Adaptability of Low-Income Communities in Postdisaster Relocation

Figures & data

Table 1 Interview year, number of interviews and interviewers, and location breakdown.

Interview year	Coastal residents (date interviewed)	No. of interviews	No. of interviewers^a	Relocating residents (date interviewed)	No. of interviews	No. of staff for interviews^a
1	February 2015	40	9	October 2015	40	7
2	June 2016	41	7	January 2017	44	7
3	August 2017	40	6	December 2017	40	7
4	June 2018	44	8	November 2018	41	6
5	August 2019	40	6	January 2020	40	7

Note: a. Including staff who were solely responsible for interpretations.

Figure 1. Study location (the Philippines, Tacloban City, and barangays).

Figure 2. Two-step relocation planned by the city.

Figure 3. Timeline of events and planning decisions.

Table 2 Representative quotes explaining residential status.

	Planned relocation path		Improvised relocation paths
	Residents in downtown bunkhouses	Residents in the northern transitional shelters	Residents in barracks
On financial status and opportunities	We have free water and electricity, so our expense compared to before is lesser…[however] back in [Barangay] 88, my wife had a sari-sari store, but now, everyone has a sari-sari store so we decided not to have a sari-sari store. Financial opportunities here are fewer than before. (Male, 40s, October 2015)	Before Yolanda, we can easily access the basic goods, because mini-markets were there, more goods were sold. Here we have more expenses because we have to pay for the transportation fee for basic goods. (Female, 30s, October 2015)	Our main means of income is the store. I also drive around town on a jeepney to collect passengers but only as a part time. Nothing really changed after the typhoon. (Male, 50s, June 2016)
On access to infrastructure and transportation	There is no problem with water and electricity because both are free, but transportation is harder now [due to the unavailable service] compared before. (Male, 60s, October 2015)	Living here has [been] a big change in our life. Now, hospitals are very far, whenever my child is sick, we have to pay more than before [to travel downtown] for it to be checked. And also, we lack water supply. (Female, 20s, October 2015)	Our access to public services such as water, electricity, transportation is still the same [before and after Haiyan]. We are now back to normal. (Female, 20s, August 2017)
On living status	…in terms of health services, our place is lacking. Many residents caught pneumonia, heat stroke and some even died. (Female, 40s, October 2015) I am having a difficult time due to dysfunctional comfort rooms, rats and cockroaches around the area. (Female, 40s, October 2015)	It’s difficult living here, I can’t sell cooked food because I can’t leave the house. There is no livelihood here. (Female, 30s, October 2015) Livelihood here is hard compared to Costa Brava. There, we can put up livestock [that is prohibited in the current site] as our source of income. (Female, 60s, October 2015)	We were given a bunkhouse but we refused to accept it because it will be very hard for us to live there, it was very far from our livelihood and also from the school where my children were studying. (Male, 50s, June 2016)
Relation to former neighborhoods	I provide laundry services but not as often as when I was still in Costa Brava. My regular customers before live far apart now so I have to spare some coins for the transportation expenses. (Female, 40s, October 2015) Kids ride (public transportation) to get downtown…and walk to school from there. (Female 20s, October 2015)	Before, my husband was a fisherman, he earned 3,000 [pesos] in 3 days. Now he’s still a fisherman there [in the old neighborhood] but he doesn’t earn that much now plus we spend a lot for his fare. (Female, 40s, October 2015) I work as a VSP volunteer under the city government. At the same time, I have a part-time job at Republic Bar [both located downtown]. (Male 20s, October 2015)	Yes, we are just waiting for it [housing units in the north] to be finished constructing and we will immediately transfer but we will still return here because of our livelihood. (Female, 50s, June 2016) For me, it [relocation to the north] is a very good project of the government. Very safe unlike our current house which is situated just above the sea which is very dangerous. (Female 30s, June 2016)

Figure 4. Types of transitional housing and locations.

Table 3 Relocation trajectories and types of housing.

Relocation trajectory	Housing assistance	Housing type	Site location
Planned relocation path	Government provided (transitional housing)	Bunkhouses	Downtown
		Transitional shelters	The North
Improvised relocation path	Self-provided informal housing	Barracks	Coastal area

Table 4 Residents’ changing thoughts and perceptions on relocation.

		Planned relocation			Improvised relocation
Wave	Years after typhoon	Interview date	General thoughts on relocation	Perceptions and responses on relocation	Interview date	General thoughts on relocation	Perceptions and responses on relocation
1	Year 2	October 2015	Waiting to be in the permanent units in transitional housing is too long	Negative	February 2015	Eager to leave the coastal area to safer locations	Positive
2	Year 3	January 2017	Lost jobs but acquired durable and safe houses to live in	Not too pessimistic	June 2016	Living in the North is attractive for safe housing, yet the living outlook seems difficult	Both positive and negative
3	Year 4	December 2017	Time to move in to settle in the permanent units	Not too pessimistic	August 2017	Having the permanent housing units in the North continues to be attractive, yet the living outlook is not easy	Both positive and negative
4	Year 5	November 2018	Adjusting to new places—public and utility services are getting better	Feeling content	June 2018	Owning two places to live is critical because we still rely on job opportunities in the coastal communities	Negative
5	Year 6	January 2020	Local economy and community characters are emerging	Varies, depending on communities	August 2019	Time to give up coastal structure is coming	Accepting

Figure 5. Evolution of community relocation after disasters. ∗This paper refers to Scudder’s model of the settlement process (1985) as time framing of community to adapt.

Scudder, T. (1985). A sociological framework for the analysis of new land settlements. In M. M. Cernea (Ed.), Putting people first: Sociological variables in rural development (2nd ed., pp. 148–187). Published for the World Bank by Oxford University Press.

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