Search Filter
- Publications
- Abstract of Theses and Dissertations
- Database
- Evaluation of the Community Organizing in Pianing Reforestation...
Evaluation of the Community Organizing in Pianing Reforestation Subproject, Butuan City, Philippines
Thesis Abstract:
The study was conducted to determine to what extent the community organizing (CO) done in Pianing Reforestation Subproject, Butuan City, Philippines, was effective. Specifically, it aimed to (1) determine the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, (2) assess the assisting organization/community organizers’ performance, (3) evaluate the community organizing (CO) activities that were employed, (4) determine some problems encountered by the target group before and during the entry of the assisting organization, (5) evaluate to what extent the objectives of the CO were achieved, (6) evaluate the impact of the CO on the beneficiaries, (7) identify some barriers to community organizing, and (8) formulate some recommendations based on the findings of the study.
The respondents of this study were members of the MACATO Agroforestry Producers Cooperative (MACATO). MACATO is the people’s organization (PO), which was awarded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to implement the project. The Kadayong Incorporated is a nongovernment organization (NGO), which was involved in conducting community organizing in the area for two years.
There were 60 respondents randomly selected from the 150 registered members of the MACATO. The sample size was determined using the formula for simple random sampling. Data were gathered through individual interviews using a semistructured questionnaire and by using secondary sources of information. Descriptive statistics was used in the data analysis. Simple statistical tools such as frequency counts and percentages were used in describing the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. A four-point Likert type scale was used to quantify some of the variables, including community organizing activities that were employed and the performance of the assisting organization/community organizers in the conduct of the community organizing activities. A three-point Likert type scale was used to evaluate to what extent the objectives of the community organizing were attained.
Results of the study showed that 53.3 percent of the respondents were male, while 46.7 percent were female. Most of the female respondents were wives of farmers who were also members of the people’s organization. The youngest respondent was 21 years old, while the oldest was 65 years old. Most of the respondents belonged to the 31-35 age group.
A large number of the respondents (41.7%) had only attained elementary education. Six of the respondents had never attended formal education and only one respondent was able to finish college, which was the highest level of education attained.
The majority of the respondents (55%) were farmers. Twenty-three (38.3%) were housewives, while the rest were either engaged in manual labor or business such as selling fish and vegetables. Most (81.7%) lived below the poverty line, which was placed at PHP36,000.00 annually or PHP3,000.00 monthly.
Eighty percent of the respondents were non-natives of Pianing while only 20 percent belonged to the Manobo tribe.
Based on the answers of the respondents, the community organizers did well in their performance. Ninety percent of the respondents accepted the ideas shared by the community organizers who were also described as good, helpful, have good public relation skills, exhibited pakikisama or sense of brotherhood and camaraderie. Ninety percent also believed that the Kadayong Inc. was instrumental in strengthening their organization. Only a few of the respondents had negative feedback toward the community organizers. The respondents assessed the performance of the community organizers as guides, as therapists and as experts. The overall mean value was 2.89 or “often”. This means that the community organizers demonstrated the qualities expected of good extension workers and that their performance was satisfactory although they also had their weaknesses.
The respondents were asked to evaluate the four phases of community organizing conducted in Pianing Reforestation Subproject. The first phase, Information, Education and Communication, and the second phase, Awakening were evaluated as “good”. The third and fourth phases, Empowerment and Institutionalization, respectively, were rated as “fair”.
Before assisting the organization’s entry into the community, the beneficiaries encountered problems such as assurance of security of tenure, credibility of the existing organization, financial problems, prevalence of a “wait-and-see” attitude, and natural calamities. During the assisting organization’s entry, problems encountered by the beneficiaries included reduction of monetary support from the funding institution (ADB) and organizational problems.
The effectiveness of the CO was indicated by its output impact. The output was operationalized in terms of the attainment of CO objectives and the level of accomplishment at the assisting organization. Based on the responses, the objectives of the Information, Education and Communication, and Awakening phases were “fully attained”. On the other hand, the objectives for the Empowerment and the Institutionalization phases were only “partially attained”. Based from the accomplishment report of Kadayong Inc. to the DENR, their performance was very satisfactory and most of their planned targets were reached.
The extent to which the CO was effective was also manifested by its impact. A majority of the respondents (85%) believed that the CO done was responsive to their needs and problems. Nonetheless, 80 percent of the respondents believed that their organization was not yet capable of handling its own affairs. The following factors contributed to these results: (1) loss of interest of the project beneficiaries due to the delayed release of funds and the sudden reduction of financial support from the funding institution; (2) negative attitudes and behaviors such as ningas cogon, crab mentality, and bahala na; (3) the PO’s internal problems including disunity, individualism, misunderstanding, mismanagement, favoritism, poor leadership, communication gaps between and among members, and corruption; and (4) fixed time frame of the community organizing (two years) without considering the beneficiaries’ satisfaction and ability to handle their own affairs after the phasing out of CO. These factors were considered barriers to successful community organizing.