Case Study - Philippines Metagora Pilot Project CHAPTER 10: GENERAL LESSONS AND CONCLUSIONS (page 1)
10.1 FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES OF THE SURVEY
During the project implementation, the following factors were considered influential in generating positive outcomes:
10.1.1 The Rule of Law
The respect accorded to the three tribes by following the rule of law under IPRA - specifically, the consultations undertaken pursuant to the policy of “free prior informed consent” - showed that this policy can be implemented if there is respect for the rule of law. The sense of dignity of the tribe as owners of the ancestral domain was strengthened. Goodwill with the three tribes was established.
10.1.2 Participation
The three tribes were encouraged to participate from the ancestral domain consultations until the local users’ forums. Their opinions, comments and suggestions, ideas and preferences were solicited in many aspect of project implementation. Examples include:
- The Bago tribe, when consulted as to language preference in the questionnaire to be translated chose the Ilocano language;
- The Bugkalot tribe’s preference that the tribe members living in the three provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora be covered by the survey and FGDs was honored; and
- The Kankana-ey tribe’s reactions during the Local Users’ Forum - specifically, that their high ranking of use of and satisfaction with the services provided by DSWD as a government agency should be credited to the Local Government Unit - was noted and explained in the write-up pertaining to this portion of findings under the Kankana’ey tribe survey.
Selected members of the tribe were trained as interviewers and focus group moderators and recorders. They were highly involved in data-gathering and reporting. The local consultations also provided the three tribes with an opportunity to express themselves and raise other issues and concerns. They were also involved in different ways during local consultations and field visits.
The participation of the three tribes enabled project implementers to understand better their situation. A close camaraderie and sense of unity developed between the tribe and the project staff and partners during several activities in which they worked together. The study proved that the participatory approach in measuring human rights can generate rich results.
10.1.3 Non-Discrimination
The tribe members as well as NCIP partners expressed their appreciation for the non-discrimination they experienced with CHRP project staff and the task force, as well as other local partners. This feeling of not being excluded generated more trust and confidence between the tribe and the project implementers.
10.1.4 Orientation on Human Rights and IPRA
Although the tribe members regard their customary laws as their main source of authority regarding disputes with fellow tribe members and other persons, the orientations on human rights and IPRA during project implementation were appreciated. In fact, they recommended that more tribe members be given those orientations. They also realized that their tribe needs to develop human rights defenders for the continuing protection and promotion of their rights to ancestral domains and lands and other indigenous rights.
10.1.5 The Quality and Standards in Conducting the Study
The tribes were made aware of the quality of data that must be generated and the standards for conducting the study, which included tool development and procedures in field operations. Not being accustomed to or familiar with this kind of activity, the tribe was exposed to the rigours of quantitative and qualitative approaches in gathering evidenced-based data. They were taught to conduct interviews, moderate focus group discussions, record data from the respondents, and report those data. They were also exposed to pretesting of the questionnaires in English and their preferred language. These experiences have led to an appreciation of how to generate data based on a participatory approach in data-collection and reporting.
Given these factors, the following outcomes were noted:
- Stronger coordination among the partners with the tribe;
- Greater trust and confidence among the tribe shown to project implementers;
- A sense of confidence and feeling of security in dealing with non-tribe members;
- Greater cooperation to undertake the activities;
- Strong desire and sense of responsibility among tribe data-collectors to generate the truth from respondents;
- Desire for longer partnership with project implementers;
- Non-interference during data-gathering period;
- Full cooperation from tribe households during the survey and from focus groups during FGDs;
- Desire and motivation to be rights-based in governance of their ancestral domains;
- Better understanding of their rights as human beings and as indigenous peoples, especially in relation to their rights to ancestral domains and ancestral lands.
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