-to-eight-year-olds’ developmental milestone wherein children

under these ages are inclined to engage in interactions more and they tend to prefer

playmates of the same sex and they play well in groups (Berk, 2005). Without their

friends, they rather play alone or sit back and watch other children play.

It is also interesting to mention that one six-year old male responded “wala

po” (none) to this question even when prompted many times by the researcher.

85
 Children’s stay in the evacuation center enables them to produce ideas that led them

to voice out what they expect to see in an evacuation center to make their stay comfortable

and happy even during difficult times. Moreover, the expectations that they expressed would

lessen the negative feelings that they will undergo and would make their stay comfortable and

happy next time they need to seek refuge in the evacuation center in an event of a disastrous

flood.

86
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter concludes the findings of the study from the result of the data obtained.

Furthermore, it also includes recommendations to all key stakeholders and future researchers.

Summary

This study described children’s experiences and feelings in a selected evacuation

center in Marikina City. Two theories were utilized to help support this study: Lev

Vygotsky’s Social Cognitive Theory which emphasizes that children actively construct their

knowledge and understanding and Urie Bronfrenbrenner’s Bioecologial Model which

contends that we can account for a child’s behavior if we know his current environment. A

qualitative approach was utilized to describe children’s experiences and feelings in evacuation

centers. The study involved 30 six-to-eight-year-old children from Barangay Tumana who

usually seek refuge in evacuation centers during a disastrous flood. A drawing activity and a

survey questionnaire were used to draw out children’s responses. Their responses were

multiple and varied. Five categories were generated out of the children’s experiences in the

evacuation center, namely, sensory experiences, bio-physical experiences, social activities,

family-related experiences, and rules imposed by parents. Children’s feelings inside the

evacuation center were categorized as afraid, sad, happy, frustrated, having a difficult time,

pity, and hungry. From these experiences and feelings, it shows that material things and social

relationships were what they expect to see for a happy and comfortable stay inside the

evacuation center.

87
Conclusion

Based on the result of the data, the following conclusion regarding children’s

experiences and feelings in evacuation centers were drawn.

Children’s Experiences in the Evacuation Center

The six-to-eight-year-old children and their families go and seek refuge in an

evacuation center in times of a disastrous flood. They are fully aware that being in the

evacuation center would save them from being flooded, from drowning, or worse, from dying.

This was observed when children responded, “para hindi mabaha” (so we will not be

flooded),” para hindi malunod” (so we will not drown), and “para hindi mamatay” (so we

will not die).

The children are also aware of the fact that strong rains or typhoons serve as their

prompt to go to the evacuation center. Though the general answers of the respondents were

environmental signs such as “pag malakas ang ulan” (when the rain is strong) and “pag

malakas ang bagyo” (when there is a strong storm), some children were just responsive to the

social prompts given by their parents, media, or the authorities

Families stayed in the evacuation center until they were assured that it was safe to go

back to their homes. The six-to-eight-year-old children had given responses specifying the

number of days to no exact number of days. The six-to-seven-year-old children were able to

gauge the duration of their stay as dependent on when the rain stops or when the flood

subsides. The eight-year-old-children were more specific in the duration of their stay in the

evacuation center.

88
 Experiences of the six-to-eight-year-old children in the evacuation center were many

and varied. The diverse responses of children were grouped into five categories. Their

responses were drawn from sensory experiences, bio-physical experiences, social activities,

family-related experiences, and from rules imposed by parents.

Six- and -seven-year-old children described their experiences in the evacuation center

based on what they have lived through and what their bodies felt in the environment. They

were very explicit in describing the place according to their senses. Eight-year-old participants

described their experiences more on their relationship with their families. The six- and -seven-

year-old participants also described how they were disciplined in the evacuation center,

however, the eight-year-old participants seldom mentioned discipline.

Children’s Feelings in the Evacuation Center

The feelings of the six-to-eight-year-old children were categorized into seven. While

the participants were in the evacuation center, the children felt afraid, happy, sad, pity, having

a difficult time, frustrated, and hungry. These feelings were evoked by the many experiences

that they had gone through during their stay in the evacuation center.

