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

2. INTRODUCTORY SONG

3. 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)?

4. 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?

5. 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)

6. 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.)

7. 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).

8. 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.)

9. 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

12. 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)

13. Did Typhoon Ondoy Strengthen or
Weaken your Belief in God?
ALL 25 VICTIM-INFORMANTS SAID THAT ONDOY STRENGTHENED THEIR BELIEF IN
GOD
1. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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)

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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)

19. 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

20. Church Goers Percentage Non-Church Goers Percentage
21 88.5 7
Prayerful Not Prayerful
26 2
Involved in Parish
activities
Not involved in
Parish activities
7 21
Active in Church
Fellowship
10 18

21. 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:

22. 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

23. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
• Level of
Religious Belief
in God * Level of Religious
Coping
• Level of Risk
during the Typhoon
- Self
- Family
Typhoon
Ondoy

24. Being Religious is to Attend Sunday Mass
Carla I’m a religious person. I attend the Mass every Sunday
Joanne
Ang 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.

25. Being Religious is to Pray to God Everyday
Ako’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.

26. EMBEDDED HYPOTHESIS