Burdened Survival

The COVID-19 pandemic was not a universal experience but a crisis that disproportionately affected rural women. While resilience is often framed as empowerment, this study reframes it as burdened survival shaped by social inequality and the perceived inadequacy of state support. An interpretive phenomenological study was conducted in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, involving eight rural women aged 20–60, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically capture their lived experiences and coping strategies during the pandemic. Six major themes emerged: (1) economic struggles and pre-existing vulnerabilities, (2) diskarte as a gendered coping mechanism, (3) perceived inadequacy of state support, (4) community resilience and the spirit of bayanihan, (5) reproductive health and teenage pregnancies, and (6) psychosocial wellbeing under strain. Participants emphasized that their strategies were not empowering choices but compelled responses to survive amid reported gaps in formal support systems. They felt that while bayanihan and community pantries offered temporary relief, these could not substitute for sustained systemic welfare. The findings highlight resilience as burdened survival rather than empowerment, challenging dominant discourses that valorize grassroots coping. Participants’ accounts underscore the importance of embedding gender-responsive social protection, recognition of unpaid care work, and support into crisis responses. Strengthening community solidarity is essential to ensure state accountability and prevent household-level coping from becoming a substitute for systemic welfare. This study contributes to global debates on resilience and rural development in the Global South by highlighting the intersection of gendered vulnerability, state support, and community resilience. Received: 09 September 2025 / Accepted: 29 October 2025 / Published: November 2025

Grassroots · Inequality · Intersectionality · Lived experience · Psychological resilience · Psychosocial · Qualitative research · Snowball sampling · Solidarity · COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Resilience and Mental Health