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College of Public Administration and

Governance

The Impact of Citizen Engagement on Empowerment: A Study of

Barangay Sinanglanan and Barangay San Martin

Submitted by :
Mamugay, Christel Ann C.

Date:
November 29, 2024

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 INTRODUCTION

Citizen participation is a crucial component of the democratic

administration and the development of the society. This can be seen as an
engagement of people in decisions that are taken within their communities,
and participation in activities concerning events in the society which may have
an impact on the people’s well-being. This research is situated in Barangay
Sinanglanan and Barangay San Martin regarding how participation
transformed the lives of these citizens engaging in such programs within the
two barangays. In this paper, empowerment is as defined as the ability to
participate in decision making processes, control resources, and determine
policies that affect their lives.
In the Philippines, the barangay is the smallest political division with
political authority that acts as the basic geopolitical unit in local government.
Every barangay is expected to answer for their programs at grassroots level,
and must involve all people living in the area. However, due to differential
usage of the instruments citizens have different levels of engagement leading
to inequality in empowering results. This research aims to analyze such
differences direction on this case to investigating the concept of citizen
engagement contributing to the empowerment process in Barangay
Sinanglanan and Barangay San Martin.
The importance of this study is that it would improve both the
theoretical and practical knowledge. On a theoretical level, this research
contributes to the contemporary literature on participatory governance by
investigating how citizen participation influences empowerment at the
barangay level. Empowerment is not just a personal achievement but a public
one that has ramifications for the societal, economic, and political domains of
sociеty. This research will help to identify main participation and power
relationships focusing on the importance of effective governance.
From an operational perspective of this research, this study offers useful
recommendations for the following stakeholders: And when the ways how
citizen engagement empowers people and communities are understood,
leaders of local administrative organizations can encourage involvement and
support policies that strengthen civil society. The goals of this work will also
include identification of barriers to engagement and recommendations with
regards to disproportionate empowering activities across socio-economic sub-
population. This way, the research aims to enhance grassroots democracy,
enhance the functioning of governance mechanisms, and enhance the quality
of life of the residents of the barangays.

Research problems:
1. What are the differences in citizen engagement levels between
Barangay Sinanglanan and Barangay San Martin, and what factors influence
these differences?
2. How does citizen engagement contribute to specific aspects of
empowerment, such as confidence, decision-making skills, and a sense of
community ownership?

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Definition of terms
• Citizen Engagement: The active participation of individuals in
activities such as attending barangay assemblies, volunteering for
projects, and voicing opinions in community matters.
• Empowerment: The process by which individuals gain the ability to
influence decisions and take actions that positively affect their lives and
their communities.
• Barangay: The smallest administrative division in the Philippines,
responsible for local governance and community programs.

METHODOLOGY

Respondents
This study utilize 10 respondents, five of whom hailed from Barangay
Sinanglanan and the other five from Barangay San Martin. To try and get a
wider cross-section of the sample, attempts were made to match the
selection of respondents on gender, age, and economic status. The
participants were 5 males and 5 females and their age was from 18 to 60
years.

Sampling Method
The sample for the respondents was selected via a lottery system as
part of a random sampling method. This approach helped to improve equal
opportunities of selection by reducing chances of selection bias in picking
residents of each barangay. Random sampling used in the study enable the
study’s researchers to get a sample view of the barangay populations.
Data Collection
The study employed structured interviews and questionnaires to
both quantitative and qualitative methods when collecting data. The
questionnaire focused on three key areas: self-reported demographic
information covering the respondents’ sex, age, job, and economic
standing; self-reported levels of engagement in barangay affairs in the
form of attendance at assembly sessions, volunteering for activities, or
even in decision-making processes; and their perceived level of
empowerment in terms of their confidence, decision-making, and perceived
ownership of the barangays. The use of the structured interviews
supplemented the findings of the questionnaires by enabling interviewees
to explain whether or not they exceeded promises and the factors that
stood in either empowering or disempowering them to engage with
content. The use of both of these approaches made sure that the data
collected were rich and covered all the aspects that would help in the
analysis of the research objectives.

Data Analysis
In line with the research questions, mixed-method data analyses
were employed. Descriptive statistics were used and applied to
quantitative data, and a thematic approach was used to analyze the
qualitative responses obtained. To allow easy understanding of results,
they were presented in tables and graphs.

