International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 7, Issue 1, pp: (15-19), Month: April 2019 - September 2019, Available at: www.researchpublish.com Page | 15 Research Publish Journals Beyond the fragments: The lived experiences of armed conflict evacuees 1 Sean Louise G. Laput, 2 Faith Jane G. Salinas, 3 Bianca Marie B. Soco, 4 Crisha June A. Valer, 5 Johnny J. Yao Jr. 1, 2,3,4,5 College of Nursing, Velez College, Cebu City, Philippines Abstract: This study investigated the lived experiences of Marawi evacuees who left Marawi due to the conflict. Interpretive phenomenology, specifically Hans-George Gadamer’s hermeneutic circle was utilized. Eight informants were selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Applying van Manen’s four lived worlds, five themes emerged, namely: (1) “Shattered Reality” with the subthemes: (a) This Can’t Be Happening and (b) A Light Amidst the Smoke of Dread, (2) “The Missing Pieces” with the subthemes: (a) Barren Hands Reap Futile Harvests, (b) Sifting Through the War-Torn Rubble and (c) There’s No Place Like Home, (3) “Facets of Displacement”, with the subthemes: (a) The Comfort of Compassion, and (b) The Sti ng of Stereotypes, (4) “Piecing Together a New Beginning” with the subthemes: (a) Tempered Resolve and (b) Sowing the Seeds of Tomorrow, and lastly, (5) Shatterproof Faith. Findings revealed that even in the face of adversity, the resolve to bounce back, tempered by their faith and support from others, enabled the informants to find meaning beyond the fragments left behind by the crisis and work towards a better future. Keywords: Marawi crisis, internally displaced persons, evacuees, armed conflict, disaster, phenomenology, Gadamer, hermeneutics, van Manen. I. INTRODUCTION The recent Marawi crisis is considered to be the bloodiest armed conflict to occur in the Philippines since World War II [1]. As a testament to its magnitude as an armed conflict, the Marawi crisis is one of few moments in Philippine history wherein martial law was implemented. War is a multifaceted experience as survivors may face a number of possible traumatic events [2], often leading to long- term physical and psychological harm, most commonly "depression, anxiety, and psychosomatic problems” [3]. In contrast, it has also been shown to unearth the resilience of survivors. It is through this resilience that “future -oriented coping mechanisms” are able to emerge [4]. As of yet, no interpretive phenomenological studies have been conducted on survivors of man-made conflicts in the Philippines. In contrast, literature on victims of natural disasters in the Philippines is numerous. The Marawi evacuees present a unique opportunity to study how they perceive their experiences as not only war survivors but also as evacuees, and how their experiences may compare with those of natural disasters victims. The Marawi evacuees are also considered as internally displaced persons (IDP) or individuals or groups who were forced to leave their homes and migrate within the borders of their country, due to naturally-made disasters such as typhoons or man-made disasters such as armed conflicts [5]. As of May 2015, “it was estimated that at least 119,000 people remained displaced in the Philippines due to conflict and violence” and “close to 220,000 people have been displaced in Mindanao due to conflict and violence since January 2015” [6]. Due to the Marawi crisis alone, 59,495 families remain displaced as of March 2018 [7]. Civilians who undergo forced displacement persist as one of the most critical humanitarian issues in developing countries as they experience the loss of “social, legal and economic ties” and thus endure physical and psychological adversities [8].