PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH - FTI AND ASB INITIATIVE
PARTICIPATORY
ACTION
RESEARCH
FINDINGS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Definition of Terms
Executive Summary
Background
Methodology
Research Strengths and
Limitations
Presentation of Findings
Analysis of Findings
Good Practices and
Lessons Learned
Conclusion and
Recommendations
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Persons with Disabilities
- persons who have long term physical,
mental, intellectual or sensory
impairments which interaction with
various barriers may hinder their full
and effective participation in society on
an equal basis with others (UNCRPD).
UNCRPD
- United Nations Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Social Inclusion
- the overlap between the personal
and interpersonal domains of society.
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
PDAO
- Persons with Disability
Organizations
SAKATA
- SAmahan ng mga may
Kapansanan sa Tanuan
LGU
- Local Government Unit
SAKTO
- Samahan ng mga may
Kapansanan sa Tolosa
Social Actors
- are persons with disabilities
selected from the barangay level
honed to provide leadership
needed for their own
organizations
Outcomes
- are defined as: changes in
behavior and skills that are
achieved as short-term and
medium-term effects of activities.
They are observable changes in
individuals, groups, communities,
organizations that may contribute
to the long-term, sustainable
improvement in people’s lives or
the state of the environment
DOLE
- Department of labor and
Employment
CDA
- Cooperative Development
Authority
HIPEDAC
- Hindang Persons with Disability
Association Cooperative
MCPEDCO
- Mc Arthur Persons with
Disabilities Cooperative
SAMAKA
- Samahan ng mga may
Kapansanan sa Leyte
SAPAT
- Samahang Aagapay sa
Pangarap Adhikain Ay Tapat
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Foundation for These-abled
Persons Inc. (FTI) is implementing
ASB supported program that
intends to capacitate persons with
disabilities in Leyte province,
Eastern Visayas initiated November
15, 2018 to November 14, 2021
through a project titled
Strengthening of Socio-Economic
Development and Resilience Through
Active Engagement of Vulnerable
Groups such as Persons with
Disabilities in Local Decision Making
and Social Entrepreneurship.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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The project seeks to empower persons
with disabilities as leaders and equal
participants in socio- economic initiatives
in building resilient and inclusive
communities.
Developing associations and
cooperatives, and utilizing the same as
a rallying ground in mainstreaming
livelihood and other disability related
concerns.
It also seeks to improve understanding
of disability rights and issues among local
government and civil society actors as it
developed skills, build experience, boost
self-confidence and provide income
generation by and for persons with
disabilities in the context of group
livelihood.
Influencing local government decisionmaking processes by engaging in the
barangay and municipal planning
council as certain MLGUs across the
project area have started to adopt
measures to ensure that barangay/s
provide programs for persons with
disabilities by adopting the proposed
programs of the local DPOs to access
the 5% PWD fund utilized to build
PWD center, allot necessary assistive
devices, provide medicines for
persons with mental/psychological
difficulties, afford needed livelihood
support to existing cooperatives (ie.
lechonan, poultry, computer shop
businesses) and distribute health/food
relief packs to individual persons with
disabilities as an alleviating measure
to the COVID pandemic
Covering 2 (two) barangays each from
9 (nine) municipalities of Leyte which
includes Hindang, MacArthur, Tanauan,
Tolosa, Sta. Fe, San Miguel, Dulag, Dagami
and Pastrana, the project significantly
empowered persons with disabilities
through:
Heightening rights awareness through
general assemblies, in-house trainings,
seminars/webinars
Developing a total of 176 community
development actors from the
barangay level persons with disability
organizations taking the lead in the
barangay and municipal level
DPOS/cooperatives, gaining a little
finance augmentation from
honorariums in facilitating workshops
and trainings, and gain employment
opportunities as municipal focal
persons for the sector.
Conduct of access audits yielded LGUs
to conform to the standard measures
allowing accessibility features for
disabled persons such as ramps, PWD
friendly comfort rooms, wider
pathways and provision of disability
related needs in Hindang, Tanuan and
Dulag.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Emphasizing the institution of PDAO
and filling in FTI-honed community
development actors for the municipal
level PDAO focal/s and encouraging
officials to champion their cause of
DPOs in their area.
Manager, bookkeeper, driver and
other members who rendered direct
service (ie. sellers on duty) gained
through honorarium given by the
cooperative at some point in the
operation of service type coops
(groceries, computer shops).
Members were able to gain from the
services of the coops through ease of
access to easy terms of credit for
goods and money loans for farm
inputs, goods, low interest loans and
dividends from savings groups.
Members were also able to gain
knowledge and competence in terms
of putting up and managing small
scale businesses and carried them
forward to start their own business
ventures (ie. computer rental
business).
On the whole, the research finds
that to a larger extent, the program
advances into achieving the goals to
empower persons with disabilities as
they cultivate a mindset towards
inclusion, ready to become game
changers as they develop skills, boost
confidence, advocate for their rights
and responsibilities.
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The program has seen persons
with disabilities within the target
areas start to work as a collective as
they form self-help groups such as
their savings groups and cooperative
enterprises and eager to utilize all
spaces available for them to access
needed resources by taking part in
the planning and decision-making
mechanisms of their respective local
government units. Moreover, this
awareness raising and livelihood
initiatives has inspired related
government departments and other
well-meaning Individuals to form/give
necessary attention to municipal level
DPOs.
