1

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

16

Appendix 2

The Research Sites

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