Post on 03-Jan-2017
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The UST Simbahayan Programme: A Narrative of Joys,
Anguish and Hopes
Noel G. Asiones & Claudita O. Yaranon
Abstract
This narrative study gathered, analyzed and represented lived experiences (data)
between the SIMBAHAYAN Programme of the Community Development Office of the
University of Santo Tomas and eleven of its 37 partner communities. The data were
expected to unravel a slice of its long history, processes and outcomes, in particular, its
overarching goals of helping the communities achieved self-reliance, interdependence
and empowerment. Mixed methods to gather data were employed to capture its complex,
multi-layered and nuanced understanding in order to learn from them.
The data collected showed that the SIMBAHAYAN, by providing social services (such
as health, education and literacy, livelihood, physical and spiritual programs), as well as
income-generating activities (such as husbandry, cooperatives, tree planting, skills
training, backyard gardening, and other agricultural production projects), has to some
extent made life in the communities better than when it first arrived. As a result, it gave
them joy, a debt of gratitude, improved their sense of dignity, and sparked a glimmer of
hope for a better future. However, the same stories also revealed that some work still
needs to be done to increase bonding and social capital towards a more demonstrable
and sustainable progress on their self-reliance, interdependence and empowerment. The
thought of an expected disengagement in the future causes a mild anxiety among them
along with the realization that meaningful and lasting change must begin with and
happen through them. With the earnest hope for their children to "makatapos ng pag-
aaral" (finish their education), the oft-repeated stories about the need for income-
generating programs may also be indicative of where they feel the partnership should
focus more in order for them to have a fighting chance to "makaahon sa kahirapan"
(move out of poverty).
1.0 Introduction
Widespread poverty and deep-seated inequality are perennial challenges in Philippine
society. Based on the 2013 Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS), as reported by the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in its official estimated poverty figures for the first
half of 2013, 24.9 per cent of Filipinos were poor in the first semester of 2013
(Philippine Institute for Development Studies, 28 February 2015). About 25 million
people, or one quarter of the population, lived on 1 dollar a day or less in 2009, which
was a little changed from a decade earlier, according to the government's most recent
data. The other side of this proverbial coin can be more disconcerting. Despite
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government efforts to create inclusive growth, a large amount of the country's political
and economic power remains concentrated in the hands of a privileged few (Philippine's
elite swallow country's new wealth, Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 3, 2013; Keenan,
2013 ). Gerson (1998) describes it most succintly:
"Poverty is both more widespread and more persistent in the Philippines than
in neighboring ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries.
While the poverty rate has decreased in the Philippines over the past 25 years,
the decline has been slower than in other ASEAN countries. Some of the blame
for the Philippines' slow progress in reducing the incidence of poverty can be
attributed to past economic policies that retarded growth by discriminating
against agriculture and discouraging investment in human capital. These
policies, in turn, sustained powerful interest groups that blocked or delayed
economic reform."
In the end, the system and structures intended to serve the poor and the least fortunate,
among them electoral processess, education, health, and infrastructure systems, seemed
to be benefitting more those who wield economic and political power (Carrol, 2006). It
is even more sad to imagine that many of those who desire significant change are
powerless to rectify their situation; while those who have them will not, as one political
observer said, desire meaningful change for the common good for such may be be
tantamount to a class suicide. This seemingly hopeless situation urgently calls for
organizations from various sectors-the academe, the churches, corporate business, NGOs
and POs- to step into the plate and involve themselves in the reduction of the deeply-
entrenched inequalities in power, benefits and resources. There is also the well-founded
belief that the desired engagement between the academe and poor communities appears
to be the most promising and can yield positive outcomes (Fulllerton, 2015).