KEY LESSONS GLEANED FROM THE
PROGRAM AS FOLLOW :
A. On Capacity Building Component
Existing DPOs/DPO at the
barangay and municipal level
should be both structurally and
functionally sound.
The DPOs a should be honed as a
collective tool for mainstreaming
PWD issues and concerns in their
respective local governments.
DPO leaders should learn to
govern democratically and give full
play to the different mode and
level of participation of all
members.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
B. On Livelihood Component
Initial capital for any group livelihood
project that DPOS would initiate would
be raised from what meager
resources that the members could
invest/pool together.
Policies and practical measures that
uphold democratic governance and
corresponding ramifications
in case of abuse should be in place.
Acknowledged need for continued
coaching and mentoring on recording
and bookkeeping.
TO OPTIMIZE THE CURRENT GAINS,
THIS STUDY RECOMMENDS TO :
initiate capacity building for
community development actors as
main corps of leadership in sustaining
PDAO/PDAO initiatives to focus on
project proposal write shops, public
speaking and negotiation skills,
organizational culture and democratic
leadership needed to manage both
DPO and coop;
address identified gaps by
strengthening the functional capacity
of municipal level DPOs through
actively strengthening member
organizations at the barangay level
through the planning needed
interventions in active collaboration
with the Regional/Provincial PWD
office, the respective MSWDOs and
DILG to the maximum extent possible;
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creation of a system that would
interconnect community development
actors, to include FTI-honed PWD
Focal/s and across the project site so
serve as a mechanism for needed
internal mentoring and support;
foster persons with disabilities
concept on ownership of savings
groups and cooperative enterprises to
focus on creating a positive and
progressive outlook of members in
relation to building teamwork in
working and going forward with the
group livelihood by resolving internal
inadequacies in skills, management,
and governance;
emphasize good leadership and
governance within the organizations
through learning and sharing
initiatives (ie. webinars, actual site
tours/visits and coop leader’s
exchange/forum) with successful
coops in the region and
encouraging DPOS/municipal PWD
federations to lobby for the
institutionalization of PDAO offices at
the municipal level and
encourage DPOS/ DPO-led
cooperatives to avail necessary
technical assistance with concerned
government agencies (ie. DTI.DOLE,
PCIC) as needed to include trainings,
product development, marketing and
insurance).
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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BACKGROUND OF
THE STUDY
Foundation for These-abled Persons
Inc. (FTI) as non-stock, non-profit
organization capitalizes on a decade of
experience as a catalyst of change that
enables existing and emerging
organizations of persons with disabilities
become economically self-sufficient and
meaningfully participative in an
increasingly inclusive and supportive
society.
With the 3-year grant, FTI is
implementing a 2nd phase of its ASBBMZ led program that intends to
capacitate persons with disabilities in
Leyte province, Eastern Visayas initiated
15 November 2018 to 14 November
2021 through a project titled
Strengthening of Socio-Economic
Development and Resilience Through
Active Engagement of Vulnerable Groups
such as Persons with Disabilities in Local
Decision Making and Social
Entrepreneurship.
The project seeks to empowered
persons with disabilities as leaders and
equal participants in socio- economic
activities leading to increasingly resilient
inclusive communities along the
following expected outcomes:
Improve understanding of disability
rights and issues among local
government and civil society actors;
Develop skills, build experience, boost
self-confidence and provide
income
BARANGAY
generation by and for persons with
disabilities in the context of group
livelihood;
Tagbibi
Evidence based information related to
inclusion on community level available
and fed back to stakeholders.
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
The project covers 2 barangays each from 9 municipalities in the province as follows:
Hindang
Maasin
Tagbibi
Mac Arthur
Liwayway
Danao
Dulag
METHODOLOGY
To gather data, the researcher
organized all available raw data and made
a desk review of available project
documents provided by FTI program
coordinators in Leyte, ie. attendance
sheets, initial reports, workshop
documentations and case studies of
livelihood cooperatives operating in the
previous phase of the program from
SAKATA, SAMAKA, HIPEDAC, TAPDICO,
SAKTO and MACPEDCO.
Combis
Key informant interviews were also
conducted to gather an in depth
understanding of the over-all situation,
Tanauan
impressions, challenges and
recommendations seen from the point of
view of project coordinators, PDAO-Leyte
Province, PWD Focal Persons and/or
Federation Presidents and Municipal Social
Welfare Officers (MSWDOs) in the target
area.
Rizal
To give value to the findings presented,
the researcher attempted to analyze the
data by assessing the program’s relevance,
effectivity and sustainability in line with the
goal for disability inclusive development
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
that would pave the way for persons with disabilities to work along with people who
do not have a disability within a more supportive and inclusive social framework.
The final draft of this paper was likewise presented via ZOOM to pre-identified
stakeholders in the 9 project areas covered by the program for clarifications,
suggestions, dissenting opinion and/or verification on the key points raised, more so,
aspects that concerns them/their area.
ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK
Rizal
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
GUIDING QUESTIONS AS FOLLOWS:
On Relevance:
With respect to the project goal and
projected outcome, to what extent has
the project contributed to: a.) improve
understanding of disability rights and
issues among local government and
civil society actors; b.) develop skills,
build experience, boost selfconfidence and provide income
generation by and for persons with
disabilities in the context of group
livelihood?
What are the significant/relevant
results/outcomes of the project?
Who benefited from the project? In
what ways?
On Effectiveness:
To what extent did the project achieve
its goal/expected outcomes?