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 REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE
Related studies
Foreign and domestic research have reported on the existence of
considerable correlation between citizen involvement and empowerment.
In the global context, Mansuri and Rao (2012) emphasized that
participatory governance initiatives enhance community ownership and
resource management. According to them, they should have established
that empowerment is most precisely indexed by vigilance and engagement
with policy and decision-making. Similarly, Gaventa (2006) highlighted that
participation serves as a catalyst for confidence-building, skill
development, and improved access to resources, especially for
marginalized populations who often face systemic barriers to engagement.
These findings supplement the current increasing global trends
highlighting participatory democracy as a way of forging for better society.
Another significant study by Cornwall and Coelho (2007) emphasized that
inclusive citizen engagement promotes accountability and strengthens
public institutions, particularly when participation is institutionalized at
local governance levels.
In the Philippine context, Brillantes and Fernandez (2011)
investigated the role of barangay assemblies in fostering civic
engagement. Their studies established that measures promoting the active
engagement of citizens result to better governance as manifested by
increased transparency, accountability and responsiveness of Barangay
officials. But they have also realised threats such as socio-economic
differences, lack of awareness and facilitation which prevent equal
involvement. Similarly, Bautista (2019) highlighted the crucial role of
leadership in mobilizing communities. The study found that if the barangay
leaders are proactively engaged and are inclusive and promoting the
power of citizen participation, then the level of perceived citizen
participation among the residents would be high. Additional research by
Cruz and Sajo (2020) underscored that barangay-based programs,
particularly those aimed at youth and women, have a significant impact on
fostering community solidarity and individual empowerment.
Altogether these studies support the idea of this masters about the
change that citizens engagement brings to empower the people and the
communities. They showcase the need for leadership, stakeholders
involved in the programs and institutions to support such a process in
order to have proper and effective participation. These findings encompass
both the prospects and challenges to participation, which ensures that the
barangay-level engagements are viable approaches to sustainable
empowering and community development.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results
Quantitative Findings

Participation Rates:

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 Barangay Sinanglanan: According to the survey conducted, 80
percent of respondents revealed that they were regularly attending the
barangay assemblies.
Barangay San Martin: However, only 60% claimed they actively
participated in such capacities, and 40% had none or little participation,
with the primary reason being that they did not receive any information.

Empowerment Indicators:
Self reported data revealed that 70% of respondents reported higher
level of confidence to voice out their opinions during the Barangay
meetings. 80% said that as a result they had a better perception of
community ownership and responsibility. Just 50% stated that they had
much impact on the decision-making procedures.

Qualitative Insights
The respondents in Barangay Sinanglanan attributed high
engagement because of the leadership and communication. However,
respondents from Barangay San Martin cited lack of flow of information and
non-interaction of some officials as factors hindering their participation.

Discussion
From the study, it is evident that the level of engagement causes the
degree of Citizen Empowerment but such can be influenced by leadership,
and communication, and socio-economic status of people. It is possible
that these barriers reduce the importance of engagement on the overall
empowerment in Barangay San Martin when addressed.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary
The main study question for this research is: To what extent has
citizen engagement contributed to the level of empowerment in two
different communities, namely, Barangay Sinanglanan and Barangay San
Martin, which vary in the level of active citizens’ participation? The study
further revealed that active citizen engagement strongly augments the
level of individual and collective citizen power by the development of
citizens’ confidence, enhanced decision-making abilities, and a sense of
ownership of the community by the participants. When it comes to the
level of participation in the assemblies and community projects in
Barangay Sinanglanan, the respondents showed a greater level of
participation, leading to more positive empowerment of the identified
activities and assemblies. On the other hand, reduced participation levels
observed in Barangay San Martin showed likewise issues like poor
communication where information was rarely disseminated and the limited
number of meetings between the officials and the residents of the
barangay. These results underscore the importance of leadership and
communication in promoting the involvement of citizens and the
enhancement of the outcome of engagement. In this case, by filling these
gaps, the barangays can help in empowering their constituents more
equitably.

