Communication processes in social integration of Badjaos in barangay [village] Malitam, Batangas City, Philippines

This study was conducted to analyze the communication process involved in migration and in the social integration of the Badjaos in the local community of Barangay [village] Malitam, Batangas city [Philippines]. Using descriptive research design, data were gathered through KIIs. FGDs. storytelling and observations. Research participants include the Badjao migrants, the community leader and his wife, the tribe leader of the Badjaos, the barangay captain, and the CSWD officer in Batangas City. Results revealed that the Badjaos in Barangay Malitam have no concept of their birth dates and marry young. Moreover, the Badjaos do not believe in family planning. They have 4 to 8 family members living with 1 to 4 households. For the Badjaos, the men should provide for the family, while the women should take care of their children and accomplish household chores. The Badjao adults are illiterate. Though there is an increasing number of youth attending school, no Badjao in the community has finished college. Badjaos are self-employed and dependent on livelihood activities such as traditional fishing and buy-and-sell of pearls. They have established small stores in their houses, while others sell clothes and rice cakes inside and outside the community. Others resort to begging. Despite their poor situation, they aspire for their children to finish college and for the adults to become literate. The Badjao's places of origin are Davao, Zamboanga, Jolo, Sulu, and Basilan, which are all located in Mindanao. The Badjaos stayed in Cebu, MAsbate, and Dulan in Sorsosgon before settling in Barangay Malitam, Batangas City. The travelled from Mindanao to Visayas and Luzon using small boats with their immediate family members only, Livelihood and education opportunities are their reasons for staying in Batangas City, but it was the military conflict between the government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front which forced them to leave Mindanao. They have no plans of returning to their place of origin. The social integration of the Badjaos in Barangay Malitam centers on the local community's accommodation of the Badjao migrants acculturation of the social life in the local community. The local government and community accommodated the Badjaos by assigning a community leader, getting involved in intermarriage, learning the dialect, including the Badjao children in free education, granting 4Ps program to qualified Badjao families, allowing the BAdjaos to vote, improving health and sanitation, addressing young marriages, providing livelihood, settling community problems, handling calamities, and building partnerships. To be acculturated, the Badjaos try to learn the Tagalog dialect, abide by policies of the local government, join other religious organization, practice Batangueño culture, use communication media such as television and cellphones, from organizations, and respect local government leaders to establish and maintain harmonious relationship. The Badjao migrants were integrated into the community with the help of a communication process that involves information seeking and sharing during accommodation and acculturation.