What factors influential in the
achievement and non-achievement of
the project?
On Sustainability:
To what extent are the benefits of the
project likely to be sustained after the
completion of the project?
·What is the likelihood of continuation
and sustainability of project outcomes
and benefits after the completion of
the project?
·How are capacities strengthened at
the municipal, community and
organizational level?
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RESEARCH
STRENGTHS AND
LIMITATIONS
To the extent possible, the researcher
ensured reliability of data used in these
Participatory Action research by
supplementing and corroborating the same
from the records/interviews provided by the
project implementers, several Person with
Disability Organization Focal Persons, PWD
Federation Presidents, Social Actors and
Municipal Social Welfare officers within the
project area.
On the other end, this research is
constrained by the problems on mobility
imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby
data presented may have some
discrepancies as they cannot be physically
verified though efforts were made to
triangulate their accuracy with other sources
via phone discussions, emails, and limited
face to face interactions/ visits to conduct
inquiries which a few social actors and PWD
organizations.
Moreover, there may be concerns that
may not be answered by this report as the
program is still continuing and interventions
are still underway.
The researcher also acknowledges the
possibility of bias as she is also a person with
disability, though not directly part of any
organization directly participating, partnering
with or benefiting from the project.
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
PRESENTATION OF
FINDINGS
A. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
1. TOTAL PWD BENEFICIARIES BY AREA AGGREGATED BY GENDER
Fig.1a. Graphical representation of the number of persons with disability by municipality
aggregated by gender preference
Female
45%
Male
55%
Fig.1b Pie chart showing percentage of persons with disabilities as aggregated by gender throughout
the project area
Given the 2 selected barangays per municipal, data shows Tolosa,
Mc Arthur, Dulag had the top number of persons with disabilities
assessed. Pertaining to gender, there are more men/boys over
women/girls by 10%.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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2. BY AGE
As can be seen by the pie chart below, data shows that while 46% are within the
age capable to assist/find work/sources of income, the elderly comprises a significant
33 % of the population within the selected project areas while the remaining 15%
comprises children/pre-teens.
Fig 2 a. Pie chart showing over-all percentage of persons with disabilities according to age
throughout the project area
Fig.2b Graphical presentation of the summed-up numbers of persons with disabilities in the area
according to age bracket
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Fig 2c. Graphical presentation of age aggregation of persons with disabilities in the
project area by barangay
3. BY DISABILITY
Data shows that physical impairment arises as the most common disability across
the selected project areas. This is followed by debility pertaining to hearing and visual
acuity and other psychosocial/mental impairment and speech difficulties respectively.
Notably, it likewise shows that there are people living with multiple impairments
with a mix of any of these impairments, ie, blindness and hearing loss, physical and
learning disabilities, etc.
Fig.3a Pie chart showing the percentage of disability aggregation in throughout the project area
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Fig.3b. Graphical presentation showing disability aggregation by selected municipalities in the project
area
4. BY EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
As can be seen by the charts presented below, only 15 % of the population in the
selected project area have not gone to school as the remaining 85% attained a certain
level of formal education. Notably however, the percentage of persons with
disabilities completing an education level decreases as the educational level increases
- 38% has finished different elementary levels, 15% graduated elementary, 12%
graduated high school, 4% reached college and only 3 % graduated college.
Fig.4.1 Pie chart showing the percentage in the level of formal education attained by persons with
disabilities throughout the project area
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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5. BY EMPLOYMENT
Data below shows that a large part of persons with disabilities, around 78% are
not working/unable to find work.
Moreover, most of the 28% that has successfully found income generation comes
from Pastrana, Mc Arthur and Dulag and engaged in native economic activities:
fisherfolks(29%), laborers(23%) and farmers(19%). Moreover, other persons with
disabilities working on the different service sectors combined comprise another 22%
as construction workers, community electrician, drivers, carpenters, bakers,
salesclerks, vendors, baby sitters, laundry woman and house helps; and another 6%
worked as retired teachers, midwives, private employees, and barangay officials.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig.5a. Pie chart showing employment aggregation
throughout the project area
Fig.5b. Employment aggregation by selected municipalities in the project area
Fig5c.Pie chart showing the nature of work of persons with disabilities currently generating income
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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B. PROGRAM FINDINGS
Improve understanding of disability rights and issues among local government and
civil society actors.
AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENT
A. Trainings for Persons with Disabilities
1.
General Assemblies
Fig.1a. Tabulation of participants attending general assemblies by area versus actual
number of persons with disabilities mapped in the same area.
Fig1b. Graphical presentation of accomplishment versus target participants per area
according to mapped data of persons with disabilities in the same area
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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The data above shows that there are several barangays in the project area, ie.
Brgys Yapad, Pastrana; San Rafael and Combis, Dulag; Rizal, Dagami; Maasin, Hindang
and Badiangay, Sta. Fe where all identified persons with disabilities have been able
attend the general assembly conducted in their respective area. The excess pertains to
the attendance of guardians and barangay officials supporting the participation of
their family members who have functional difficulties.
Notably, only Brgy. San Roque, Tolosa registered a low attendance turn-out, ie. Less
than 50% of identified persons with disabilities. However, this area has already been a
prior focus in the previous phase of this program.