Conclusion
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 Thereby, from the observation and analysis, it is ascertained that citizen
engagement works effectively to support and empower the grassroots voice. Performance
of Barangay Sinanglanan shows that effective leadership and communication improve
participation and its advantages. Those who participate in any activity meant for the
betterment of the community will be more confident and have the perception that they can
change things and be part of the development process of their community. On the other
hand, the case study of Barangay San Martin shows that factors such as weak
communication and a lack of accessible venues for participation can hamper engagement
and decrease the outcomes of empowerments. It has become imperative to remove these
barriers in order to ensure that every citizen is able to participate and benefit from
community processes. In order to have long-term and large-scale impacts, the barangay
officials should aim at developing participation structures that are easily understood, open,
and widely promoted. This will not only foster the democratic processes of citizen
engagement but also assist in developing stronger and more informed communities.

Recommendations

1. Barangay officials should ensure that they put effort in promoting and making people
aware in order to be involved in the activities in their barangay especially in San Martin.

2. Training and development initiatives should be formulated for training the leaders of the
barangay to understand the best ways of addressing their constituents.

3. Future research employing larger sample sizes should be carried out to replicate these
findings and examine other potential antecedents of engagement and empowering
leadership.

REFERENCES

Bautista, R. (2019). Leadership in grassroots governance: A case study of proactive

barangay leadership in the Philippines. *Philippine Political Science Journal, 40*(2), 147-
169.

Brillantes, A. B., & Fernandez, M. T. (2011). Good governance, social quality and active
citizenship: Gawad Kalinga in the Philippines. *International Journal of Social Quality,
1*(1), 19-30.

Cornwall, A., & Coelho, V. S. P. (2007). *Spaces for change? The politics of citizen
participation in new democratic arenas.* Zed Books.

Cruz, M. A., & Sajo, C. (2020). Empowering communities through barangay-based

programs: A focus on youth and women participation in the Philippines. *Journal of
Community Development, 45*(4), 345-362.

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Gaventa, J. (2006). Finding the spaces for change: A power analysis. *IDS Bulletin,
37*(6), 23-33.

Mansuri, G., & Rao, V. (2012). *Localizing development: Does participation work?*
World Bank Publications.

RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE

Respondent Profile Form

Below are the responses from 5 respondents in Barangay

Sinanglanan and Barangay San Martin based on their demographic profiles,
economic backgrounds, and participation levels:

Barangay Sinanglanan
Respondent 1
Sex/Gender: Male
Age: 40
Occupation/Work: Farmer
General description of economic status: Lower Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Regularly attends barangay
assemblies and participates in agricultural livelihood seminars.

Respondent 2
Sex/Gender: Female
Age: 25
Occupation/Work: Teacher
General description of economic status: Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Actively volunteers in educational
programs and regularly attends community meetings.

Respondent 3
Sex/Gender: Male
Age: 33
Occupation/Work: Construction worker
General description of economic status: Poor
Participation in Barangay Activities: Occasionally attends assemblies
and participates in barangay clean-up drives.

Respondent 4
Sex/Gender: Female
Age: 50
Occupation/Work: Homemaker
General description of economic status: Lower Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Actively involved in women’s
group initiatives and barangay feeding programs.

Respondent 5

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Sex/Gender: Male
Age: 45
Occupation/Work: Barangay Tanod (community watchman)
General description of economic status: Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Highly engaged in community
safety projects and barangay security meetings.

Barangay San Martin

Respondent 1
Sex/Gender: Female
Age: 29
Occupation/Work: Sari-sari store owner
General description of economic status: Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Occasionally attends barangay
assemblies and participates in small business seminars.

Respondent 2
Sex/Gender: Male
Age: 52
Occupation/Work: Fisherman
General description of economic status: Poor
Participation in Barangay Activities: Rarely attends meetings but joins
coastal clean-up drives and disaster preparedness drills.

Respondent 3
Sex/Gender: Female
Age: 35
Occupation/Work: Vendor
General description of economic status: Lower Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Occasionally participates in
barangay assemblies and community outreach programs.

Respondent 4
Sex/Gender: Male
Age: 21
Occupation/Work: Student
General description of economic status: Poor
Participation in Barangay Activities: Actively involved in youth council
activities and barangay sports events.

Respondent 5
Sex/Gender: Female
Age: 60
Occupation/Work: Retired
Economic Background: Lower Middle Class
Participation in Barangay Activities: Regularly attends assemblies and
joins senior citizen programs organized by the barangay.