As an institution of Catholic higher education, the SIMBAHAYAN1 Programme2 (SP)
embodies the firm commitment of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to realize the
mandate of the Church in the Philippines' to be a Church of and for the Poor (PCP-II,
1991). Impelled by this mandate, with its expertise, resources and network, it has
partnered with some 27 rural and 10 urban neighborhoods/communities since the early
1990s. In the process, it focused on those who are more vulnerable to various risks: the
unemployed, the children, the women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and the
indigenous people like the Mag-Antsi Aetas of Bamban, Tarlac (Asiones, 2013). It does
not only seek to meet their immediate or temporal needs but to build a momentum that
will enable them within it to sustain and build on the changes that have occurred. In the
words of Litwin, "The neighborhood has become a community increasingly controlled
by the people who live in it" (Litwin et al., 1994).
1 As a faith-based community development program, SIMBAHAYAN stands for and encapsulates UST's
competent and compassionate commitment to the service of the Church (simba), the family (bahay) and
country (bayan).
2 The term "programme" implies a degree of coherence and integration around structure and governance,
design and service content, implementation and delivery, and monitoring and evaluation (Bamber, et al,.
2010).
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Adequate and demonstrable progress toward self-reliance and empowerment should
enable the SP to exit in the hope that it has created the basis for a significant and
sustainable development in and for the communities.3
Thus, since 1981, it has significantly invested, its human, financial and technical
resources, in this advocacy through a broad strategic direction encapsulated in the
acronym TOMAS.4 This may be classified into two general categories of programme
packages, namely, poverty alleviation measures and measures toward self-reliance to
address deeply entrenched socio-economic problems according to communities'
particular collective needs and assets (See Apendix 1 for a complete list of SP's
programmatic interventions). For good measure, from rehabilitation and development
projects, it shifted towards organizing the communities into a federation called as
Samahang Kamanlalakbay to "serve as a venue for mentoring model, training and
formation of regular and selected partner community leaders." It was eventually
registered at the Department of Labor and Employment as legitimate community
development organization in the Philippines. The move was strongly indicative of the
SP's increasing recognition of the potential role of social capital and networks in
community development, both for understanding it conceptually, and for strengthening
practice (Vidal & Gittel, 1998). It is a widely accepted belief and evidenced by
international literature that community organising leads to a more viable and sustainable
community development efforts (Temkin & Rohe, 1998; Briggs, 1998; Putnam, 1995).
In the words of Carrol (2006), to reduce inequalities in power and resources, a viable
strategy would be what he called as “the Interest Group Model.” In this model, various
local organizations at the lowest strata of society are linked with each other, and
connected with broader organizations at the provincial and national levels. The essential
thing, he asserted, is that they organize and come together to advance their common
concerns and interests via policies and programs, and not personal connections or favors.
One of the shared tenets for any sort of community development program is that
periodic assessment or evaluation, both internal and external, is of paramount
3 There are different types and levels of participation according to World Vision Transformational
Development Indicators starting from the lowest level of Manipulation, Information, Consultation, and
Partnership to the highest level of Independent control. Community development programs must aspire to
the higher levels of community participation- towards partnership and self-management that builds self-
reliance, empowered and interdependent communities. It appears that the interdependence the
SIMBAHAYAN is aiming for is the highest level of partnership and each community's independent
control of the programme. Available at www.transformational-
development.org/.../AE50E4E01B481F7588256F.
4 TOMAS stands for: Training and Education for Capacity Building, Organizing for Empowerment,
Management for Program Development, Advocacy, and Spirituality of Transformation. It includes broad
and comprehensive involvement based on a participatory approach and the promise of delivering tangible
outcomes, goods and services ( for example, housing projects) community development training program,
community organizing, leadership, staff and volunteers training and development (organizational,
political, and technical capacity) delivery of social services (health, education, livelihood, physical and
environmental and spiritual/values formation of what it calls HELPS), and linking communities with
partner institutions for increase social capital. Available at www.ust.edu.ph/ust.../the-ust-simbahayan-
community-development-office
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importance. It is an ethical imperative (Bamber, et al., 2010; Litwin, et al., 1994), and
contributes towards building local people's capabilities and mobilizing them for group
action (Guerrero et al., 1995). Moreover, when participatory in process and
transformative in their goals, they can promote heuristic learning and reflective practice,
particularly for its target beneficiaries (Freire, 1970). They will gain not only by learning
from its findings but also from the process itself as their participation will enable them
to better comprehend its plans, processes, outcomes and impacts. Acquiring a deeper
understanding and sense of perspective is vital to how they develop commitment,
confidence and trust in one another and can promote learning and reflective practice at
the frontline (Vidal & Gittel: 148-149). Lastly, it may lend support to the validity of SP's
stronger points or throw into relief the weaker ones.
