NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2

Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto

PARTICIPATORY PLANNING
AND IMPLEMENTATION
……..LEARNING
OBJECTIVES…………………………………………………………………………………..

At the end the chapter, the student will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of participatory planning and implementation;

2. Discuss the different concepts of participatory planning; and
3. Apply the steps in participatory planning.

……..OVERVIEW………………………………………………………………………………………………
….

This chapter deals with participatory planning and implementation. Specifically, it discusses the meaning,
principles, and levels of planning, as well as a brief historical development of participatory planning.

……..LECTURE……………………………………………………………………………………..
…………….

Planning means to direct and guide the people who are involved in a certain project.

1. Social planning includes the areas of health, education, housing, and social welfare. Its aim is to improve the
quality of life and the standard of living of a particular minority group in a community, e.g.,the poor, women,
children, disabled, and indigenous people.

2. Assessment means to gauge the impact of a community project on the social development of a community.

Participatory Planning

Participatory planning is the process of laying out the course of actions needed to attain a set of socio-
economic goals. It resolves community issues or problems by giving concerned community members the
chance to identify problems and propose solutions.

Historical Development of Participatory Planning

In the 1970s, professional development workers became aware of the mismatch between the reality they
constructed and the reality others experienced, dissatisfied with the short rural visits of development technocrats
only to drop by the offices of, or talk to, local male leaders; and disillusioned with questionnaire surveys and
their results. They also acknowledged that people from the provinces themselves knew more about their
situations and communities as compared to those from the cities (Chamber, 1997). Thus, these workers
developed new methods and approaches in social planning as an alternative to centralized, top-down planning.

PRINCIPLES OF PARTICIPATORY PLANNING

1. Development should be seen more as a change from the bottom-up than from the top-down.

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto
2. The development process should be managed naturally rather than mechanically, i.e., unduly focused on
plans, goals, objectives, targets, and schedules. This implies that the aforementioned variables m therefore, they
should be made flexible.

3. The development process should also strengthen local organizations and local government bureaucracies. A
community program should be chosen according to its ability to enhance local development. It should start with
a few schemes to solve immediate local problems, build confidence, and earn experience.

4. The development process should be supported by local institutions with the ages, primary cooperatives,
religious and youth groups, and community based and self-help associations playing a major role.

This is a case in point. According to Rina Jimenez-David, former Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG) Secretary Jessie Robredo's legacy is the empowerment of his constituents. When he was
the mayor of Naga City from 1988 to 2010, he laid down a clear and comprehensive framework that allowed his
constituents to take an active part in governance. Nagueños were able to voice their concerns and suggestions to
the city hall and act in various project stages from procurement to budgeting. They also scuttled a plan to set up
a golf course. As a result, 193 non-governmental and people's organizations now work with the local
government through the Naga City People's Council.

5. The development process must be based primarily on confidence-building and learning rather than on
expertise and training. It is more important for the people who will make decisions at the local level to have the
full trust of the people they represent rather than to be trained experts. This implies that the technical staff of
central government departments should work in tandem with local interest groups rather than just sit idly by and
dismiss the plans prepared by the latter.

LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION

Typology
1. Passive
2. Information-based
3. Consultation-based
4. Incentives-based
5. Functional participation
6. Interactive
7. Self-mobilization
Results
People are told of what will happen or is taking place.
People answer a survey team’s questionnaire (no follow-up).
People answer a questionnaire defined or designed by “outsiders,”
People work for cash, food, or other incentives.
Decision by “outsiders” and interest groups are synthesized to meet
objectives.
Joint analyses, decisions, and action plans are made, implemented,
and monitored by interest groups.
Initiatives are taken independently from official institutions.

A project is described in the Webster's Dictionary as a planned undertaking. The initial step is to
identify the specific acts that must be taken to meet a set of objectives.

The next is to lay down the project as reflected in the acts to be taken. A project's common elements
include the following:

1. Objectives

This element describes what the project aims to do and what the project is for.

