Navigating Tiwala in Disasters: Rural Women Leaders and Social Constructions of Trust With International Humanitarian Organisations

Abstract

Tiwala is a multidimensional social construct "associated with the consistency of people's words and actions . . . , the fulfillment of promises . . . , and basic respect for people [with] solicitude . . . and willingness to help" (Mangubat, 2008). It is loosely translated to "trust," a component of social capital, which in Philippine rural disaster contexts is crucial to communities'—and women's—access to resources in humanitarian response. Local women's organisations play key roles in disasters, and they perceive that their social capital with, and trust in, international nongovernment organisations (INGOs) can address their unmet humanitarian needs. Yet there is limited documentation and analysis of the experiences and perspectives of local women's organisations in the intersection of social capital, trust, and disaster resilience in the Philippines. The objectives of the study are to: (a) illustrate their experiences in partnering with humanitarian INGOs in disasters, and (b) examine how they navigate Tiwala within these partnerships through semistructured interviews and thematic data analysis. It finds that rural women leaders tend to place Tiwala in INGOs when they establish externally-supported credibility, consistently exhibit trustworthy behaviours, espouse a sense of mutuality and reciprocity, and deliver aid that is appropriate and impactful to communities. Rural women leaders call for a humanitarian and development system that is Filipino and feminist in nature and praxis: a way onwards that is built upon their lived experiences, rooted in a culture of mutual Tiwala, and anchored by their holistic and rights-based approach to gender and disaster resilience.