CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND THE SCOPE

INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the Study
Poverty has been one of the most common problems the world is now
experiencing. There are about a billion people living in precarious conditions in
slum areas around the world. A lot have been trapped in this poor kind of
situation wherein they lack the money to sustain their daily basic needs such as
food, shelter, and clothing. Having them rely solely on their own efforts to
alleviate their poor situation is too difficult for them to handle. Those poor
communities cannot do everything by themselves; assistance from the
government or any organization is vital.
On the other hand, the government has already started initiating projects
and programs that will help those marginalized people ease the difficult situation
theyre in. Improving the living condition of those people by giving them livelihood
has been the most effective solution for this situation.
Looking locally, a certain community in Barangay Basak at Lapu-lapu
City which is the Sudtonggan Relocation Site has been the community chosen
by the University of San Jose-Recoletos to be adopted in order to have a
particular fiveyear livelihood project in collaboration with the Urban Poor
Affairs Office (UPAO) of Lapu-lapu City Government which has already been
started.

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Project Pakigdait aims to improve all aspects of life of the adopted

community. This community outreach project is a continuing manifestation of
USJ-Rs aim to give out free services to the marginalized areas. The program
includes: community building, livelihood program, enhancement program,
spiritual program, literary program, health promotion, structural development,
psychosocial development, and disaster management program.
Therefore, the group conducted this study to assess whether the activities
or programs implemented are applicable to the communitys day to day living. It
was conducted to determine the impact of this livelihood project to the residents
whether or not it has improved their living conditions.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted to assess the impact of Project Pakigdait to the
residents of Sitio Dubai Sudtonggan Relocation Site. The said project was a fiveyear community outreach program of the University of San Jose-Recoletos for
the marginalized members of this community. The program's main objective was
to lessen their distressed condition of poverty by providing various services such
as community capacity building, livelihood programs, provision of structural
facilities, spiritual seminars, as well as literacy and psycho-social development
projects. This will give USJR a macroscopic view in order to offer efficient and
sustainable Community Outreach Program.
More specifically, this study would be of great importance to the following
parties and end users:

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UJSR-INFECOP
The findings in the study will provide the USJR-INFECOP an
implementation scheme or Plan of Actions that may improve the effectiveness of
the program in order for the beneficiaries to gain maximum benefits from the
program considering the limited resources available.

Sitio Dubai Sudtonggan Relocation Site Residents

Improvements that will be introduced to the program based from the
results of this study would be of great help to better address the plight of the
beneficiaries.

Local Government Unit of Sudtonggan

This study would enable the baranggay officials of Sudtonggan to realize
the immediate concerns of their people so that they may formulate possible
programs and assistance to improve the situation of the affected residents.
Furthermore, this study would give support to the officials formulating policies to
promote public welfare.

Non-Government Organizations and Other Project Partners

This study would aid the non-government organizations and other project
benefactors to adequately assess which implemented activities need further

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improvements to have an efficient outcome. It will serve as the basis in choosing

what programs to offer and which beneficiaries to assist.
Researchers
In the process, researchers personal skills, critical ability, resourcefulness
to acquire more practical learning were enhanced. Furthermore, in the progress
of this study, they were able to develop the sense of teamwork, patience, good
time management and hard work. In addition, they were able to develop general
skills in critical thinking and coordination.

Readers
This study would give them awareness about the situation in Sudtonggan
residents. In addition, they will be made aware about the circumstances existing
in the area.

Future Researchers
Results of this study may be used by future researchers who might wish to
conduct relevant and related studies.