2. Boundaries

This element specifies the scope and limitations of the project.

3. Location

This element identifies where the project will be implemented.

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto
4. Target beneficiaries

This element states who will benefit from the implementation of the project.

5. Duration

This elements determines the schedule of the project, i.e., when the project will be implemented and
when it will end.

6. Budget

This element itemizes the expected expenses that the project will incur upon its implementation.

7. Methodology

This element indicates the approach or manner by which the project will be implemented.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CYCLE

Projects may vary according to their objectives, boundaries, locations, target beneficiaries, duration, and
methodology. However, all projects undergo a process called the project development cycle consisting of these
stages:

Identification Preparation Implementation Evaluation

Although the phases may appear sequentially separated, they are, in fact, circular, i.e., the phases
continually interface with each other both back and forth.

1. Identification

In this stage, a potential project design is organized after adequate consultations with the different
stakeholders of the community.

2. Preparation

In this stage, the planners determine how and when a chosen project will be implemented.

3. Implementation

In this stage, the project is carried out by the planners and the local community members based on an
agreed-upon timetable.

4. Evaluation

In this stage, the planners and the community members determine whether or not the project objectives
have been met.

……..CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………..………

Successful participatory planning will help identify and transform community weaknesses into strengths. With
the support of the local government, community members may contribute in the planning of projects that can
solve the problems that beset them. Since participatory planning creates a sense of urgency among the members
REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT
Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto
of the community, it should be followed by the implementation of the project which has incorporated their
ideas.

…….APPLICATION……………………………………………………………………………………………

Name ________________________________________________Course and Level _________________

Facilitator _____________________________________________Date _____________________________

A. Conduct a planning session with your classmates or groupmates and the community leaders regarding
possible community immersion activities.

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto

B. Implement the activities you have planned. What are your observations?

…….REFLECTION……………………………………………………………………………………………

Name ________________________________________________Course and Level _________________

Facilitator _____________________________________________Date _____________________________

C. Write your reflection on the space provided.

1. What should your frame of mind be when conducting participatory planning with community
members?

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto

2. What are your expectations before engaging in participatory planning?

…….EXERCISE 4……………………………………………………………………………………………

Name ________________________________________________Course and Level _________________

Facilitator _____________________________________________Date _____________________________

A. On the space provided, discuss substantially the following topics:

1. The importance of planning in organizing a project

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto

2. The participatory planning process

B. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Write the letter that corresponds to the correct answer on the space provided.

_____1. It is an outline that consists of strategies and specific action steps to be undertaken in order to reach
certain goals.

a. plan
b. idea
c. objective
d. concept

_____2. It is the first critical step in ensuring a project’s success.

a. developing a plan
b. developing a project
c. developing a linkage
d. developing a connection

_____3. In this process, the planning and provision of public services in local government units are done.

a. community planning
b. community goal
c. community project
d. community assessment

_____4. Which of the following is NOT a part of social planning?

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino
 NSTP 2 – NATIONAL SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM 2
Dr. Herminigildo S. Villasoto
a. Analysis of social conditions
b. Social policies and agency services
c. Setting of goals and priorities
d. Monitoring of specific actions

_____5. It is defined as a planned undertaking.

a. project
b. subject
c. program
d. goal

_____6. This specifies where the project will be implemented.

a. location
b. objective
c. management
d. duration

_____7. The plan is executed during this stage.

a. preparation
b. implementation
c. identification
d. evaluation

_____8. This step is usually conducted to determine whether or not the project objectives have been met.

a. evaluation
b. implementation
c. monitoring
d. planning

_____9. It is the first critical step in securing a project’s success.

a. developing a plan
b. developing a project
c. developing a program
d. developing a goal

_____10. It refers to the schedule of the project.

a. duration
b. objectives
c. methodology
d. location

REXSON D. TAGUBA, LPT

Guro sa Filipino