The motherhood mandate imposes an expectation on women to become mothers — not just mothers, but good mothers at the very least. While some pursue motherhood either by this imposition or by choice, some opt to remain childfree. Voluntary childlessness empowers women and gives them the freedom to determine and pursue their aspirations and shape their own future and identities beyond the motherhood mandate (Panggabean, 2014).
This study contributes to our understanding of voluntary childlessness in the Philippines. It explores the experiences of twenty (20) Filipino voluntary childless (VC) women, using key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis revealed five (5) key themes: (1) realization of choice; (2) motivations toward voluntary childlessness; (3) relationships and status in society; (4) present and future as VC women; and (5) redefinition of womanhood.
To some extent, voluntary childlessness serves as a critique of the motherhood expectations embedded in the family and society. As VC women reflect on the motivations behind their rejection of motherhood, they recognize the burdens and pressures of being a mother, that is sustained by the unequal sexual division of labor and the ideologies surrounding motherhood.
This study surfaces the experiences of Filipino VC women toward the reduction of stigma and discrimination against them and the inclusion of their needs and interests in social policies and services. It recommends the incorporation of voluntary childlessness in the study of demographic shifts, family relations, economic productivity, and promotion of social justice, among others.

Filipino seafarers, who make up nearly a quarter of the global maritime workforce, serve as a vital human engine of international trade—navigating ships, managing operations, and ensuring the safe delivery of goods across oceans. Despite their indispensable role, their access to social protection remains limited and inconsistent due to the complexities of their employment arrangements. Most Filipino seafarers work on foreign-flagged vessels through Philippine-based crewing agencies, creating ambiguity over which stakeholders are responsible for their social security and welfare.
This study confronts the challenge of designing a comprehensive and inclusive social protection framework tailored to the realities of Filipino seafarers. Through a survey of 222 seafarers—comprising Officers (93), Ratings Personnel (119), and Non-Marine staff (10)—and three focus group discussions with 55 participants, the research identifies six key categories of risk across a seafarer’s life and career: life cycle, economic, environmental and disaster, social governance, gender-related, and criminal involvement risks.
Findings reveal that economic insecurity—especially during the standby period between contracts and the lack of long-term savings—is the most pressing concern. Environmental threats such as storms, pollution, and workplace accidents further expose seafarers to health hazards and physical harm. Life cycle risks, including the potential for disability and long periods of isolation, impact not only their well-being but also their mental health. The study also highlights underreported vulnerabilities: depression due to family separation, exposure to exploitative labor conditions, vulnerability to sea piracy and gender-based discrimination, particularly among female officers who encounter hiring bias and sexual harassment.

Furthermore, this study introduces the concept of intersecting hierarchies—such as job category, gender, education, union affiliation, and race—as critical in shaping the level of risk and the effectiveness of social protection efforts. These hierarchies affect how seafarers perceive and respond to risks, and how institutions should tailor policies to meet their varying needs. With nearly 89 percent of respondents voluntarily enrolled in the Social Security System (SSS), many still struggle to maintain contributions during periods of unemployment, rendering their benefits unreliable.
By contextualizing seafarers’ lived experiences and systemic vulnerabilities, the research calls for reforms in social protection that are not only legally binding but also responsive to the diversity of needs within the maritime sector. A one-size-fits-all approach fails to capture the layered and uneven risks among this workforce. Thus, integrating risk and hierarchy analysis into government policy is imperative for crafting a truly inclusive social protection system that upholds the dignity and rights of Filipino seafarers. This framework can also be applied in designing a comprehensive and inclusive social protection for other sectors including land-based migrant workers.

This dissertation investigates the recovery journeys of women who use drugs in the Philippines, addressing a critical gap in gender-responsive substance use interventions. Existing drug rehabilitation frameworks frequently neglect the intersecting social, structural, and psychological factors unique to women, including experiences of trauma, poverty, caregiving burdens, and systemic discrimination. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory and grounded in Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) and Community- Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the study centers women’s voices to co-create knowledge and define recovery in their own terms.

The study was conducted in Quezon City and Cavite City, with additional perspectives from service providers in Cebu and Davao. Twenty women in various stages of recovery participated as research partners, contributing to all stages of the process- from inquiry design to validation of findings. Data collection employed a combination of narrative interviews, focus group discussions, community workshops, and key informant interviews, supported by a review of national and international drug policy documents. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns across individual, relational, and structural dimensions of recovery, validated through iterative feedback with participants.

Findings reveal that substance use is frequently rooted in relational and economic vulnerabilities within women’s microsystems (e.g., intimate relationships, family) and mesosystems (e.g., community, peer influence). Recovery was described as a multidimensional process encompassing agency, self-worth, relational healing, and social

reintegration- not merely abstinence. Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Programs that integrated livelihood support, peer mentoring, and gender-sensitive counseling emerged as critical facilitators of transformation.