2.0 The Narrative
2.1 The research question
This collective storytelling sought to describe and make sense of the long partnership
between the SP and its selected partner-communities, eight for the quantitative part and
seven for the qualitative (See Appendix 2). Mixed methods to gather data were
employed to capture its complex, multi-layered and nuanced understanding in order to
learn from them.
From the perspectives of the selected participants, it aimed to depict a slice of its
history, processes and desired outcomes while highlighting the extent to which its
overarching goals of helping the communities become self-reliance, interdependence
and empowerment have been achieved.
2.2 Methodology
This study is a narrative inquiry as it was designed to gather, analyze and represent
lived experiences (data) in order to explain and understand them. It has two-fold
significance. First, narrative, or telling how things happened, can provide ways for
individuals or groups to make sense of the past and second, can mobilize them or
others into action for progressive change (Riessman, 2008). It has four basic steps
(Coffey, A. & Atkinson, P., 1996).
First, it developed research questions geared towards learning the history, processes and
desired outcomes of the partnership. Second, through quantitative and qualitative
techniques, it collected raw data and information that were used to produce a narrative.
Third, it organized the collected data and information in order to home in on the research
question. Fourth, it interpreted the data to look for patterns, themes, and regularities, as
well as contrasts, paradoxes, and irregularities. The goal of data interpretation is to
facilitate the researcher's experience of the story through a narrative form (Polkinghorne,
1995). According to Polkinghorne, narrative forms are produced by constructing a
coherent story from the data and looking at the data from the perspective of the
researcher's question.
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2.3 The Participants
For this study, purposive sampling was used in the selection of the
respondents/participants since a research like this can rarely involve a random sample of
informants. Besides, it did not intend to make generalizations and so, therefore,
randomly-selected group was not needed. Given the nature of its narrative approach,
what is important was that the they were articulate and willing to reflect on, and narrate
their lived experiences with the SP. They also need to have personal knowledge of the
topic being researched.
The participant were solicited in various ways. It started by securing the permission
from the SP and then requesting for the support and cooperation of the seven selected
communities represented by their leaders/coordinators. A number of questions on their
demographic and economic profile were asked to draw a profile of the members of the
partner-communities. Thiele (2002) in a study on integrated coastal management (ICM)
in the Philippines found a certain link between sustainability and success of regional
projects with social, demographic, political factors.
The instruments used to gather data were: (a) survey questionnaire to depict the
respondents' demographic/socio-economic status in terms of gender, age, number of
years of involvement in the SP, socio-economic status, and sense of optimism, and (b)
open-ended questions to facilitate the participants' personal accounts of the joys,
anxieties and hopes that the partnership with the SP has brought upon them. They were
given enough time and attention to express their feelings and sentiments candidly and
with the least reservations about the relevant questions asked. Responses to the FGD
questions were expected to reveal the extent or degree to which the overarching goals of
the SP have been achieved across time.
2.4 Collection and Treatment of Data
The researcher first discussed the research project with the Director of the
SIMBAHAYAN-Community Development Office and other staff to obtain permission
to visit the communities. Once given the go signal to conduct research, the researcher
contacted community leaders/coordinators in order to establish rapport and inform them
about the objectives and significance of the study. Eventually, at an initial meeting,
respondents to the survey and participants to the FGD gave informed consent while
being assured that their responses will be treated with strict confidentiality and will be
used only for the said objectives of the study. Survey questionnaires were administered
by trained enumerators to secure the integrity of data. Focus group discussions were
conducted with separate groups of leaders and members of the communities to gather
qualitative data which were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed. For purposes of
this report, the narratives were translated from Filipino to English.
