Riding the TIDES: Community Health Adaptation to Flooding in Bulacan

Abstract

Background: Flooding represents more than an environmental issue; it poses a profound threat to livelihoods and psychological well-being. For families living in chronically flood-prone areas, it has become a constant fight for survival. Purpose: Although previous studies have examined flood adaptation and disaster resilience, limited research has explored how residents themselves perceive, experience, and adapt to flood-related health challenges through their own visual narratives. To address this gap, this study sought to explore the community health adaptation strategies of barangay residents, the challenges they face, and their aspirations for a healthier, more resilient future. Methods: Using a qualitative photovoice design, 17 purposively selected flood-affected residents documented lived experiences through photographs discussed in semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Data underwent inductive thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, triangulation, reflexivity, audit trails, and peer debriefing, and code-recoding procedures. Results: The core theme, Riding the TIDES, captured the dynamic process of adapting, persevering, and striving toward resilience amidst flooding. Five themes emerged: (1) Trussed Boundaries of Inundation, (2) Iterative Pathways of Acclimatization, (3) Dialogues of Meaning-Making, (4) Emerging Consciousness of Needs and Aspirations, and (5) Shared Agency and Sustained Solidarity. Conclusion: The findings reveal that adaptation to chronic flooding transcends physical survival and encompasses resilience-building, meaning-making, and collective empowerment. The study contributes a participant-driven understanding of how chronic flood exposure fosters a nuanced form of toxic resilience, in which adaptive capacities coexist with enduring structural vulnerabilities and aspirations for systemic change.