Geography plays an important role in shaping the experiences and culture of Filipinos. Situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines has topped the World Risk Index (2022) report due to the risks and vulnerabilities it faces with natural occurrences such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions wherein such frequency of events are further exacerbated by the concept of normalisation of living with such threats. International media portrays the ability of Filipinos to ‘smile’ even after experiencing such calamities, reflecting a romanitisation of resiliency. However, this emphasis on Filipinos’ ability to immediately recover from disasters would only result to the normalization of the experience of inconveniences resulting into lack of societal demand for government accountability and mitigation measures. Thus, this paper inquires: how is inconvenience normalized in the Philippines? Through qualitative research methods, specifically semi-structured interviews, the research aim to identify the ‘inconveniences’ often experienced by Filipinos, as well as to understand how normalizing inconveniences affect Filipinos. At the end of the research, the concept of ‘normalisation of inconvenience’ based on Filipino experience will be defined. This definition of ‘normalisation of inconvenience’ will be the precursor to further studies in relation to natural and man-made disasters.

Authors:
Marian Gongora, Far Eastern University, Philippines
Agnes Beatrice Silva, Far Eastern University, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Marian Gongora is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Far Eastern University in Philippines

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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