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3. Results and Findings
3.1 Profile of the Respondents
Data shows that out of the 414 survey-respondents from the eight (8) randomly selected
communities, 326 (80.1%) were females, and 81 (19.9%) were males; seven failed to
answer this item. One of the FGD findings helps explain this distribution according to
gender: it is mostly the women who are available and involved in the partnership
because the men are usually at work earning a living for the family. As one housewife
puts it: " We just can't enjoin our husbands to get involve because of their work." The
mean or average age is 41.1, (median: 40.5; mode: 40.5). A little less than half of them
(44.1%) said that they have been involved in the SP for only three years, compared to
the majority (55.9%) who said that their involvement is from 4 years and above. The
mean score for years of involvement in the SP is 7.1 years, (median:5.0, mode:3).
When asked about their monthly income, 71.7 per cent said that they earn below
P10,000.00, compared to only 28.3 per cent who said that they earn 10,001 and above.
The mean income is P7,332.32, median: P5,000.00; mode:P5,000). In terms of their
self-rated poverty 28.8 per cent said that they are poor, compared to 54.2 per cent who
said that they are on the line, and 16.9 per cent who said that they are not poor. In
Arriola's (1995) conceptual framework to understand poverty, it appears that the
respondents belong to Type C poverty segment as they are most likely families and
persons with regular but very low income, i.e., minimum wage and below. Thus, to have
a fighting chance to climb out of poverty, Arriola recommends a 50% welfare plus
social development, technical skills and individual and small/group assistance for micro-
enterprises under very soft terms.
When asked how their life has been for the last 12 months, 49.9 per cent said that it is
better today, compared to 47.7 per cent who felt otherwise, and an almost insignificant
2.4 per cent who said that it has even gotten worse. On the other hand, when asked what
they expect for the next 12 months, 63.1 per cent said that they expect that life will be
better , compared to 36.9 per cent who felt otherwise, for a net optimism score of +26.2
(high). Table 1 lists the survey respondents per community and year when the
partnership started.
Table 1. Distribution of Survey Respondents per Community
F % Year started
1. Villa Imelda, Tawid, Camarin, Caloocan City 73 17.6 2001
2. KNAI, Camarin, Caloocan City 76 18.4 2010
3. Barangay Sibulan, Nagcarlan, Laguna 49 11.8 2010
4. Sitio Galilee, Antipolo City, Rizal 36 8.7 2007
5. Sitio Layak, Bamban, Tarlac 41 9.9 1994
6. San Juan, Laur, Nueva Ecija 30 7.2 2006
7. Barangay Barilan/Santisima Trinidad, Malolos City 49 11.8 2005
8. Barangay Arriendo, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija 60 14.5 2006
Total 414 100
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For the qualitative phase of the research, and due to time constraints and availability of
resources, only seven (7) out of the 37 communities were purposively selected to
participate in the focus group discussion. Table 2 lists the FGD participants by
community.
Table 2. Distribution of FGD participants per selected community
F Year Started
1. Villa Imelda Tawid Camarin, Caloocan City 10 2001
2. KNAI, Camarin Caloocan City 10 2010
3. Brgy. Sibulan,Nagcarlan, Laguna 10 2010
4. Sitio Galilee Antipolo City, Rizal 10 2007
5. Sapang Palay, Bulacan 10 1979
6. Lambakin, Marilao, Bulacan 10 2008
7. Dagat-dagatan, Navotas City 10 2011
Total 70
3.2 On Satisfaction with the Partnership
When asked how satisfied or dissatisfied are they with their partnership with the SP,
52.1 per cent of the narrators said that they are very much satisfied, 38.4 per cent said
that they are quite satisfied, or a total 90.5 percent expressing satisfaction, compared to
3.9 percent who felt otherwise, for a net satisfaction score of +86.6 (very high). Some 6
per cent however were undecided. The FGD confirmed this result. The participants
expressed a debt of gratitude to the SP because of the many and comprehensive
benefits- economic, social, physical and spiritual- that they received from the
partnership.