2. Awareness Raising
Fig 1b1. Tabulation of participants attending formal awareness raising workshops by area versus actual
number of persons with disabilities mapped in the same area
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig1b2. Graphical presentation of the percentage of participation of persons with disabilities in awareness
raising workshop
The above data shows a meaningful percentage of persons with disabilities from
almost all the barangays already given priority in the first phase of the project have
been able to attend formal awareness training workshops. However, there is a need to
devise efforts for social actors developed within the organizations to impart these
learnings to their fellow persons with disabilities in Brgys. Yapad and Manaybanay,
Pastrana; San Rafael and Combis, Dulag; Rizal and Maliwaliw, Dagami, Sta. Elena and
Salvador, Tanuan; Maasin, Hindang; and Pinarigusan, San Miguel.
3. Local and National Budget Process
Fig1c1. Tabulated data of
participants per DPO to the national
and local budget process vis a vis
total membership
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Fig 1c2. Graphical presentation of accomplishment versus target participants per area according to
mapped data of persons with disabilities in the same area
The above data shows all PWD organizations in the project area with Brgy.
Salvador, Tanauan successfully fielding the most representation and interest to
learn the laws and policies that governs budget; how budget flows from the
national to the local level and the corresponding processes how it is sourced,
authorized, managed, expended, monitored and audited as well as the utilization of
spaces that allows persons with disabilities and their organizations gain access to
these resource to finance disability related needs and lobby for other disability
inclusive resources at their respective local government units.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
B. Organizations for Persons with Disability
Fig1d1. Tabulated list of assisted DPOS in the project area
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Fig1d2. Doughnut showing percentage of the legal status of current DPOS in the project are
Data shows that of the 9 municipal level and 18 barangay level organizations
assisted by FTI, it is the municipal level organizations that has seen a higher
percentage of solidifying their legal status through the Department of Labor and
Employment and/or their respective Sangguniang Bayan.
It also shows that of the currently existing municipal level organizations, Dulag
and Pastrana are still in the initial stages of legalizing their status while at the
barangay level, 3 have submitted their papers to DOLE and such is already due for
release, 2 are still on process, and 8 in initial preparation.
Over-all, only 37% of the PWD organizations in the project area has successfully
sought DOLE accreditation with another 11% being recognized by their municipal
legislative councils, while the remaining 53% still working out to make their
organizations legally established.
C. Development of Social Actors
Data shows that the project has been able to hone a total of 176 community
development actors from the barangay level persons with disability organizations,
Likewise, it also showed the prevalence of women (64%) over men (36).
Relatedly, FTI conducted constant consultations, workshops and dry runs to
enable capacity development as awareness raising corps for their fellow persons
with disabilities/organizations within the project area. This corps also served as a
well for leaders as active officers of the DPOs, active coop administrators and board
of directors.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Likewise, in the process of facilitating trainings and seminars, these community
development actors have gained not only expertise but a meager allowance to defray
personal needs.
Several persons with disabilities from this corps were pooled to gain employment
as focal persons, such as in Hindang, Dulag, McArthur and San Miguel.
Fig1e1. Pie chart showing percentage of aggregation
of social actors by gender
Fig1e2. Bar graph showing actual total numbers of
social actors by gender
The following table shows a table of the different trainings that the social
actors had been able to facilitate, the number of actors involved and the total
amount expended which is given as honorarium to them during said activities
which helped them augment income as honorarium progressed from P500-7001000 depending on the activities being facilitated.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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D. Training for LGU/Stakeholders
Fig1f1. Bar graph of total attendance to the DID trainings
Fig1f2. Aggregation of LGU participants to the DID by gender
Data above shows that the program has been able to convene 179 local government
officials to participate in Disability Inclusive development workshops. The discussions in
these workshops focused on topics that would enable service providers, ie. Barangay
officials, Municipal Social Welfare Development Officers (MSWDOs)/Municipal Planning
Development Councils (MPDCs) to understand how government as duty bearer should
regard persons with disabilities in the mapping out their own development agendas on
the one hand, and the need for PDAO officers to ascertain and firm up their own role
developing themselves and their organizations.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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E. Participation in Local Governance and Decision-Making Process
Fig1g1. Tabular presentation of the existence of DPO organization and their access to opportunities and
space in local decision-making bodies.
Data shows all 9 municipalities covered
by the program has been able to create
their own municipal level organizations for
persons with disabilities.
Except for Pastrana, the PDAO/PWD
focal or the Federation/Municipal
Association Presidents represents the
persons with disability organizations in the
local decision-making bodies in relation to
the formulation and implementation of key
policies and budget planning that
incorporates PWD concerns in their
respective local government units.
Moreover, several Local Government
Units (LGUs) have extended/are extending
certain programs beneficial for persons
with disabilities in the area according to the
needs-assessment
provided by the existing persons with
disability organizations/or their
representatives. Likewise, the LGUs have
also been more aware of and responsive
to access audits as shown in the following
points culled from several interviews:
Certain MLGUs across the project
area have started to adopt measures
to ensure that barangays provide
programs for persons with disabilities
by adopting the proposed programs
of the local DPOs to access the 5%
PWD fund.
ie. in the case of Hindang, the
municipal council has issued a
memo that it will not approve the
barangay budget without a
proposed plan/program from and
for persons with disabilities
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Conduct of access audits yielded LGUs
to conform to the standard measures
allowing accessibility features for
disabled persons such as ramps, PWD
friendly comfort rooms, wider
pathways and provision of other
disability-related needs.