Theoretical Background
Adult educators have accepted for at least the past half century that
the skills of literacy are not ends in themselves but need to serve some purpose
and practices important to their users. The attempts to tie them closely to and
even derive them from livelihoods began at least three decades ago with -

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UNESCOs pioneering attempt to integrate literacy and livelihoods in its

Experimental World Literacy Program, after the Teheran Conference in 1965.
That is when the term functional literacy came into currency. So successful was
the idea of such integration, that, even with the rise and rapid spread of Paolo
Freires conscientization a few years later, it would be difficult to locate a
contemporary or recent literacy course that did not claim to be functional, even if
it did not claim to prepare its participants for a livelihood. In Kenya (Mwangi
2001) as early as 1969, literacy instructors were expected to assist their classes
set up income-generating projects and to invite technical officers to help deepen
knowledge, understanding, and skills. In Guinea, livelihoods and literacy are now
so closely entwined that it is no longer realistic to speak of two approaches there
(Diallo 2001).
For their part, vocational educators have long accepted that,
without a sufficient mastery of reading, writing, and calculation, learners cannot
take more than limited advantage of possibilities to enhance their knowledge,
skills, and capacities. For example, FAO (1980) had this to say: Thus, the
concept that the stepping up of farm production by new technology must have
training and literacy as part and parcel of the development process, and
conversely, that training and literacy as an isolated process are of little avail in a
developing society, is now well established.
A similar experience occurred in the Rukungiri district of Uganda.
Womens groups had been well established there, with savings and credit
schemes and engaged in traditional income-generating activities. In 1996, some

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of these groups asked to participate in the national Functional Adult Literacy

(FAL) program, even though their members had an average attended primary
school for five years. Focus group discussions discovered that the groups
wanted to strengthen their literacy skills to feel more confident and in control in
understanding loan agreements and managing their savings and credit accounts.
After the FAL course, these womens groups felt that, in addition to achieving
immediate aims, they had benefited from the functional literacy curriculum in
unexpected ways. Overall, nearly nine out of ten of the women interviewed
claimed to have started new income-generating work as a result of participating
in the FAL program and that they had in consequence improved their conditions
of living. Similarly, the present Kenya study speculates: Part of the success of
the REFLECT a circle in Kibwezi is attributable to the support Action Aid Kenya
accords the circles for income-generating projects. This includes irrigated
horticultural production, tree nurseries, goat rearing, poultry keeping and basket
weaving. These projects have tended to provide a critical binding action for the
groups and their participation in the literacy program is noted to be high. This has
also significantly improved the mens participation rate in the literacy
centres (Mwangi 2001).At the risk of belaboring the point, a final quote from the
Kenya study is pertinent: Fourteen out of 16 dropout respondents said that they
would be willing to go back to the literacy class, if such [income-generating] projects were started.
In the study entitled A Livelihood Portfolio Theory of Social
Protection by Chris de Neubourg it stated that all households face the risk of

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having insufficient resources which they use to satisfy their needs in the future.
These risks refer to vulnerability contexts which encompass technological trends,
population trends, natural disasters, inflation, and price fluctuations. To prevent
the drawbacks that these risks bring, households look for ways to either lessen
their consumption or generate additional income. However, studies show that
consumption cannot be easily lessened in proportion to the decrease in income.
Most households, as a consequence lean on the Welfare Pentagon which
represents the five core institutions used by households to satisfy their current
and future needs in a given society: family, markets, social networks,
membership institutions and public authorities.
Considering the poverty in the Philippines, finding the balance
among the five institutions does not guarantee a stable and risk-free future for
every household. Steps must be undertaken towards the attainment of a
sustainable livelihood. The Theory of Sustainable Livelihood by Chambers and
Brock which is geared towards poverty reduction talks about three basic
principles. The first principle states that there is no direct relationship between
economic growth and poverty. Ones disposition depends on his ability to take
advantage of the economic opportunities. These individuals should serve as the
key actors for they are the ones who have the first- hand knowledge of the things
which bear weight to them, the culture that they have been accustomed to and
how these aspects affect the way that they give importance to their livelihood.
The second principle states that poverty goes beyond the level of income.
Poverty also encompasses other factors like health and illiteracy. Finally, the third

