Coping With Financial Stress While Working Away From Home: Exploring the Lives of Law Enforcers in the Philippines

Financial stress may present challenges for law enforcement personnel assigned away from their home regions because of the demands associated with deployment and personal financial obligations. This study examined the financial stressors and coping mechanisms of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents working away from home. A descriptive quantitative survey design was used with 87 PDEA agents assigned outside their home regions. Data were collected using a self-developed 24-item questionnaire covering financial stressors, financial coping, emotional coping, and social support. Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were used to summarize the responses. Loan repayments emerged as the most prominent financial stressor, while emergency savings and seeking additional income were among the most frequently reported financial coping strategies. Respondents also reported using recreational activities, maintaining a positive outlook, and relying on family and friends as coping resources. The findings indicate that financial stress among deployed personnel involves both personal financial obligations and circumstances associated with working away from home, while coping involves financial, emotional, and interpersonal resources. The study highlights the value of deployment-sensitive financial wellness and employee-support mechanisms for personnel assigned away from their home regions.

Financial stress; PDEA agents; coping mechanisms; deployment

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