In Hindang, access audit
conducted with FTI resulted to
necessary renovations hall,
Maasin, Pob 1 marketsite, LGU
Buiding, RHU, evac centerramp and PWD CR
In Tanauan, access audit
conducted with FTI resulted to
addressing accessibility issues
with the Municipal Hall, RHU
and Senior Citizen Building
Access audits also redirected
towards successful compliance
of PWD friendly amenities
several business
establishments: in Haiyan
Resort,Tolosa; Oriental Hotel
in Baras, Palo, Jollibee and
Andoks chains in Palo,
Tanauan and Dulag. Also, J and
F mall in Dulag has already
been access audit but still
waiting for compliance.
Provision of assistive devices such as
wheelchair, ordinary and elbow canes,
crutches and talking phones
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in Hindang, Sta. Fe and San Miguel. In
Hindang, 13 wheelchairs, 17 talking
watch, 9 crutches, 5 white cane, 6
ordinary cane were distributed to predetermined beneficiaries.
Provision of maintenance
medicines for persons with
psychosocial disorders in Dulag
Construction of ramps for the
Municipal Building and RHU,
wider pathway and ramp for the
public market, ramp for the
Barangay Hall in Tagbibi, all of
Hindang;
Construction of ramp in
Municipal Hall of Dulag and
Tanauan
Assist DPOs by providing needed
assistance for the income generation
project proposed and led by the
DPOS
Provision of P137,000 funding for
the lechon business proposed by the
Municipal DPO.
Construction of a PWD/Senior
Citizen Center in Barangay Yapad,
Pastrana and possible provision of
native chicken and or funding for
such for the egg laying/production
business proposed by the DPO.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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LIVELIHOOD COMPONENT
A. Areas with Cooperatives
The first phase of the project had seen FTI’s focus on the creation of municipal level
cooperatives in 6 out of 9 municipalities covered by the program to include Hindang,
Mc Arthur, Tolosa, Tanauan, Sta. Fe.
The new phase of FTI efforts focused on establishing new cooperatives from both
the municipal level and barangay level persons with disability organizations of Dulag,
Dagami and Pastrana while continuing efforts to sustain the old ones.
B. Coop Membership
Currently active coop members is only at 227, but data below shows the following
disaggregation if both old and
new founded cooperatives will be considered.
In this aggregated data shows that compared to the identified number of persons
with disabilities engaged in the associations,in the old cooperatives Mc Arthur and
Sta. Fe has
the highest number of persons with disabilities involved into the livelihood program
while Combis, Dulag
and Rizal, Dagami has the highest nu inmber of persons with disabilities involved into
the livelihood program
among the newly established cooperatives.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig2b1. Comparative tabulation of coop members from old and new coops established in the
project area vis a vis the number of members of their respective PWD organizations
OLD
Fig2b2. Graphical presentation of the percentage of coop members in the old coops over those of
their respective PWD associations.
NEW
Fig2b3. Graphical presentation of the percentage of coop members in the new coops over those
of their respective PWD associations
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PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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Of the currently 227 active coop members as per recent record provided by the
project coordinator, gender-wise, data marked only a 2% difference, with men
comprising 49% (107) and women at 51% (111) which will foster a balanced workforce
for the livelihood project intended respectively.
Fig2b4. Pie chart showing aggregation of coop members by gender
Of the currently 227 active coop members as per recent record provided by the
project coordinator, data shows that 62% (136) of coop members are persons with
disabilities themselves while 38 % (82) of these members are represented by their
immediate family members inn their capacity as guardians.
Fig2b. Doughnut chart showing percentage of coop members as aggregated between persons
with disabilities and their guardians
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
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C. Formation of Savings Group
Data shown below reflects that 69% or 13 out of the 18 barangays covered by the
program has built their own savings groups with each share at P20 and each member
allowed to put in a maximum of 5 shares. Moreover, a group interview with the officers
of COMTAAP revealed that their COMSCA group have decided to increase the price of
individual share capital from P20-30 as members deem it as a good move to increase
dividends and provide more capital for loans to members at monthly interest rate of
5%.
Fig2c1. Tabulation of areas with savings group, number of members and share capital schemes
D. Livelihood Capacity Training
To facilitate the need and the mechanism needed to form their own savings, a
financial literacy and a community savings training was initiated for the DPOs. This
savings group allows members to easily access loans at a 5% interest rate/month,
allows members to earn dividends from the yearly share out capital.
It can be gleaned that compared to the actual number of members of the different
DPOS (837), persons with disabilities involved in COMSCA trainings comprise only
10.51% while compared to actual coop members (227) it is at 38.76%.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig2d1. Tabulation of participants from DPOS to the COMSCA training
30
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
31
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig2d2: Tabulated number of participants for various livelihood trainings
32
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
33
Moreover, the livelihood coordinator facilitated the conduct of cooperative
assessment and strategic planning of cooperatives founded in the 1st phase of the
project to help them evaluate their business venture and provide proper interventions
agreed upon by the whole DPO cooperative.
Fig2d3 Tabulated data on coop assessment of cooperatives founded on the 1st phase of the
program and is currently in existence
E. Livelihood Project Status
Data shown in Figure 2e1 below shows that all cooperatives initiated in the 1st
phase of the project were able to get accreditation with DOLE/ CDA/. Of the 6
cooperatives, 2 of which engaged in the production of farm products, ie, vegetable
farming and egg production, 2 went into merchandising, ie. grocery/rolling store, and
another 2 both embarked into computer services.