The six-year-old participants were afraid of seen events such as the flood and the

storm. The seven- and -eight-year-old participants were more afraid of unseen events that may

result due to the flood, such as death, drowning, and separation. The seven- and -eight-year-

old participants were more aware of the effect of what the disaster might bring in their lives.

The eight-year-old participants understood that they can feel two emotions at the same

time. They both felt sad due to their experiences in the evacuation center and at the same time,

they felt happy because of the presence of their family and friends.

89
 The eight-year-old participants were more able to empathize with other people and

understand other people’s feelings and thoughts as compared to the six-to-seven-year-old

participants. The eight-year-old participants have the ability to show more concern for others

as they were much aware of their parents’ feelings.

What Children Expect to See in an Evacuation Center

From the experiences and feelings of six-to-eight-year-old participants, they expressed

what they expect to see in an evacuation center to make their stay happy and comfortable.

These were material things, namely, toys, books, and television to fill their time, lots of food,

a curtain for privacy, and a comfortable bed to sleep on. Social relationships such as their

family, their own group of playmates, and friends were what other participants expect to see

for a happy and comfortable stay in the evacuation center.

The six- and -seven-year-old participants mostly expect to see toys and beds to sleep

on whereas the eight-year-old participants expect to see much food that would make their stay

happy and comfortable.

All of the participants would like to be with their parents and friends in times of

disaster, more so among the six-year-old participants. They believe that the presence of these

people close to them would lessen their fears while they stay in the evacuation center.

Recommendations

After summarizing and concluding the result of the data, the researcher has the

following recommendations for parents, teachers, school administrators and the sectors

catering to health and social services.

90
Theoretical Implications

Using Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory was helpful in this study as the theory

regarded children as having the ability to actively construct their knowledge and

understanding. From the children’s engagement of experiences and their feelings in the

evacuation center, they were able to voice out what they expect to see in an evacuation center

that would make their stay happy and comfortable.

Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model was also utilized in this study. His theory

has clearly explained the impact of social attachments primarily the children’s parents,

friends, and playmates. These social attachments provided the distinct type of support,

protection, and guidance that are helpful in creating a foundation for coping with a variety of

life challenges. Children are, therefore, dependent upon their family and friends to cope up

with the challenges they are going through. They would like to be with their families and

friends in times of disaster.

Future studies may focus on children’s experiences and feelings using the Humanistic

Theory of Abraham Maslow as the framework of the study and look into children’s hopes,

expectations, and plans for the future after a disastrous flood. The theory insists on the

importance of unique personal experiences thus revealing the essence of human personality

(Thomas, 1992).

Methodological Implications

Future researchers could generate more studies by employing other data gathering

procedures, such as phenomenological studies of children in the evacuation centers, to find

out, through actual observations, the experiences, feelings, and what children expect to see in

91
an evacuation center during an event of a disastrous flood. It is also recommended that studies

should be conducted in rural areas to find out children’s experiences, feelings, and what they

expect to see in an evacuation center in a different setting.

Social Implications

Parents should acknowledge and understand that the experiences which their children

are undergoing are real and have to be addressed by the parents themselves. By understanding

the results of this study, the parents can provide support to their children who experience

difficulties during their stay in evacuation centers.

The insights obtained from this study can also be helpful to teachers and administrators

who can include this study by embedding flood awareness and disaster preparedness in their

curriculum, most especially in those places frequently ravaged by flood. Classroom activities

that can help children overcome their hardships during these difficult times.

From the data acquired in this study, the health and social services sectors can propose

programs for appropriate support, advice, and intervention to address children’s negative

feelings such as fear, sadness, difficulty, frustration, pity, and hunger during their stay in

evacuation centers.

The garnered data are also helpful in making policies regarding disaster preparedness.

