“Seeing God in Disaster”: The Role of Religious Belief in the Survival Strategies of Selected Student Victims

of Typhoon Ondoy

INTRODUCTORY SONG

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY• The study of religious beliefs has never been given a serious attention in sociology

of religion, much more on their significance in relation to disasters.• Sociological research on religion focuses little on beliefs but instead on

organizational structures, behavioral practices and connections to non-religious concerns and outcomes.

• And yet the content of religious beliefs (as they related to cultures, organizations and practices) is crucially important for constituting and motivating selves, identities, communities, organizations and movements . If the religious contents of religious beliefs do not matter, then religion is immediately reducible to more generic features of social life, and the study of religion can be readily subsumed into the fields that study them (Smith 2008).

• THE FILIPINOS ARE CONSIDERED AS THE MOST RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF BELIEF IN GOD (Smith 2012 Religiosity Report).

• WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS BELIEF IF CHALLENGED OR TESTED BY A MAJOR DISASTER LIKE THE TROPICAL STORM ONDOY (KETSANA)?

THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

THE FILIPINOS ARE CONSIDERED AS THE MOST RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF BELIEF IN GOD (Smith 2012 Religiosity Report).

THE FILIPINO YOUTH

• 1. IS THIS BELIEF STRENGTHENED OR WEAKENED BY DISASTERS LIKE TYPHOON ONDOY?

• 2. HOW DOES THIS BELIEF HELP THEM DURING AND AFTER THE DISASTER?

How did your Belief in God Help you Survive the Ondoy Ordeal?

1. It released my fear and unloaded personal anxieties.

Nakakatulong ito sa pagpaalis sa aking mga takot noong Ondoy. Para sa akin kapag nailalabas ko at naiiyak ko sa kanya lahat lahat, para bang gumagaan ang aking pakiramdam. At naniniwala ako lagi at sinasabi sa sarili ko na “meron akong Diyos na may malasakit na tumutulong sa aking mga problema.

(It helped in releasing my fears during Ondoy. For me, If I have already expressed all my fears and cried to Him, I felt relieved. And I always believe at I said this to myself that “there is a compassionate God who helps me in my problems.

Lalong tumitibay at gumagaan ang aking pakiramdam. Hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa dahil sa paniniwala at pagdarasal ko. (It made me stronger and it relieved what I felt. I did not lose hope because of my belief and prayers)

Belief in God Provided Victims with more strength

• Nasa eskwelahan ako ng bagyong Ondoy…Sa 2nd floor kami pinatuloy nang panahon na iyon dahil sa taas ng baha…Takot na tako ako noon lalo na na hindi ko pa nakikita and aking mga magulang…dasal lang ako nang dasal na sana huminto na and ulan…nagdarasal din ako na magkakaroon ako ng dagdag na lakas loob kahit ako lang mag-isa.

• (I was in school during Typhoon Ondoy… We were transferred to the second floor because of level of the flood…I just prayed continuously hoping that the rain would stop… I also prayed that I would be given the extra strength even if I was alone.)

2. It made me a stronger person during the Typhoon

It made me stronger person . I know that God will always be there with me during the disaster.

This belief helped me in coping with Ondoy by making me a strong person. I was thinking at that time that everything has a reason and I believed that God has better plans for me.

3. It provided me strength to face the disaster

During Ondoy I always prayed to Him and asked for a sign and He gave me strength to face the disaster.

4. It strengthened the will. Oo, nakakatulong kase alam kong nariyan siya at hindi niya ako iiwan. Nagpalakas ng loob na harapin ang sakuna at hindi mawalan ng pag-asa at hindi madaling bumigay sa buhay.(Yes, it me because I believed He was there and will never leave me. It strengthened my will to face the disaster , not to lose hope and not to give up in life).

Belief in God Removed the my Panic

• Nasa bahay ako nung araw na yon at ang kasama ko lang sa bahay ay ang aking Papa. Hindi ko naman inaasahan na babaha sa amin ng hanggang balikat. Nandun na din yung takot dahil naiwan akong mag-isa sa kwarto at nakaupo lang sa kama naming sa itaas. Pero hindi ako nagpanic at naniniwala naman ako na si God na ang bahala sa amin.

• (I was at home on that day with my Dad. I did not expect that the flood will reach up the shoulders. The fear was there since I was left alone in the room and seated on the bed upstairs. But I did not panic and believed that God was there for us.)