However, though these projects saw progress for several months, most faced
challenges which resulted to either closure and/or redirection into other types of
business ventures.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
34
According to assessments conducted, copies of which hereto attached as Annex
______, the failure to sustain the initial livelihood projects/near dissolution of old
cooperatives were due to the following constraints:
1. Lack of teamwork from members of the cooperative and patronage from members
of the DPO in the community.
2. Lack of expertise in relation to fiscal management especially in honest and
transparent recording, bookkeeping, and audit procedures.
3. Lack of financial gains due to the accumulation of higher overhead costs and/or
fiscal mismanagement lead to the disinterest and eventual pull-out out many coop
members.
4. Lack of understanding of the different components of the business venture, ie. a
comprehensive soil study as basis for a vegetable production business,
comprehensive assessment of market competition.
5. Issues related to the democratization of decision-making processes and
governance of the day-to-day affairs within the cooperative.
6. Conflicts of interests among leaders of certain DPOs a weaken unity, dampen
enthusiasm and negatively impact over-all determination of members to
participate in the livelihood project initiated.
Data shown in Fig2e2 shows currently existing coops, which could be divided into
1. old cooperatives that has been redirected in the new phase and 2. Newly formed
coops.
Of the 6 old cooperatives, 5 made use of their remaining capital to finance new
business ventures which were geared into merchandising (Ie. feeds and rice retailing
for SAKATA and rice wholesaling for SAKTO), service (ie. party needs rental/water
refilling business) while HIPEDAC continued its agricultural production but focused
more into banana, coconut and root crops.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
35
Of the 4 newly formed coops, 3 opted to do merchandising (ie. rice, feeds, tuba
wholesale and retail) while 1 pursued vegetable, poultry and livestock production,
taking advantage of their rural setting where a member allowed the DPO to use a
parcel of land for the said purpose free of rent.
Notably, the new coops are still in the process of legalizing their coops through
DOLE/CDA but most of them had already attended the Pre-registration seminars and
working through the documents needed for the purpose.
Fig 2e2. Tabulated progress of old and new cooperatives
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
36
Of the new associations who have yet to start their group livelihood, the following
DPOs have been able to identify projects they intend to pursue in their latest action
planning sessions:
F. Continuing Support Services
Data below shows the support systems that the livelihood coordinator/s has set in
place to secure real-time and tailor fitted interventions for both old and new
cooperatives early in the year before the onset of the COVID pandemic. This system
includes continued monitoring, mentoring and trainings as the need arises.
For old cooperatives, a comprehensive cooperative assessment was done, after
which, they were mentored on bookkeeping and trained on how to develop sound
cooperative governance aside from regular monitoring of current business ventures.
For new cooperatives, the focus of support was geared into mentorships on
business planning and record keeping while conducting trainings on cooperative
orientation and pre-registration.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Fig2f1. Tabulated support services for old and new cooperatives in the 1st/2nd quarter of 2020
IMPACT OF LIVELIHOOD INITIATIVES ON INDIVIDUAL
MEMEBERS
Positive:
Manager, bookkeeper, driver and
other members who rendered direct
service (i.e.. sellers on duty) gained
through honorarium given by the
cooperative at some point in the
operation of service type coops
(groceries, computer shops) but has
been affected by the decline of the
operation, redirection and the
temporary closure of several
businesses brought by OVID
quarantine measures
Members were able to gain from the
services of the coops through ease of
access to loans, ie. money for farm
inputs, goods, low interest loans and
dividends from savings groups
Members were also able to gain
knowledge and competence in
terms of putting up and managing
small scale businesses and carried
them forward to start their own
business ventures ( ie. computer
rental business)
Negative:
Lack of transparent
records/bookkeeping, management
issues, unresolved loans of
members, and the decline of
income deepens discontent and
disinterest of members to actively
participate and patronize DPO
livelihood.
37
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
ANALYSIS OF
FINDINGS
1. RELEVANCE
In terms of project goals, current
efforts have seen significant impact on
persons with disabilities and their
families in the project area as it has been
able to:
Actively assisted the formation of
persons with disability associations
and cooperatives at the barangay
and municipal levels and establish
their legal status to afford them a
viable avenue for mainstreaming
disability related concerns in terms
of accessing government/nongovernment resources as well as
securing spaces for representation
in local decision-making processes.
The program was able to encourage
persons with disabilities organize
their own DPOs and successfully
assisted them in seeking accreditation
with their own local legislative
councils, DOLE/CDA. These DPOS has
become an essential forum for
persons with disabilities to better
themselves and work as a collective to
demand and realize their needs as a
sector.
Heighten awareness of rights and
responsibilities and spaces for
participation.
38
Capacity trainings provided persons
with disabilities a thorough
understanding of rights, laws, policies,
spaces/opportunities valuable for
them which in turn, encouraged them
to come out of their comfort zones,
challenge discriminatory norms and
actively participate in their own DPOS
to access crucial services and support
in their respective barangays and
municipal government units.
Develop a corps of community
development actors as rising pillars
of the DPO community – as
capacity building mentors, DPO
leaders, and PDAO Focals. The
project successfully developed the
local community actors as effective
facilitators in capacity building
process rather than bringing in FTI
trainers acting as external experts in
learning sessions, workshop-trainings
and/or online webinar within and
across DPO communities in the
project area. A significant part of
these community development actors
illustrated preparedness, confidence,
awareness and agility in engaging in
meaningful interactions on equal level
with their community counterparts as
officers of their own DPOs, PWD
Federations and cooperatives acting
as staunch advocates in
mainstreaming the concerns of the
sector.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Moreover, a substantial number of
appointed PDAO/PWD Focals such as in
the cases of Hindang, San Miguel,
McArthur, Dulag and Dagami stemmed
from these corps as well as from the
experience built in the establishment of
their own group livelihood projects as a
DPO.
