Academe-led Community Organizing in the Philippines’s Economically Disadvantaged Areas: The Case of Science and Technology Community-Based for Inclusive Development (STC4iD) Program
Abstract
Part of the mandate of educational institutions, particularly State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) is to provide various forms of community, public, and volunteer services that contribute to the country’s social and economic development, hence the emergence of extension programs facilitated by the academe. Considered a novel concept is the academe-led participatory extension program such as the DOST-PCAARRD’s Science and Technology Community-Based for Inclusive Development (STC4iD) Program. This program introduces new community organizing (CO) perspectives in the geographically, economically, and socially disadvantaged areas (GESDA) of the Philippines. Hence, there is much to be learned about how academe-led CO can be instrumental to achieving inclusive development. Focusing on five partner community-based organizations (CBOs), this descriptive case study explains the STC4iD Program’s journey in conducting an academe-led CO for inclusive development. Results show that with the application of CO approaches and processes, the partner SUCs were able to organize and strengthen their respective partner CBOs. Partner CBOs were provided with capability-building and technical trainings that enhanced their knowledge and skills in their adopted Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources (AANR) technologies. In general, the STC4iD is anticipated to eventually generate positive economic, social, and environmental impacts leading to the sustainability and self-reliance of partner communities. Recommendations include wider adoption of the STC4iD Program in other areas of the country to continue testing how it can help realize inclusive development, with additional components on ensuring sustainability through continuous learning between and among partner SUCs and CBOs and harnessing support from different stakeholders.