5. It miraculously saved me.

I’m at our house in San Mateo when Ondoy struck the country. My mother was in her office. Only me and my sister was at home. At first when the water entered our house, we didn’t panic at all. I’ve tried to mop it. But as time goes by, the water was rising very fast and we don’t have a second floor. So I grabbed my cellphone put it in a plastic bag and carried my little sister in order that I can put her on our dining table and then I remembered to pray and seek for God’s help. Then, when I opened the door a man came and rescued us and brought us to a big house where we stayed until morning. God answered our prayers.

I was at home during that time. I live in Santolan Pasig. By the time I woke up, the water already entered our house. I was really afraid at that time that the water might elevate much more. I prayed to God for safety and protection for each one of us. My belief in God saved me by believing and trusting Him that everything would normalize soon. And that God has a purpose for what just happed last September 2009

How did your Belief in God Help you Survive the Ondoy Ordeal?

My belief in God helped me a lot in surviving during Ondoy. It was so powerful that even by just knowing that somebody is with me through it all is already a huge help. And believing in God somehow made me feel strong enough to face the disaster.

It enlightened my thinking. I was shocked by the flood. My mind went blank and I could not think straight. But after I prayed I was enlightened by Him. Then I was able to think clearly on how I could face the disaster.

Ito ay nakakatulong sa akin na harapin ang sakuna dahil mas naliliwanagan ako sa bawat kilos na gagawin ko. (This helped me in facing the disaster because it enlightened more my every action I want to make)

Did Typhoon Ondoy Strengthen or Weaken your Belief in God?

ALL 25 VICTIM-INFORMANTS SAID THAT ONDOY STRENGTHENED THEIR BELIEF IN GOD1. Napalakas nito ang aking paniniwala dahil noong Ondoy wala akong ibang makausap kundi Siya at dahil sa aking pagdadasal noong panahong iyon, biglang huminto ang ulan. Kaya malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa Kanya nung panahon na iyon.

(It strengthened my belief because during Ondoy I have no one to talk to except Him and because in my prayers at that time, the rain suddenly stopped. That was why I was very thankful to Him during that time.)2. It strengthened my belief in God because He saved my loved ones.

3. It strengthened because even though our house and things were destroyed, at least He didn’t put my family in danger or death.4. It strengthened my belief. Because of that experience during Ondoy I now believe in miracles.

6. Mas lumalakas po. Nagpapasalamat kami dahil swerteng buhay pa kami, marami po ang namatay sa sakuna ng Ondoy, kaya malaki ang pagpapasalalamat ko sa Diyos.

(It was strengthened. We were grateful because we were fortunate to be alive, many died during the Ondoy disaster, that is why we were very thankful to God.

7. It was intensified. It made me stronger as a person.

8. Napalakas ang aking paniniwala dahil doon ko naramdaman na mahal pa kami ng Diyos at hindi niya kami pinabayaan.

(It strengthened my belief because it was during this time that I felt that God loved us and He did not abandon us.)

9. Napalakas ang aking paniniwala sa Diyos dahil hindi niya hinyaan sa aking pamilya na may masaktan man o may mawala.

(It strengthened my belief in God since He did not allow that anyone in my family to be hurt or lost.)

10. I realized that God is there to help. He also taught me a lesson to show more care about the earth and should never destroy it, for he created it for us.

How did this Belief in God help you improve your life after Ondoy?

1. It provided hope, to be more prayerful and value one’s life more.

It helped me by getting strength from Him. After what happened, I believed that there’s still hope and there’s another bright day ahead.

It encouraged me to pray and pray until God enlightened me that there is always a rainbow after the rain.

Nagkaroon ng pag-asa na habang may buhay may pag-asa.(It gave me hope, that as long as there is life, there is hope.)

Nakakatulong ito dahil lalo kong minahal ang aking buhay, patuloy pa man din ang aking pananampalataya at hindi nawawala ang pag-asa.(It helped since I love my life more, continue my faith and never lose hope)

How did this Belief in God help you improve your life after Ondoy?

I learned a lesson. God was able to show that after the storm there is always some good news waiting for you.