Strengthened engagements with
the local decision-making bodies in
the utilization of available spaces
for accessing programs that are
disability-inclusive. Persons with
disabilities involved in the DPOS have
become more comfortable and
assertive in presenting their needs to
their community leaders, to include
the barangay council, the local DRRM,
and the local planning councils. On
the other end, their efforts are being
complemented as local government
have started to accredit DPOs,
involving them in planning out
programs, projects and activities
intended for and affecting the sector.
Moreover, some MLGUs have come to
acknowledge that DPOS should be
given the right to present their own
collectively designed alternative
programs to rather than the
Municipal Planning Office/ Municipal
Social Welfare Development Office
implementing a one-size-fits all
approach.
Emergence of
advocates/champions within the
BLGU/MLGU supportive to the
needs and concerns of persons
with disabilities.
39
Throughout the 2 phases of the
project, the project coordinators
together with the respective DPO
leaders in the respective areas have
been able to build good working
relations with local government
officials.
Likewise, the participation of these local
officials in several capacity trainings for
both awareness raising and livelihood,
such as disability inclusion, local budget
process and disability inclusive disaster
management widened their appreciation
for the need to integrate the needs of the
sector in the comprehensive plans
initiated by the different departments in
the government by institutionalizing the
PDAO Office, complete with their own
resources and manpower.
The formation of savings groups
positively helped the financial
capacity of persons with
disabilities. Most of the DPOs who
have their own COMSCA groups
reported that this scheme provides
members priority access to low
interest loans with friendly payment
schemes compared to those offered
by existing loan sharks in the
community. These loans help out
families of persons with disabilities
tide over emergencies, augment
funding for small scale businesses ie,
food vending, sari-sari stores, etc.)
while providing secure earnings
through dividends and share-out of
capital every year.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
2. EFFECTIVITY
To a significant extent, the project has
been able to achieve its goals within the
scope set by the project, however, there
are major considerations that needed to
be looked into to gain optimal results:
Strengthen the foundations of
established municipal level DPOS.
Although there are existing
associations/federations of persons
with disability at the municipal level,
in most areas, there is a need to
actively assist, re-assess, reorganize,
restructure/revitalize, municipal
associations/federations of persons
with disabilities within the project
area to determine that these DPOS
are inclusive of all persons with
disabilities in all the barangays of the
municipal. Likewise, there arises a
need to ensure that the barangay’s
DPO have sound and functional
structures for participation that are
well-integrated/represented in the
municipal associations, that
mechanisms for collaboration are in
place and that needs/demands of the
DPOS at the lower levels are being
laid out, considered and lobbied.
The present problems arose from
the following:
Haste in organizing formal
structures to respond to directives
from the LGU as a response to
national directives and guidelines.
40
Problems with Focal/s in
developing good working relations
with and negotiating DPO
interests within the LGU and
countering the imbalances from
political
pressures/biases/allegiance
Lack of a widened and continued
capacity building initiatives and
will afford to serve all barangay
DPOs within the umbrella of the
municipal
federations/associations.
Existence of long -standing issues
and differences that fosters
discord and impedes, discourages
and freezes participation of a
significant number of DPO
members in relevant socioeconomic undertakings.
Underscore the need for DPOs to
gain a sense of ownership of
initiated group livelihood. There is a
felt dissociation from most DPO
members over group livelihood
implemented through the
cooperatives. This dissociation is
evident in their non-membership in
the cooperative, the lack of their
patronage over services rendered by
the coop, their lack of participation
even when they have the time, ability
and/or resources to do so. Moreover,
the infusion of sizeable capital from
FTI and other non-government
organizations like CECI as initial
sources of funds for the group
livelihood initiated by the coops
intensified their disregard to the
outcome of the project.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Consolidate teamwork within
DPOs/cooperatives and their
leaders. Several DPOS and
cooperatives are challenged by
personal differences, conflicting
interests and other concerns that
affect working relations between their
leaders, restrain the determination of
their members and derail the goals of
the organization as a whole. There are
also instances where the lack of
democratization in the decisionmaking process, transparency issues
and micro-management stifle the
efforts of other less dominant
members to contribute.
Lengthy support interruption. The
old cooperatives lost very much
needed support from FTI due to the
end of the 1st phase of the project.
Since these cooperatives had only
started their group livelihoods several
months prior to the end of the 1st
phase of the project, inability to
access needed supervision and
guidance too soon negatively affected
the management of the coops.
Over-all, the project benefited much by
using of all viable means of providing
tailor-fitted theoretical, technical and
financial support to the 2-pronged
program even amidst the challenges it
faced to include the restrictions imposed
by the raging COVID pandemic such as:
41
In-house seminars, field trainings,
community workshops/meetings
and webinars were utilized to
raise awareness and other
capability building activities
Continued support provided by
the livelihood coordinators in
terms of mentoring, coaching and
initiating necessary trainings to
help old cooperatives redirect
their efforts despite setbacks.
Case studies of cooperatives
operating during the previous
phase of the project has been
conducted and published, where
major lessons have been gleaned
from both positive and negative
experience which became the
basis for establishing key
interventions in the present phase
of the program.
