BEHIND BARS, BEYOND MOTHERHOOD: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF MOTHERS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY IN DAGUPAN CITY JAIL, PHILIPPINES

The incarceration of women has been rising globally, with a significant proportion being mothers whose detention disrupts both family structures and child development. In the Philippines, high jail congestion and gender-insensitive correctional systems further complicate the maternal experience of incarceration. This study explored the lived experiences of mothers deprived of liberty (MDLs) in Dagupan City Jail, employing a qualitative Husserlian descriptive phenomenological design. Ten mothers were purposively sampled, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using phenomenological reduction and thematic clustering. Three major themes emerged: (1) Separation Anxiety and Emotional Stress, reflecting grief, longing, and psychological struggles due to limited family contact; (2) Family Settings, which highlighted the reliance on kinship networks for childcare and the strain on marital and familial ties; and (3) Government Development Programs, encompassing livelihood projects, parenting workshops, and faith-based initiatives that foster resilience and skill development. Findings reveal that incarceration produces profound emotional and social challenges but also opens opportunities for personal growth through institutional and familial support. The study underscores the necessity for gender-responsive, family-centered, and rehabilitative interventions that safeguard maternal well-being and strengthen child-caregiver arrangements. Policy reforms should ensure that correctional practices align with human rights standards, thereby reducing intergenerational risks of trauma and criminal involvement. This research contributes to the discourse on justice reform and highlights the importance of humanizing correctional management in the Philippine context.