2. It provided positive outlook in life

Mas natuto akong sumunod sa parents ko at pinahalagahan ko na ngayon yung meron ako.(I learned to obey my parents and appreciate what I have at present)

Naiisip ko na hindi ako pababayaan ng Diyos at may kinabukasan pa na nakahanda sa akin. (I thought that God did not abandon me and there is a future prepared for me)

After Ondoy, we recovered fast because we think positively of all that happened. Ondoy has a reason and lesson to learn and we all know that God never neglected us.

3. It made them more religious and responsible

Naging madasalin at responsableng anak ako. pagkatapos ng Ondoy. ( I became more prayerful and a responsible daughter after Ondoy)

Nakakatulong sa pagbabago ng aking buhay . Pagkatapos ng Bagyong Ondoy, matutunan ko na magdasal lang palagi at huwag makakalimot sa Panginoong Diyos.

(It helped me changed my life. After Typhon Ondoy I learned to always pray and never to forget God).

It helped me to be more responsible and faithful to God.

It made me more prayerful and I observed as a person I’ve changed a lot.

4. It taught a lesson on the environment.

After the typhoon Ondoy. I learned how to take good care of the earth. I also feel myself as a better daughter of God because of Ondoy.

God helped me to continue my life because this is one of the plans of God for us, to learn from the mistake we did in our environment.

Nakakatulong dahil alam na dapat ng tao kung saan nila itatapon ang mga basura at pangangalagaan ang likas na yaman.

(It helped because it made people aware where to throw their garbage and to take care of the environment)

How often do you perform the following religious activities?

Religious activity

Always Often Occasionally Rarely Never

Attend Sunday Mass

12 9 7

Pray to God personally

23 3 2

Participate Parish Activities

3 4 14 5 2

Join Church fellowship

3 7 9 8 1

Church Goers Percentage Non-Church Goers Percentage

21 88.5 7

Prayerful Not Prayerful

26 2

Involved in Parishactivities

Not involved in Parish activities

7 21

Active in Church Fellowship10 18

Are you a religious person?

• 25 out 26 informants described themselves as religious• Only 1 informant said she is not religious but agnostic.• For the 25 informants, religiosity is associated with the

following indicators:

INFORMANTS’ INDICATORS OF RELIGIOSITY BY RANK

INDICATOR FREQUENCY (N=26) PERCENTAGE

Pray to God every day 13

Feeling God’s presence 9

Attend Sunday Mass 10

Having faith in God 10

Trying to live God’s words/teachings

5

Being helpful to others 1

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• Level of Religious Belief in God * Level of Religious Coping

• Level of Risk during the Typhoon - Self - Family

TyphoonOndoy

Being Religious is to Attend Sunday Mass

Carla I’m a religious person. I attend the Mass every Sunday

JoanneAng buhay pananampalataya ko ay iyong naituro na o napasa sa akin ng aking mga magulang. Ako ay nagsisimba lingo-lingo…(My faith life is taught and passed on to me by my parents. I attend the Mass Sunday).

Kristine I can say that I am a religious person. My family and I go to church every Sunday…

Karl I’m a religious man …I often go to Church every Sunday or Saturday.

Jane Lahat kami sa pamilya ay relihiyoso…. nagsisimba kami tuwing Linggo.

Being Religious is to Pray to God EverydayAko’y isang relihiyoso dahil. Kahit minsan lang ako magsimba tuwing Linggo, pero hindi ako nakakalimot magpasalamat sa kanya araw-araw at magdasal…

(I am a religious person. Even if I seldom attend the Mass on Sundays, I never forget to thank and pray to Him everyday)

I’m a religious person…Everyday I say I pray and say sorry for all the sins that I did.

Ako’y…nagdarasal tuwing matutulog at magigising. Sa ngayon, masaya ako na nagdarasal sa hapagkainan marahil bihira na lang ang nakararanas nito. Lagi din akong nagdarasal pagsakay sa sasakyan o may madadaanan na simbahan.

(I pray whenever I go to sleep and wake up. At present, I am happy praying before meals, although very few now experience this. I always pray before boarding a vehicle or if I pass by a church.)

I’m a religious man because I pray to God everyday and every night for my safety, protection, guidance and my dreams to come true.

I’m a very religious person. Aside from going to Church every Sunday, I always pray every night.

Ako ay isang relihiyoso…tuwing gabi nagdarasal ako upang pasalamatan at humingi ng tawad sa Panginoon.

EMBEDDED HYPOTHESIS