The policy will hopefully include the youngest sector of society and would take into

consideration children’s feelings while in the evacuation center. The results garnered in this

study can be used as a basis for program development of DSWD for children zero-to-eight-

years of age. Teachers and other volunteers who are aware of the results of this study can be

more effective evacuation center volunteers during flood disasters. This study can also be of

92
aid in addressing the stress and anxiety the children’s parents feel as they are also in need of

formal intervention to help them cope with the psychological effects from flooding. Likewise,

the Department of Family Life and Child Development Center (FLCD), College of Home

Economics of UP can work together with the government in designing programs for children

in the evacuation centers that would take into consideration young children’s development.

Programs that would include play in their activities would help relieve the boredom, anxiety,

and stress of children. The data gathered are also helpful in designing space for evacuation

centers. According to the article Philippines: Establishment and permanent evacuation

centers in the country pushed (2014), lawmakers have admonished the government to stop

using public schools as evacuation centers and construct permanent and safe structures

instead. Moreover, the Department of Clothing, Textile, and Interior Design (CTID), College

of Home Economics of UP could utilize the information in this study and help design an

evacuation center that would take into consideration the space, safety, and privacy of the

evacuees. In addition to this, the Department of CTID can also help in designing a play space

for children and activity center for adults. Planned activities in these areas would lessen the

stress and ease the difficulty of children and adults during these hard times. In addition to this,

the Department of Food, Science, and Nutrition (FSN), College of Home Economics of UP

can also make use of the data gathered in this study by helping the local government in

planning the food to be distributed among the families and their children in the evacuation

center that would take into consideration their health and nutrition.

93
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Thomas, R. (1992). Comparing theories of child development, 3rd Ed. Wadworth

Publishing Company, Belmont, California.

Umil, A. (2009). Women’s group fears rise in human trafficking cases in disaster areas. `
http://bulatlat.com/main/2013/11/27/womens-group-fears-rise-in-rape-human-
trafficking-cases-in-disaster-areas/#sthash.ryMdEOji.dpuf

Veale A. (2005). Creative methodologies in participatory research with children. . In S.

Greene & D. Hogan (Eds.), Researching children’s experience. Methods and
approaches (pp. 253-271).Sage Publication Ltd. Ca. USA.

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Whaley, F. (2011, Dec 20). Disease poses new threat crowded evacuation centers raise
concern after flash floods. Pittsburgh Post - Gazette Retrieved from
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Zoleta-Nantes, D. (2000). Flood hazards in Metro Manila. Recognizing commodities,

differences and courses of action. Social Science Diliman Vol.1.

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 APPENDICES
Appendix A: Interview Guide:
I. Warm-up Questions (These questions were asked to create rapport with the participants.)

1. Anong pangalan mo? (What is your name?)

2. Ilang taon ka na? (How old are you?)

3. Saan ka nag-aaral? (Where do you study?)

4. Anong baitang ka na? (What grade are you in?)

5. May mga kapatid ka ba? (Do you have any siblings?)

II. Drawing Prompts:

1. Mayroon akong papel, lapis, at pangkulay. Pwede mo bang i-drawing ang mga

nangyari sa iyo (naalala mong karanasan) sa loob ng evacuation center?

(I have here a piece of paper, a pencil, and crayons. Can you draw what happened to

you inside the evacuation center?)

2. Pwede mo bang ikuwento sa akin itong nai-drawing mo dito sa papel?

(Can you tell me what you have drawn on this paper?)

III. Questions on Children’s Experiences, Feelings, and Recommendations in the

Evacuation Center:

1. Alam mo ba kung bakit ka pumupunta sa evacuation center? Ano ang dahilan? (Do

you know the reason why you need to go to the evacuation center? What is it?)

2. Paano mo alam na kailangan mo nang pumunta sa evacuation center? (How do you

know that you already need to go to the evacuation center?)

3. Ilang araw kayo nagtatagal sa evacuation center? (How long do you stay in the

evacuation center?)

100
4. Pwede mo bang ikuwento sa akin ang mga nangyari sa iyo o mga naranasan mo sa

loob ng evacuation center? (Can you tell me what happened to you or what you

experienced in the evacuation center?)

5. Ano ang nararamdaman mo tuwing ikaw ay nasa loob ng evacuation center? Bakit

iyon ang nararamdaman mo? (What do you feel every time you are in the evacuation

center?)