3. SUSTAINABILITY
The Project was implemented in
direct coordination with the
respective local government
executives and necessary
departments therein involved with
handling persons with disability
concerns through standing
Memorandum of Agreements,
making it easier for the latter to track
developments and conduct follow
through in the future.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
Similarly, collaboration with the
Regional and Provincial Persons with
Disability Office, made these endeavors
align and integrated with the larger,
institutionalized structures already in
place. The introduction of these DPOS to
seek the technical, legal, skill, and other
service systems offered by the Regional
and Provincial Offices of the Department
of Labor and Employment, Department of
Trade and Industry, the Cooperative
Development Authority, and the
Securities and Exchange Commission will
also help guarantee vital support to DPOS
in terms of livelihood development if
given due attention.
GOOD PRACTICES
AND LESSONS
LEARNED
1. GOOD PRACTICES
A. On Capacity Building
Component
Conduct of actual household
survey/visits to make a correct
accounting of and detailed
functional limitations of all
persons with disabilities in a given
community.
42
Conduct of full-blown awareness
raising seminars for persons with
disabilities at the barangay level.
·Assisting and influencing the
formation of municipal level DPOs in
the form of municipal
associations/federations.
Developing a corps of community
development actors able to function
as learning facilitators, association
officers, cooperative admins,
federation presidents and focal
persons at the municipal level who
are persons with disabilities
themselves.
Assisting the accreditation of DPOs
with DOLE and their respective
Sangguniang Bayan Councils to afford
representation of persons with
disabilities in the local planning
process at the barangay/municipal
level.
·Encouraging LGU officials to advocate
for PWD concerns by building rapport
and inviting them to attend several
trainings aligned with their functions
as duty-bearers, ie. through National
and Local Budget Process, Disability
Inclusive Development (DID) and
Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk
Reduction (DIDRR).
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
B. On Livelihood Component
·Initiate the formation of savings
groups as a measure to build the
organization’s own capital, an
easy- loan alternative and a buffer
fund in times of disaster and/or
emergencies.
·Ensure the legal status of existing
associations and/or cooperatives
with DOLE/CDA.
·Develop the capacity of persons
with disabilities organization to
plan and manage their own group
livelihood projects by initiating
essential trainings in the form of
seminars, webinars, workshops,
write-shops.
·Continued monitoring and realtime provision of needed support
and/or interventions to address
pressing challenges.
2. LESSONS LEARNED
A. On Capacity Building
Component
·Existing DPOs/DPO at the
barangay and municipal level
should be both structurally and
functionally sound.
43
·The DPOs a should be honed as a
collective tool for mainstreaming PWD
issues and concerns in their
respective local governments.
·DPO leaders should learn to govern
democratically and give full play to
the different mode and level of
participation of all members.
B. On Livelihood Component
·Initial capital for any group
livelihood project that DPOS
would initiate would be raised
from what meager resources
that the members could
invest/pool together.
·Policies and practical
measures that uphold
democratic governance and
corresponding ramifications in
case of abuse should be in
place.
·Acknowledged need for
continued coaching and
mentoring on recording and
bookkeeping.
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
On the whole, the research finds
that to a larger extent, the program
advances into achieving the goals to
empower persons with disabilities as
they cultivate a mindset towards
inclusion, ready to become game
changers as they develop skills, boost
confidence, advocate for their rights
and responsibilities.
The program has seen persons
with disabilities within the target
areas start to work as a collective as
they form self-help groups such as
their savings groups and cooperative
enterprises and eager to utilize all
spaces available for them to access
needed resources by taking part in
the planning and decision-making
mechanisms of their respective local
government units.
Moreover, this awareness raising
and livelihood initiatives has inspired
related government departments and
other well-meaning Individuals to
form/give necessary attention to
municipal level DPOs.
44
However, to address identified gaps, this
research recommends to:
·Initiate capacity building for
community development actors as
main corps of leadership in sustaining
PDAO/PDAO initiatives to focus on
project proposal write shops, public
speaking and negotiation skills,
organizational culture and democratic
leadership needed to manage both
DPO and coop;
·Strengthen the functional capacity of
municipal level DPOs through actively
strengthening member organizations
at the barangay level through the
planning needed interventions in
active collaboration with the
Regional/Provincial PWD office, the
respective MSWDOs and DILG to the
maximum extent possible;
·Creation of a system that would
interconnect community
development actors, to include FTIhoned PWD Focal/s and across the
project site so serve as a mechanism
for needed internal mentoring and
support;
·foster persons with disabilities
concept on ownership of savings
groups and cooperative enterprises
to focus on creating a positive and
progressive outlook of members in
relation to building teamwork in
working and going forward with
PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH FINDINGS
the group livelihood by resolving
internal inadequacies in skills,
management, and governance;
·emphasize good leadership and
governance within the organizations
through learning and sharing
initiatives (ie. webinars, actual site
tours/visits and coop leader’s
exchange/forum) with successful
coops in the region;
·Encouraging DPOS/municipal PWD
federations to lobby for the
institutionalization of PDAO offices at
the municipal level given full
autonomy and equipped with the
necessary human and logistical
resources to carry out its mandate of
being a rallying point for DPOs to
connect with the government as duty
bearer, and
·Encourage DPOS/ DPO-led
cooperatives to avail necessary
technical assistance with concerned
government agencies (ie. DTI.DOLE,
PCIC) as needed to include trainings,
product development, marketing and
insurance).
45