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principle states that because the individuals know what they need, they should
be involved in designing of the different livelihood programs that they be engaged
in.
It may be observed that the Theory of Sustainable Development
boils down to two major factors: participation and culture. Participation leads to
an increase in motivation which equates to an increased positive performance. If
individuals are included in the entire process of gathering information, analyzing
it, making choices on where to take action, and implementing the plans, they gain
valuable information on how to handle it themselves. Active participation also
gives the individuals a better sense of commitment. Culture also bears a deep
impact on how individuals view livelihood projects since what matter to these
individuals would depend on the traditions and customs that they have lived
upon.
On the other hand, Theory of Social Support was published by
Banes; it states that Social Support is associated with how networking helps
people cope with stressful events. Besides it can enhance psychological wellbeing. Social support distinguishes between four types of support (House,
1981). Emotional support is associated with sharing life experiences. It involves
the provision of empathy, love, trust and caring. Informational support involves
the provision of advice, suggestions, and information that a person can use to
address problems. Appraisal support involves the provision of information that is
useful for self-evaluation purposes: constructive feedback, affirmation and social

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comparison. Instrumental support involves the provision of tangible aid and

services that directly assist a person in need.
Some of the most appreciated models of social support (Vaux,
1988; Sarason, Sarason and Pierces, 1990a, 1994a; 1994b; Sarason, Pierce,
and Sarason, 1990; Veiel and Baumann, 1992; Burleson et al.1994) describe
social support resources or social support network. Vaux (1988) also
distinguishes three components, one of them being the social support network as
a source of social support. Vaux (1988: 28-29) defines the social support network
as a subset of a larger social network to which an ego turns or could turn for
assistance. Support networks, i.e., social support network resources, are
assumed to be stable in terms of size and composition, except in times of
developmental transitions or non-normative life changes. Support behaviors, on
the other hand are specific acts generally recognized as intentional efforts to help
a person. Not every supportive behavior is helpful. Helpfulness depends on the
proper timing and mode of support as well as on the relationship with the support
provider. Support appraisals are subjective evaluative assessments of support
resources and behaviors. They are primary indicators of how effectively support
functions are fulfilled.
Sarason et al. (1990; 1990a; 1994a; Sarason, Pierce, and Sarason,
1990) define the received social support as the support that people get from
others, or the enacted support 1990a: 15-16). The received support is supposed
to depend on the availability of support, the individual coping skills and the
degree of severity of stress others perceive to be experienced by a subject. The

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perceived support, however, refers to a persons belief that some social support
is available if needed. The authors distinguish between measures of availability
of support and adequacy of available support on one hand, and between global
and specific measures of the perceived support on the other.
The third dimension (Sarason et al., 1990a: 12-15) of social support
is referred to as network measures labeling individual social integration into
society (i.e. network structure and quality of measured relationships). Events that
stimulate provision of social support are divided along several dimensions such
as minor-major, simple-complex, and stressful non-stressful (Sarason et al.,
1994a: 93-95). When referring to the distinction between stressful and nonstressful situations two main hypotheses regarding the role of social support can
be made. The hypothesis about the buffering effects of social support states that
social support is effective only during stressful events. The main effect
hypothesis maintains that the social support influences behavior and well-being
in non-stressful situations as well. Similarly, three-dimensional models of the
social support concepts have also been proposed by Veiel and Baumann (1992),
and Burleson et al. (1994).
All these models distinguish the same basic dimensions along
which social support is conceptualized: support resources or support networks,
supportive behavior, interactions or received support and support appraisals. For
researchers the social support is interesting mostly because of its relations with
various health related outcomes and possible interventions. Therefore, the most
frequent criterion for selecting a particular conceptualization of the social support

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was its predictive power in explaining outcome variables. The lack of predictive
power of the early concepts of social support, such as simple indices of network
size and density, redirected researchers attention to those measures of
perceived support that showed stronger associations with well-being. Measures
of perceived support were exhaustively analyzed with regard to their
measurement properties and associations with related constructs and healthrelated outcome variables (e.g.,Vaux, 1988, 1992, Sarason et al. 1987a, b).
However, research on perceived support mainly included specific subpopulations. Measures of support networks received more attention in the
framework of sociological approaches where network measures were also
applied to the general population, revealing some specific supportive interactions
and affective contents within particular relationships (Hlebec, 1999).
A variety of measures of perceived support (Vaux, 1988: 33-59)
was developed on the premises of theoretical models. However, these measures
focus

on

individual

perceptions

of

support

availability

and

adequacy.