3.3 On what has happened with the partnership
When asked about what happened with the partnership since its implementation, the
narrators said that it has provided them with what may be collectively categorized as
poverty-alleviating measures. They are almost one in saying that to some extent it made
life in their communities better than when the SP first came. They said that it addressed
their immediate and long-term needs in health, education, livelihood, physical and
spiritual well-being. The periodic medical missions and feeding programs contributed to
better health and sanitation at the sites. The educational programs (scholarship, skills
training, long-distance education) and activities (tutorials, donations of old books,
second-hand computers, school supplies, and medicines ) improved their learning,
especially the children who have developed not only a thirst for learning but, according
to their parents, were inspired and gain confidence to dream for a better future. The
scholarship program also helped a number of their children finished their college
studies.
It has widened our consciousness, we learned plenty of things, specially
the children because they are tutored every Saturdays.(1)
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The trainings that they provide gave the children plenty of learning, thus
you don't see them just hanging around. They develop ambitions, are
inspired to study harder, and get embarrassed when they get low grades in
school. (2)
We were inspired to move, as if we were given inner strength to fight
poverty.(3)
The SP has helped us a lot so that we thought not to lose hope now that they are
helping us. We also need to help ourselves in order to have a new life. That is
what UST has done for us, we were compelled to rise again from our problems.
Although our lives are very difficult, we have no jobs, no electricity and water,
as long as they are there to help us, and advise us what to do. So we as
beneficiaries, we try our best to response to those projects. Whatever they give
us, we nurture them. (4)
Periodic livelihood skills training and seminars were also provided such as soap-
making, husbandry, backyard gardening, bartending and computer repair. However, they
also said that most, if not all, of the livelihood measures did not last long due to absence
of a market and lack of financial assistance among others.
Many would attend livelihood training, like we tried soap-making but it did
not click, and was thus stopped. Actually we have two machines but we
could not start to use them although that is what they want us to continue. I
was asked why it could not continue. First of all the lack of marketing,
second, storage, and financial or lack of capital.(5)
UST told us where to buy the meat, but it was just that we do not have the
capital.(6)
Maybe we need a space for our desire to have income-generating activities
especially when we would have developed the livelihood programs that
UST has started with us. (7)
Physical infrastructures such as roads . path ways , and housings also helped improved
lives in the communities.
Our place was made beautiful, our streets were once full of holes and rough,
but now they are cemented." There was a time nobody wanted to live in this
place because the streets were narrow and muddy during the rainy season,
and dusty during summer. Actually it was not SP's project but of the local
government. UST only helped to facilitate the repair. Now that the streets
are cemented, many have taken interest to live here in our place.( 8)
They (SP) helped us a lot, helped us build a church, a multipurpose hall and
pathways.(9)
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It gave us "ginhawa" or relief. In the past, our children find it very difficult
to go to school because the road is elevated and muddy. Their shoes are
always muddied before, but now they seemed okay because the streets are
cemented.(10)
If not for UST we would not have experienced this.(11)
When as why do they think it happened, they answered by saying that it was all about
teamwork between SP and their communities. There has been cooperation and solidarity
among their members. The SP provided the materials and the communities provided the
warm bodies.
