The Unhoused in Navotas: A Point-In-Time Study of Prevalence and Narratives

This study investigated the extent, causes, and lived experiences of homelessness in Navotas City using a sequential explanatory mixed-method design. Quantitative findings identified that at least 136 homeless individuals reside in the city, with high concentrations in barangays Bagumbayan North, Tangos North, and Tangos South. Among the total respondents, 93 were surveyed and 43 were documented through observation. A total of 50 individuals, and 30 families were observed, with the families mostly comprising 2 members. Approximately 55% of the 93 surveyed individuals reported staying on sidewalks. 60% were male, while approximately 39% were female. Most participants were adults aged 35–64 years (62%), engaged in informal or unstable sources of income such as pedicab driving, or scavenging, if not unemployed. House fires, eviction, calamity, and unemployment stood out as main contributing factors to homelessness. Findings further indicated that homelessness in the city tends to be a long-term condition rather than a temporary setback. While qualitative narrative inquiry with five participants revealed four major themes, portraying how participants once lived modest yet meaningful lives, endured displacement, loss and other challenges, and how they sustain themselves through resilience, family ties, and faith. Overall, the study framed homelessness as a complex human experience and highlights the need for integrated, human-centered housing, livelihood, and sustainable and continuous data monitoring system for the unhoused population.