Furthermore, measures developed after Weisss (1974) and Cobbs (1976)

theoretical models focus primarily on the affective aspects of the social support,
such as the perception of being loved and accepted by others, the sense of
belonging, enhancing of self-esteem, etc. Although several of these measures
were presented as general measures of social support, which are relatively
independent of measures of received support, a thorough reexamination of
reported analyses revealed their primarily affective focus (Procidano and Heller,
1983; Cohen and Tobes, 1988; Bolger and Eckenrode, 1991; Sarason et al.

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1983). They demonstrated that not every social interaction is stress buffering;
some of these may even increase or induce stress. Many social support
instruments that presumably measure the general social support and the enacted
social support actually measure a specific, usually emotional social support.
The social context factors (Vaux, 1988: 76-87) such as stressors,
family, social roles and settings, housing and community, social network tressors
and network vulnerability mediate the transactional processing of social support.
Stressors can diminish social support in several ways, i.e., by removing members
of a social network who create social obstacles to maintaining network
relationships and build psychological barriers to the relationships by stigma or
alter the context of network relationships. Certain stressors may temporarily
disable supportive relationships, such as a terminal illness or a tragic loss.
Sometimes individuals are contributors to the stress as well as its victims.
Stressors may also enhance and mobilize social support, and also promote
positive appraisal of support by initiating support resources that an individual was
unaware of. Family, on one hand, provides the background (Vaux, 1988: 76-87)
for the ways in which the social support network of an individual will be
developed and maintained. On the other hand, it is an important source of social
support. It can contribute to an individuals well-being as well as to his/her
distress by providing harmonious or conflicting ties. Social roles, such as
parenthood or working roles can influence an individuals opportunities to meet
new people, to interact, and to develop relationships to an extreme extent.
Housing type and characteristics of a residential community determine the nature

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of social interactions. Lack of control over an individuals living conditions and

possible social interactions may reduce his/her willingness to communicate.
Social ties are often a source of stress but also of support. There is empirical
evidence (ibid.) available that stressful aspects of social relationships have a
stronger association with distress than supportive aspects. Network resources
may also be vulnerable to the same type of stressors and thus unable to provide
the needed social support.
In line with this, the USJ-Rs Institute of Non-Formal Education and
Community Outreach Program (INFECOP) implemented the livelihood and
training program which started in 2009; it offered the residents of its adopted
community various services to alleviate their condition as against poverty. The
livelihood trainings initiate income-generating activities and promote social
awareness to empower the residents to come up with strategies to alleviate their
living condition. The participants in the said programs are given kit which is said
to be used as a good start to engage a business. Furthermore, in the course of
the program the participants are given free lunch and we free transportation in
going to the training place. Aside from the livelihood trainings, the program also
includes community capacity building, livelihood, structural facilities, spiritual,
literacy and psycho-social development projects. This study was conducted,
therefore, to assess the impact of the program upon the residents.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

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The study was aimed to assess the University of San Jose Recoletos
Livelihood and Training Program to the residents of Dubai Sudtonggan, LapuLapu City. Specifically, the following questions were answered:
1. What is the demographic profile of the residents of Dubai
Sudtonggan, Lapu-Lapu City who availed the University of San
Jose-Recoletos Livelihood and Training Program?
2. What types of Livelihood and Training Program participated by the
beneficiaries?
3. Did the participants make use of the training received?
4. Based on the findings, what recommendations may be proposed
regarding the University of San Jose-Recoletos Livelihood and
Training Program?