"Bayanihan" (or sense of cooperation or interdependence) was ignited when
we built the chapel, and repair the school. It was mostly the women who
worked since they are the ones who wanted a beautiful chapel. The men
have works every Saturday, and they helped during Sundays. It is the women
who were persistent. It was a self-effort as our counterpart. The SP gave us
the materials needed but it was our community who worked. We also
monitored the work so we can finish at once.(12)
Because of SP's support, we gained confidence to fight. The students from
the National Service Training Program and the College of Nursing also
came after we relocated to this place which has no electricity and water
supply. They were the first ones who gave us a Christmas party and gifts
although there were some fights among us.(13)
We have our devotions to the Our Lady of Fatima given to us by the College
of Nursing. We cling to her, prayed to her every Saturday.(14)
When asked whether their communities are better off as a result of the SP, they said that
the partnership has made their communities a lot better than before or a lot has changed
since it started in the areas. They feel that there is now greater unity and peace in the
communities.
First of all, we felt like we were exiled here, since there was no electricity
and water supply. Life was hard. It took us two years to adjust to our very
difficult situation.(15)
But since SP came, we became more united, when it was troublesome
before. Now there is order. A lot has changed. We are united whenever
there problems. Before we were chaotic, but now we are orderly.(16)
As for me, the SP gave us the opportunity to interact with each other. We got
to know each other in the community. We are no longer limited by our place
as before. But now, we go out and go places, like the SP.(17)
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As for me, the "makibata" project held at UST during Christmas( for the children)
helped us a lot. With my children we went to UST twice. We have no problem with
school supplies. UST gave them to us, including scholarships. It is a big help to us,
to our families and the parents.(18)
When asked what does this all mean to them in terms of their experiences of joys,
anguish and hopes, they answered in the following manner. In terms of their joys, they
said that the partnership with the SP has done and given them many things.
They have helped us a lot.(19)
We learned a lot, taught and showed us how to make soaps
We learned how to be closed to God.. (20)
The scholarship given to the children, although not really scholarship, what
the Becarios gave us is already a big relief from expenses. They do not ask for
any payment from us(21)
"The parents are happy whenever they bring their children to places they
could not afford to go to. This gives them the opportunity to socialize with
other people. The parents could not bring their children to those places
because they don't have the money for that."(22)
In terms of anguish and sorrows, they spoke of the following as their cause for sadness
in the communities: only a few (5%) of their children finished high school, much more
college. Out-of-school they are easy preys to risky behaviors. There are leaders who
betrayed their trust. There is also the inability of some members to sustain their
participation in the partnership due to more urgent personal and family concerns.
Here in our place, only some 5% can go to college after high school. The
rest will go to Manila to look for work. Many will not come back anymore or
will take years to come back to our place.(23)
It is our young who are easily entice to get into many vices. (24)
What is said is that one of our leaders betrayed us by using our resources
for his own personal gain. He sold his house and left the community. (25)
There seems to be no unity among the members, specially the officers who
do not attend meetings. They do not cooperate with us.(26)
Only a few come to attend our meetings except when UST brings goodies... (27)
When asked about their hopes for the future, they spoke mostly about their felt-need to
have income-generating activities or livelihood programs. They feel that, although the
partnership has given and provided them a lot of goods and services, what they said they
need the most are livelihood projects to help augment their inadequate daily family
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income. They added that it may not just be any kind of livelihood that they have decided
for them but one that suits their conditions and capacities.
What we really need is livelihood. What we truly lack are livelihood
opportunities, although UST has given us many things. It should be one that
is suitable for our place. It would be better if they give us livelihood
projects. If we have them, if we earn extra income, then we can say that we
have truly leveled up, beside the things that they have taught us to
learn.(28)
We are so full of seminars. We tend to forget them because we do not have the
capital to realize what they taught us, what we learned from them. (29)
We hope to but a small lot for the projects, where we can place our produce.
Can we buy a lot for ourselves?(30)
What we really need are livelihood opportunities, although UST has
provided us with a lot of things.(31)
Again, they also spoke of their dreams and hopes for their children's education. They
hope that their children will be able to finish their studies as a way out of their
impoverished conditions.
