Sa Awa ng Diyos: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Panata Among Filipina Black Nazarene Devotees in Low-Income Communities

Panata, a prominent part of the Filipino culture, is a religious vow whereby devotees offer a sacrifice for thanksgiving, petition, or repentance in hopes of being rewarded by divine promise. This study focused on the experience of panata among female Black Nazarene devotees from low-income communities and sought to understand how they make sense of these experiences. Eleven participants from the Ladies of the Black Nazarene and Kababaihan ng Bukluran were interviewed. Three themes were identified using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), namely: feeling of loss and hopelessness, and experience of vulnerability as entry points to panata; self-transformation as a result of integrating panata into everyday life; and transition from panata as a personal vow to a social responsibility. The uniqueness of their experiences, brought about by the intersection of gender and socioeconomic status, was examined through the intersectionality theory. Panata is seen as a guiding principle for everyday life and a reflection of structural vulnerability. These devotional activities are also a way of life that can build cooperative communities, promote authentic moral behavior, and empower the structurally vulnerable.