Case Study - Philippines Metagora Pilot Project

CHAPTER 2: DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND LOCAL CONSULTATIONS (page 4)

2.1.7 Consolidation and Organisation of Narrative Reports by Project Researchers

The raw model reports submitted by the moderators and recorders, and descriptive summary and interpretive reports submitted by the supervisors, were consolidated and organised according to key themes by the project researchers. The key themes followed the questions found in the FGD Guide. These are:

1. Perceptions and Awareness

2. Enjoyment and Violations of Rights

3. Measures to Fulfil Rights to Ancestral Domain and Lands

4. Individual Duties to Fulfil Rights to Ancestral Domain and Lands

5. Customary Laws on Ancestral Domains and Lands Practiced

2.1.8 Other Observations

• During the FGDs, the participants from the women and tribal leader focus groups were active and enthusiastic. Some participants from the Youth focus groups were shy in responding to the questions.

• The moderators, recorders and supervisors performed their roles according to agreements reached.

• The FGD Guide was used during the FGD by all moderators.

• The Bugkalot team translated the FGD questions into the Bugkalot language and used the translation throughout the FGD. In their reports, however, they provided English translations of the informants responses.

• The Bago and Kankana-ey FGD teams also used the Ilocano and Kankana-ey languages during the FGDs but they reported in English.

• The Bago FGD team for three focus groups was the earliest to submit the written reports, followed by the Bugkalot FGD team and the Kankana-ey FGD team.

2.1.9 Conclusions and Recommendations

2.1.9.1 Conclusions

1. Skills transfer during the training on FGD was successful because the FGD team members were able to conduct FGD in accordance with agreed procedures and standards.

2. FGD as a data-collection tool has potential for continued use as it is participatory and very much akin to customary communication practices of the IPs.

3. FGD as a data-gathering tool is empowering and not as threatening as other quantitative methods as it provides for verbal expression of thoughts, opinions, feelings, and values.

4. The FGD affects the livelihood activities of the informants as they must spend time away from their usual livelihood activities to participate.

2.1.9.2 Recommendations

1. The use of FGD as a data-collection tool in measuring human rights, democracy and governance should be explored further in terms of improving the system and standards of operations.

2. FGD has many other uses that can be explored to enhance understanding of human rights, democracy and governance, especially among vulnerable groups such as the indigenous peoples,

3. Incentives should be considered to compensate for lost income during the day when engaging the IPs in FGD sessions. This is not to be treated as wage or honoraria, but some sort of displacement fee.

2.2 LOCAL CONSULTATIONS

2.2.1 Use of Local Consultations

Local consultations were also undertaken to determine the issues and concerns affecting the tribes. However, some consultations had other uses in this study. The local consultations, categorised according to their uses, were as follows:

Name of Local Consultation	Main Use	Other Uses	Tribes Consulted
1. Ancestral Domain Consultations	Obtain the free prior informed consent of the three tribes in conducting project Metagora	Draw issues and concerns related to project Metagora	Bago, Kankana-ey, and Bugkalot
2. Consultative Workshops	Present the project to stakeholders for comments	Draw rights-related issues and concerns	Major stakeholders on IP rights; representative tribes in Northern Luzon
3. Technical Consultations	Present the survey design and questionnaire to major stakeholders and all three tribes	Draw rights-related issues and concerns	Representatives of all three tribes; other stakeholders, partners
4. Consultations and Livelihood Training and Site Visit	Conduct site visits and livelihood trainings and consult tribal and barangay leaders of the tribe	Draw rights-related issues and concerns	Leaders from women, youth, and elderly groups and barangay officials belonging to the tribe
5. Local Users’ Forums	Consult tribes on findings of the study/validate the findings	Generate issues, concerns and suggestions for rights	Tribe members and leaders, NGOs, other government agencies
6. National Stakeholders’ Forums	Present the findings of the study to stakeholders	Generate reactions that are rights-related	Multi-sectoral groups with IP concerns or interest