How the Badjao read the sea: Indigenous knowledge in disaster plans

CEBU CITY, Philippines — What if the sea itself could warn communities before disaster strikes?

For the Indigenous Badjao community in Sitio Naba, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, the answer has long been yes.

Rather than relying only on weather bulletins and government advisories, many Badjaos watch the tides, waves, currents, and subtle changes in the sea. They have passed this knowledge from one generation to the next and use it to anticipate approaching dangers.

These lived experiences inspired an award-winning undergraduate thesis by three Bachelor of Arts in Communication students from the University of the Philippines Cebu. Their study argues that disaster risk reduction programs should incorporate Indigenous knowledge alongside formal disaster management strategies.

Best Thesis award at UP Cebu

The thesis, “Shared Sea, Shared Risk: A ‘SEA’mbolic Interactionism Analysis on the Marine-based Disaster Risk Construct of the Badjaos in Sitio Naba, Mambaling, Cebu City,” won the Best Thesis award during UP Cebu’s Ganti sa Hamiling Paniksik (Outstanding Thesis Award).

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Researchers Erna Bonsukan, Adrian Campugan, and Jade Himalaloan explored how the Badjao community understands disaster risks through culture, lived experience, and its enduring relationship with the sea.

The researchers noted that disaster communication in the Philippines often follows a top-down approach. Government agencies and technical experts usually define risks and issue warnings to communities.

Looking beyond top-down disaster plans

While that system remains important, they said it often overlooks the environmental knowledge that Indigenous communities have built through generations of living with nature.

“Our study examines how members of the Badjao community understand and construct disaster risks, particularly how their cultural beliefs, livelihood practices, and long-standing relationship with the sea shape their perceptions and responses to disaster events,” the researchers said in the executive summary they submitted to CDN Digital.

Many Badjao families now live in informal coastal settlements vulnerable to flooding, typhoons, storm surges, and rising sea levels.

Because they interact with the sea every day, community members interpret environmental hazards differently from conventional disaster communication models, the study found.

Reading the sea for early warnings

One of the study’s key findings is that the sea itself serves as an informal early warning system.

Instead of depending solely on official advisories, Badjao residents observe changing tides, wave patterns, water movement, and other natural signs. They use these observations to anticipate dangerous conditions and prepare for possible disasters.

The researchers said local disaster planners should recognize this Indigenous environmental knowledge and integrate it into preparedness programs.

Culture shapes disaster decisions

The study also found that cultural beliefs and shared experiences influence how the community prepares for disasters.

For many Badjaos, spiritual beliefs, family traditions, and memories of previous calamities shape how they interpret warnings and decide when to evacuate.

The researchers said that disaster planners should understand these beliefs instead of treating them as barriers to preparedness.

Livelihood matters in disaster plans

The study also examined why some residents delay evacuation even when hazards approach.

For many Badjao families, pumpboats and stilt houses are more than property. They are essential sources of livelihood and part of their identity.

Many families therefore weigh the risk to their safety against the possible loss of their boats, homes, and income before leaving.

The researchers recommended evacuation plans that also protect livelihoods, not just lives.

Disaster knowledge travels through stories

The Badjao community also shares disaster knowledge differently from conventional information systems.

Residents pass on warnings and experiences through storytelling, family conversations, daily interactions, and lessons shared across generations.

These community networks influence how people understand, trust, and respond to disaster warnings.

The researchers said disaster communication programs become more effective when they build on these existing practices.

Recommendations for government

Based on their findings, the researchers urged local government units, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and barangay disaster officials to adopt more culturally responsive disaster strategies.

They recommended integrating Indigenous environmental knowledge into disaster communication. They also encouraged officials to involve Badjao elders and community leaders in planning, develop livelihood-sensitive evacuation strategies, and strengthen partnerships with Indigenous communities.

The researchers said these measures could improve trust, encourage greater participation, and strengthen disaster preparedness in vulnerable coastal communities.

Research with impact

Beyond receiving UP Cebu’s Best Thesis award, the researchers hope their work will contribute to more inclusive disaster governance.

“We hope these insights may help support the development of more culturally responsive and community-sensitive disaster risk reduction initiatives, particularly for coastal Indigenous communities,” they said in their cover letter accompanying the research summary.

Their award-winning study highlights one important lesson: effective disaster planning should not begin and end with government agencies. It should also listen to Indigenous communities whose knowledge of the sea has helped them navigate risks for generations.

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