Research Environment
Research Environment is a significant portion of the determination of the
market impact of the program. It is the boundary or limit to where the proponents
conduct their survey, as a way of accumulating data and transforming such data
into useful information. This part would give the proponents better ideas as to
what is the best for the program. This also helps the implementer in making
decisions, whether to continue such program or not. In line with this, Sudtonggan
Relocation Site is the focus of the study.
The Sudtonggan Relocation Site, located in Barangay Basak at Lapu-lapu
City, is a place where the displaced families from Barangay Gun-ob were
relocated by the City Government after the area was demolished to give way to
the construction of the citys Hoops Dome in 2009. The project site was

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established and managed by the Urban Poor Affairs Office (UPAO) of Lapu-lapu
City Government. The community is composed of four sub-units, namely: Pakna,
Nazarene, Sikna and the Muslim Group. At present, there is an estimated 198
marginalized families settling in this area. Majority are scavengers, some are
ambulant vendors and others are seasonal, contractual workers. Most of the
family earners do not have fixed income. Residents are living in houses made of
very light materials and some in the so called makeshift dwellings.

RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design refers to the total strategy selected and implemented to
incorporate the different components of the study in an understandable and
rational way; thus ensuring the effectiveness and correctness of the facts and
data stated in the study. It constitutes the outline for the gathering, examination,
and measurement of the different data. This serves as a guide to the proponents
in the conduct of the study to achieve the objective of the study. The probability of
the results gathered are precise reflections of the real situations which will be
increased through controls provided by the design.

Research Methodology and Research Instruments Used

The INFECOP provided the data for the research and it was used in this
study to accomplish other information necessary for the study. Using a group
made survey questionnaire as the primary instrument for collecting relevant data
from the respondents. Other sources have been helpful to the proponents such

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as the Internet, information from USJ-R website and library materials to

determine the impact of the program to the residents of Sitio Dubai Sudtonggan
Relocation Site. The gathered data were then classified, tabulated, analyzed and
interpreted.

Research Procedure
The research procedure consists of the methods used by the proponents
in order to ascertain the impact of the program to the residents of the said
community. The first step undertaken was the determination of the target market
and its population and followed by the computation of the appropriate sample
size. The proponents devised the survey questionnaires, validated the tools and
selected the appropriate statistical techniques for data analysis.
In the program, after the determination of the sample size, the proponents
personally located the prospective respondents. In addition, the proponents
distributed the survey questionnaires and also assisted the respondents while
answering the material. The data gathered were then tabulated, analyzed and
interpreted.

Limitation of the Study

Although the research is carefully prepared, there are still unavoidable
constraints. The data is acquired only from the Institute of Non-Formal Education
and Community Outreach Program or INFECOP, one of the programs of the
University of San Jose- Recoletos or USJ-R. Also, the proponents are not aware

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of the place and the real situation of the beneficiaries. Hence, the data obtained
is limited.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
For better understanding of the study, definitions of terms are provided
below.
Ambulant
This word is used to describe people who does not have permanent place
to dwell or in constant shifting.
Displaced
Displaced is being deprived unwillingly or forcefully from the usual or
proper place.
Inculcate
Inculcate is to cause something to be learned by repetitious or constant
doing.
INFECOP
INFECOP stands for Institute of Non-Formal Education and Community
Outreach Program.
Livelihood
Livelihood are activities that will secure the basic necessities -food, water,
shelter and clothing- of life" which is carried out repeatedly.
Makeshifts

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Makeshift is a temporary easy and quick way to solve a problem or

something that will serve as the easiest substitute.
Marginalize
Marginalize is to regulate to an unimportant or powerless position within
the society.
Meagre
Meagre means not having enough of something or deficiency which is
important or necessary.
Sustained
Sustained means that the participants continue earning in the field related
to the program availed.