The study calls for institutional reforms to mainstream feminist and gender- inclusive approaches in drug recovery policy and practice. It underscores the need for multi-sectoral collaboration and sustained engagement with women as agents of change. This dissertation contributes to feminist theory, gender and development practice, and public health scholarship by advancing inclusive, community-based models of care rooted in justice, empowerment, and solidarity.

In the heart of Brgy. 170 in Caloocan City, a group of young people decided to act, not just for themselves, but for their entire community. This thesis explores the journey of the Shelter Park Youth and Children Organization (SPYCO), a youth-led community group that evolved from organizing for rights and recognition into a legitimate force in local community governance. This study, rooted in the lived experiences and growing pains of SPYCO’s members, captures the story of how empowered youth can lead transformative change when their voices are not only heard but affirmed.

Grounded in Community Organizing and Community Development (CO-CD) frameworks and guided by Gender and Development (GAD), the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA), and participatory processes, this research asked one essential question: how do youth-led organizations like SPYCO transition from grassroots organizing into meaningful community governance? Through a qualitative case study, the research used focus group discussions, key informant interviews, document analysis, and field observations to understand SPYCO’s journey from the perspective of its members, partners, and community stakeholders.

The study finds that SPYCO’s transformation was not a straight line. It was a process shaped by inner resilience, a strong sense of community, and the navigation of both supportive relationships and structural barriers. SPYCO began with simple values-

based organizing that responded to immediate community needs such as child protection, education access, and poverty. Over time, through consistent capacity-building, youth formation, and participation in local programs, SPYCO moved closer to practicing community governance. Their formal recognition by barangay leaders and active role in decision-making processes signaled a major step toward genuine youth-led governance.

What made SPYCO’s work stand out was its ability to connect values with action.

The group built a culture rooted in compassion, humility, inclusivity, and unity in diversity. With this as their foundation, they developed organizational systems, passed internal guidelines, and prioritized the protection and participation of children in their efforts. Their organizing emphasized relationships: among fellow youth, with supportive adults, and eventually with institutional stakeholders. From youth-led mobilizations came platforms for dialogue and participation, turning the group into a legitimate channel for young people’s concerns in the community.

However, the journey was far from easy. SPYCO faced challenges, including the persistent stereotype that youth are inexperienced or incapable of leading. At times, they encountered tokenism, limited funding, and logistical constraints. Internally, transitions in leadership and sustaining energy among members proved difficult. Despite these, what SPYCO showed is that resilience comes from collective action, grounded in purpose and supported by love for community.

This research argues that youth organizing, when supported and recognized, can move beyond awareness-building and into the realm of real, lasting influence. SPYCO’s case illustrates that young people are capable of shaping not only programs but also policies and local systems. Community governance is not limited to elected positions or formal titles. From SPYCO’s experience, this research proposes several recommendations for youth organizations, development practitioners, and local government. These include investing in values formation and leadership skills at the community level, ensuring the representation of youth in barangay structures, strengthening adult-youth partnerships, and institutionalizing support systems for youth- led initiatives.

This thesis contributes to the broader dialogue on community development in the Philippines by offering a concrete example of how youth participation can be a powerful tool for systemic change. SPYCO’s experience reminds us of pakikilahok, when rooted in genuine care and collective vision, can indeed be a source of pagbabago and pag-asa.
The future of governance lies not only in the hands of those already in power, but in the voices of the young, the organized, and the hopeful.

This study examines the subjective well-being (SWB) and lived experiences of solo parents from the Solo Parents Association of Marilag, Quezon City. The research was guided by the SWB framework that encompasses cognitive (life satisfaction), affective (emotional states), and eudemonic (sense of meaning and purpose) dimensions. Rooted in the researcher’s own experience as a child of a solo parent, the research adopts a reflexive, ethical, and gender-sensitive approach to data collection and analysis. Through in-depth interviews with twelve solo parents—including ten solo mothers and two solo fathers—the study identifies key themes related to mental health, well-being, and challenges such as financial strain, emotional burden, systemic support gaps, as well as coping strategies and gendered differences in parenting experiences. Results show persistent stressors and stigma regarding solo parenthood, systemic gaps in support, limited access to mental health and social services, and the role of community and internal resilience in sustaining well-being. It highlights the differences in recognition, support, and public perception between solo mothers and fathers in general.
It argues for the urgent need to strengthen policies and interventions grounded in lived realities, and to mainstream solo parenthood across governance, education, workplace policies, and media. The research facilitates an inclusive discussion about family structures, mental well-being, and the welfare of all, with the added intention of lending credence to systemic changes that will enable solo- parent families not only to survive but also to thrive.