6. Dahil sa mga nangyari sa iyo sa loob ng evacuation center, ano-ano o sino ang gusto

mong makita doon para maging masaya ka tuwing pupunta ka doon? (Because of the

many things that happened to you inside the evacuation center, what or who would

you like to see there to make your stay happy every time you would go there?)

101
Appendix B: Map of Barangay Tumana, Marikina City

102
Appendix C: H. Bautista Elementary School

103
 Appendix D: Consent Form

December 18, 2014

Honorable Zifred A. Ancheta

Barangay Tumana
Marikina City

Dear Sir:

I am a graduate student of Master in Family Life and Child Development in the University of the
Philippines, Diliman. I am presently conducting a study entitled “Children’s Experiences and
Feelings in a Selected Evacuation Center in Marikina City”.

May I request for permission from your good office to carry out my pre-test on December 18, 2014
on three six-to-eight-year-old residents of your barangay who frequently stay in the evacuation
center at the onslaught of flood. After the results of the pre-test have been validated by child
education experts, may I be granted the permission to conduct the study to the purposively selected
30 children of the same ages.

Rest assured that the parents will be given full information as to the objectives of the study. The
participants’ identity and the results of the study will be handled with utmost confidentiality.

I am hoping for your kind consideration. Thank you and God bless you and your office.

Respectfully,

Maria Talitha Estrella L. Borines

Master in Family Life and Child Development
College of Home Economics
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

Noted:

Dr. Estrella R. Agustin

Adviser

Approved:

Honorable Zifred A. Ancheta

Barangay Captain
Barangay Tumana, Marikina City

104
 Appendix E: Letter to the Barangay Captain

Department of Family Life and Child Development

College of Home Economics
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

Pebrero 16, 2015

Minamahal na Magulang,

Magandang araw! Ako ay isang graduate student ng Masters in Family Life and Child
Development ng College of Home Economics sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, Diliman, Quezon
City. Ako ay kasalukuyang gumagawang pag-aaral na may pamagat na Children’s
Experiences and Feelings in a Selected Evacuation Center in Marikina City. Layon nito
ang alamin ang mga karanasan at nararamdaman ng mga bata na may edad anim hanggang
walong taong gulang sa evacuation center.

Nais ko pong humingi ng pahintulot na magsagawa ng isang pakikipag-ugnayan sa

inyong anak. Makakaasa po kayo na ang mga datos na matatamo mula sa pag-aaral na ito
ay gagamitin lamang sa pang-akademyang pag-aaral. Akin din pong pangunahin na
isasaalang-alang ang di pagkakakilanlan ng iyong anak

Marami pong salamat.

Lubos na gumagalang,
Maria Talitha Estrella L. Borines
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tugon ng Magulang
Nabasa ko at naunawaan ang layunin ng pakikipanayam na isasagawa ng mag-aaral na
mananaliksik. Sa pamamagitan nito ay binibigyan ko ng pahintulot ang aking anak na si ____________

__________________, _____ taong gulang na lumahok sa panayam na isasagawa.

____________________________________________
Lagda ng Magulang sa Ibabaw ng Nakatalang Pangalan

105
 Appendix F: Children’s Drawings

Ariel (six years old)

106
Jilean (six years old)

107
James (six years old)

108
Kharyl (six years old)

109
Bianca (six years old)

110
Nicole (six years old)

111
Gerald (six years old)

112
Celso (six years old)

113
Yaj (six years old)

114
Romeo (six years old)

115
Denisse (seven years old)

116
Katie (seven years old)

117
Kristine (seven years old)

118
Ann (seven years old)

119
Liz (seven years old)

120
Ralph (seven years old)

121
Brandon (seven years old)

122
Mark (seven years old)

123
Jhon (seven years old)

124
Earl (seven years old)

125
Khyla (eight years old)

126
Rojulyn (eight years old)

127
Aira (eight years old)

128
Juliana (eight years old)

129
Sophia (eight years old)

130
Yasmine (eight years old)

131
John (eight years old)

132
Gian (eight years old)

133
Joshua (eight years old)

134
John (eight years old)

135