In the future, we hope that our children can and will finish their studies, no
one left behind or lost, but all will improve on their lives. What does it mean
to improve on their lives? To be able to rise from the poverty the people
experienced here in this place, to finish their studies so they will have better
jobs waiting for them.(32)
As previously mentioned, when program beneficiaries participate in reflecting and
assessing their lived experiences contributes towards building their capabilities,
increasing their comprehension and commitment, and in mobilizing them towards
responsible action (Guerrero et al.,1995). This is clearly evident from the narrations.
When asked what will they do when the partnership ends, they answered:
To develop our community, we must start with ourselves.(33)
... the development in our area depends on ourselves and not on UST, and
UST will not handle us for all time, this will have to end eventually. We
hope that we will give value and importance to the assistance that UST has
given us and may our place be developed so we can learn more.(34)
4. Discussion and Analysis of Narrative Data
The narrative shows that the partnership initiated, organized and funded by the SP with
the communities aimed to "sow the seed of development" that are to be mutually
cultivated by the partners. On the part of the SP, it was programmed towards assisting
the communities move from dependence to self-reliance, from individualism to
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interdependence/cooperation with their neighbors and from powerlessness to
empowerment. As it is holistic and transformative in approach, majority of its projects
and activities were ultimately geared towards social transformation. Backed by a
comprehensive organizational vision and goals, a very adequate human, financial and
technical resources, managed and led by strong, competent and committed men and
women of the University, the SP implemented programs and projects that promote
economic, social and faith-based capacities.
On the part of the target communities, the partnership was widely perceived as a
privilege and a source of pride knowing that there are other communities where the SP
can choose to go. But instead, it went to their places and since then became the
beneficiaries of its organized and generous attention and developmental interventions.
Aside from a very strong sense of debt of gratitude, it gave the communities a lot of
reasons to be happy across time and reason to hope for a better future. In a very evident
manner, it was the parents who have shown particular joy and hope for their children.
The learning materials that they received from the SP gave them relief and a little
savings. The educational and tutorials brought them a sense of pride and inspired them
to pursue greater heights for their children's future.
The partnership may be understood as symbiotic or mutually beneficial for both parties.
On the one hand, it gave the University the opportunity and place to witness to its
esteemed identity as a Catholic institution for higher education. On the other hand, the
selected communities benefitted from the programs, projects and activities which it
implemented over time in varying degrees and extent. The accounts gathered clearly
showed that the SP, by providing social services (such as health, education and literacy,
livelihood, physical and spiritual programs), as well as income-generating socio-
economic activities (such as husbandry, skills training, backyard gardening, and other
agricultural production projects), has to some extent made life in the communities better
than when it first arrived. In turn, the communities felt some amount of joy in the
present and a glimmer of hope for their future.
5. Conclusion and Recommendations
Every community development programe has its own strengths and weaknesses and
must take time to mature and fix deeply-entrenched social problems. The SP is no
exception.
In terms of its strengths, the narratives showed that it has the required capacities to
achieve significant and sustainable outcomes and impacts: a plan or vision for the future
of the communities, adequate resources, competent and credible internal leadership and
governance, devoted volunteer community leaders and members, and sufficient support
network. It is safe to say that overall these capacity areas have contributed to the
relatively successful implementation of the SP over time.
On the other hand, the narratives revealed that some work still needs to be done to
increase bonding and social capital. Given that it has not demonstrated tangible and
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measurable outcomes in the communities in terms of poverty-reduction measures, there
is a crying need to make the SP more credible among the larger members of the
communities in order to motivate their participation beyond intermittent dole-outs,
favors and incentives. The thought of an expected disengagement in the near future
clearly causes anxiety among the communities along with the realization that sustainable
change must begin with and happen through them. Their oft-repeated stories about the
need for income-generating measures may also be indicative of where they feel the
partnership should focus more in order for them to move from dependence to self-
reliance, from parochial/personal concerns to cooperation and solidarity with others, and
from a debilitating intergenerational poverty to greater share in economic and political
power. There seems also the need to widen the involvement of all shareholders in the
communities such as the LGUs and NGOs to supplement and support SP's
interventions.
