Leading and Managing Geographically Isolated Schools in a VUCA Environment: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study of Principals in Romblon, Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/Keywords:
Authentic leadership, Educational management, Filipino values, Geographically isolated schools, School principals, Transcendental phenomenology, VUCAAbstract
School principals in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas operate under volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous conditions that intensify the demands of educational leadership and management. This study explored how principals in geographically isolated schools in Romblon, Philippines experienced and integrated authentic leadership and educational management within a VUCA environment. Method: Using transcendental phenomenology, the study engaged nine elementary and secondary school principals selected through purposive sampling. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and supplementary document review. Analysis followed epoché, phenomenological reduction, horizontalization, clustering of meaning units, and synthesis of textural and structural descriptions. Results: Findings showed that authentic leadership was enacted through vision anchored on learner needs, collaborative influence, Filipino cultural values, presence, trust, and service. Educational management was performed through structured monitoring, role clarification, strategic resource prioritization, policy alignment, delegation, and operational discipline. VUCA conditions were experienced through weather disruptions, transportation barriers, unclear policies, resource scarcity, staffing limitations, and changing learning modalities. Elementary school contexts required more direct, hands-on, and overlapping leadership roles, whereas secondary contexts involved broader curriculum, governance, and coordination demands. Conclusion: The transcending essence of the phenomenon was values-driven resilience through integrated authentic leadership and educational management. To lead and manage a geographically isolated school authentically meant serving with heart, deciding with integrity, organizing with discipline, adapting with resilience, and sustaining education through collective school-community strength.
Downloads
References
Abdelkader, D., Benmohamed, A., & Bouzid, A. (2023). Challenges faced by school prin-cipals in administrative and instructional leadership roles. International Journal of Educational Management, 37(4), 912–926. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-2022-0456
Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001
Dangal, M. R., & Joshi, S. (2020). Phenomenol-ogy in educational research: A methodo-logical reflection. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 6(3), 481–491. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.6.3.481
Hongchai, P., & Weber, K. (2023). Leadership in VUCA environments: Implications for education leaders. Educational Manage-ment Administration & Leadership, 51(3), 381–398. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211067894
Hsu, H.-Y. (2024). Authentic leadership and school effectiveness: Evidence from pub-lic schools. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 52(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432221107358
Moral, C., Martín-Romera, A., & Martínez-Valdivia, E. (2020). Leadership for social justice in disadvantaged secondary schools. School Leadership & Manage-ment, 40(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1652021
Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological re-search methods. Sage Publications.
Mutil, D. A., Hassan, A., & Ahmad, A. R. (2024). Malaysian school leaders' readiness for VUCA environments: Policy implications. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 52(2), 234–251. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432221145678
Myende, P. E., Samuel, M. A., & Pillay, A. (2020). Leadership practices in deprived school contexts: A district perspective. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 48(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143218787581
Nowell, L. S., White, D. E., Benzies, K., & Rosenau, P. (2021). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet trustworthiness criteria in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211037973
Pont, B. (2020). A literature review of school leadership policy reforms. OECD Publish-ing.
Saarinen, M., Pietarinen, J., Pyhältö, K., & Soini, T. (2022). Authentic leadership and teachers' professional agency. Teaching and Teacher Education, 110, Article 103594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103594
Stolz, S. A. (2022). Phenomenology and educa-tion: What can phenomenology contrib-ute to educational research? Educational Philosophy and Theory, 54(10), 1414–1426. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2021.1991304
Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206307308913
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vanly F. Alvaran, Philip R. Baldera, Aljay Marc C. Patiam, Mhilwin A. Esto, Rothy Star Moon S. Casimero, Rosanna Z. Fortaleza, Carlito E. Añonuevo, Susie F. Fallaria, Mary Grace M. Falcunitin, Maricar L. Ramirez, Ailyn F. Tablada, Pinky Rose D. Dalisay, Elmer C. Gacilo, Fe Asuncion Madeja, Ailyn F. Arcasitas
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See the Effect of Open Access).
