Experiential Accounts of Victimization among Bajau Community in Southern Luzon

This study aimed to examine the experiences of victimization among the Bajau community in Southern Luzon in order to gain a deeper understanding of how structural marginalization affects their daily lives and well-being. Using a phenomenological-exploratory research design, the study gathered narratives from Bajau community members, elders, and leaders to capture their lived experiences. The thematic analysis revealed that the Bajau community continues to face difficult living conditions characterized by a subsistence-based lifestyle, unstable fishing income, food insecurity, and unsafe residential environments. These conditions increased their vulnerability to different forms of victimization, including conflict-induced displacement, economic losses caused by armed intimidation, ethnic discrimination, digital victimization, and exclusion from institutional services and social protection programs. The findings further showed that victimization produced multidimensional effects on the community, particularly in terms of psychological well-being, educational participation, economic stability, and preservation of cultural identity. Feelings of fear, insecurity, and social exclusion were commonly experienced, which affected both individual and communal development. Despite these challenges, the study highlighted the resilience of the Bajau people through strong family ties, collective support systems, and community-based coping mechanisms that enabled them to endure hardship and sustain their way of life. The study concludes that victimization among the Bajau community is not an isolated social issue but is deeply rooted in broader structural inequalities, legal invisibility, and continuing societal discrimination. The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge and may serve as a basis for policymakers, criminal justice practitioners, and social development organizations in creating inclusive and culturally responsive programs for marginalized indigenous communities.