To make the SP more effective in achieving significant and sustainable outcomes for
the communities, and thus keep their slim hopes alive, it needs to:
1. Focus more on the income-generating activities
2. Ensure and maintain the credibility of their leaders and coordinators by continuous
improvement of their shared comprehension, commitment, confidence and credibility
3. Develop appropriate monitoring and evaluation tools for more accurate tracking of
processes and outcomes per community in order to have a baseline with which to
compare future assessment and evaluation results on self-reliance, interdependence and
empowerment
4. Elicit the support of the local churches, LGUs and NGOs in informing the partner
communities about the SP and in supporting their needs and concerns.
5. Conduct a more participatory and transformative planning and assessment of short
and mid-term goals for all the communities.
Overall, the lessons and insights learned from the narratives say much about the gains
and benefits achieved by the SP. That said, it is also realized that, in spite of all the
efforts, time and resources spent, much still needs to be done in order to make the
communities self-reliant, united and capable enough to stand on their own two feet. The
creation of sustainable livelihoods for them appears to be the key towards attaining the
much desired improvement in their quality of life.
14
Appendix 1
The SIMBAHAYAN Programs
1. Karunungan/Pagpapahalaga (Teachers)
Religion Teacher’s Certificate Program
Elementary and High School Teachers’ Enrichment Program
Teacher Certificate Program
Day Care Teachers’ Training Program
Catechist Training Program
Teambuilding & Youth Development Program
Sports Clinics
2. Kanlungan/Kalikasan (Architects and Engineers)
Coastal Resource Management and Protection Program
Solid Waste management Program
Restoration project of a local historical site
Development of Children’s Playground
Development of Community Park
Seedling Donation and Clean Drive Activity
Mural Painting
Classroom Painting
3. Kalusugan (Doctors, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, and other health
professionals)
Training of Community Health Workers
Pharmacy Aide Training Program
Community Based Primary Health Care Programs
Health programs for the Mothers
Health Education, Preventive Medicine Program
First Aid and Basic Life Support Training
Seminar on Maternal and Child Care
Wellness Programs
Nutrition Program
4. Kabuhayan (Entrepreneurs, business men and women)
Livelihood Projects
Training on Credit Cooperative
15
Entrepreneurship Training Program
Vocational Courses (on Baking, Commercial Cookery, Bartending, Waiter staff
Training, Food Service, Hotel Housekeeping)
Non-formal Education (Training on Computer Technology, Basic Electricity,
Metal Fabrication, Plumbing, Fiber Glass making, Auto CADD)
5. Kapayapaan/Katarungan Justice and Peace Advocacy (Priest, church volunteers,
sociologists)
Leadership Training for Community Leaders
Peace Education
Human Rights Advocacy
Rehabilitation of Youth Offenders
Seminar on the Promotion of Children’s Rights
Seminar on the Promotion of Women’s Rights
Seminar on the Promotion of Indigenous People’s Right
17
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BIO-NOTES
Noel Asiones earned his Ph.D. in Theology and M.A. in Psychology from the
University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines, in 2005 and 1999 respectively. He
teaches fundamental college Theology with the Institute of Religion and is a researcher
at the Research Centre for Cultural, Social and Educational Issues. His field of interests
includes religion and youth, organizational assessment and evaluation, and church and
society. He has done commissioned and national research projects for the Catholic
Bishops' Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Youth (CBCP-ECY)
and the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines. As one of its co-authors, his
most current published research for the CBCP-ECY is titled "The National Filipino
Catholic Youth Survey 2014."
email address: noelasiones@gmail.com; noelgasi2000@yahoo.com
Claudita Yaranon holds an MA in Theology from the University of Santo Tomas and
teaches in its College of Pharmacy. For a number of years, she has worked as
coordinator for the community development project of her department, the Institute of
Religion of the University and has engaged with the development projects for selected
communities. Her field of interest includes empirical theology and community
development programs.
email address: coyaranon@yahoo.com