LESSON 1: DEFINITIONS OF REALITY AND TOOLS FOR

ANALYSIS
Topic: Analyzing Realities using SPECSEG Framework
Time Frame: Within 1 week
Intended Learning Outcomes:
Following the lesson, students can:
1. Recognize and compare multiple perspectives on reality. 2. Specify
how the SPECSEG framework is used to analyze social realities
(local, regional, and global)
Dear students: Welcome to the Philippine Social
Realities and Social Welfare chapter of HBSE1. To get
things going, let's first discuss social reality and the
foundation for social analysis. Examine the material in
this module and complete the exercise as directed. Enjoy the
educational process!

Below is an example of community profile for us to better learn about

the topic. This case example is referred from the module authored by
Fahit.

BARANGAY MALIWANAG

Barangay Maliwanag is located in the northern part of Danao City

and is more than 800 hectares wide. In 1950s, it was declared the
100th barangay of Danao City through the legislation passed by
congressman Reyes. It consists of 13 puroks with 13,975 total
number of inhabitants and belongs to the 2rd congressional district
of Danao City.
Cultural Bisaya is the known and widely used dialect by the
residents of the barangay, except for few who speaks
Tagalog and Ilonggo. Furthermore, there are no
identified Indigenous people OPS) residing in the
barangay.
Economic Barangay Maliwanag is one of the fast-rising
and residential areas in Danao City. To date, there are
Gender many on-going construction and development of vast
lands to be transformed into middle class and
high-end subdivisions. With this, majority of the
barangay's male population engage in
construction-related works while women, mostly
unemployed, engage in small
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economic activities such as putting up of small
convenience stores or "sari-sari stores", vending of
fruits, vegetables, meats and other cooked food,
poultry and hog raising. The barangay has not
established yet its own center for trade or
marketplace, hence, residents rely on the neighboring
barangay Masigla which is far more developd and
complete in terms of basic commodities and services.
On local fiscal administration, Barangay Maliwanag
has a P4, 660,930.00 internal revenue allotment
(IRA). The barangays 20% development fund
amounting to 755,026.60 is largely allotted to local
infrastructure development since some of its 13
puroks have accessibility problems.
Social Barangay Maliwanag has one (1) active health center
with 13 health workers and nutrition scholars. It
caters to the community's needs on health and
constantly conducts medical mission in partnership
with private institutions.
There are five schools that offer pre-school classes,
three (3) are public schools and (2) are private. There
are two (2) day care centers for children aged 3-5 years
old and two (2) public elementary schools. However, no
high school has yet to be established in the barangay,
hence, majority of the high school-aged children go to
the nearest Masigla National High School located in
the neighboring barangay.
The barangay currently employs 20 barangay
policemen provided with enough equipment for their
nightly roving missions. Trained barangay
peacekeepers are also provided with firearms.
Barangay peacekeepers take turns during night to
monitor the peace and order and strictly implements
the 10:00 pm- 4:00 am curfew for minors. Among
the common crimes recorded are robbery, alarm
and scandal caused by drunkards and riot among
youth gangs. However, despite the petty crimes
committed, the local peace and order council
describes the peace and order situation of the
barangay as generally peaceful.
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Political Residents of Barangay Danao in the last 2016
election have put an end to the more-than-a-decade
reign of Cabals. Running as independent candidate,
current Barangay Captain Mercedes Morales
defeated its close rival, the son of former Barangay
Captain Rey Cabal, to become the new Barangay
Chairperson. Former Captain Cabal, on the other
hand, is currently one of the Barangay Councilors
after his 3 terms ended.
Spiritual 85% of households in Barangay Maliwanag are
known roman Catholics. Every Sunday and other
religious events, they go to the nearby Sto. Nino
Chapel which is under the diocese of Danao. The
remaining 15% of the household belongs to our
religious affiliations.

Analysis of the Profile of Barangay Danao

There are certain parallels between Barangay Danao's status
and that of the Philippines as a whole. Barangay Danao presented
that the barangay's economic growth reflects the quickly expanding
developments of many subdivisions, golf courses, and resorts that
have given many local residents employment opportunities, similar to
what the national government has been saying in its reports on
economic growth due to local and foreign capitalists' investments.
However, many locals have not noticed much of an impact from these
work prospects because the pay is far below what is needed to cover
daily expenses for the entire household.
Politics-wise, the local political scene has previously been
heavily influenced by favoritism of politicians who are members of
the Cabal family. This political scenario is not a novel illustration of
how politics operate. In national politics, positions in power have
been dominated by far wealthier and more recognizable personalities
in politics and industry. Common crimes reported in the barangay
are similarly comparable to the most often reported offenses on a
national scale in terms of maintaining local peace and order.
Robbery, which is frequently related to poverty, continues to be one
of the most frequent crimes in other parts of the nation. The
Philippine National Police data, which shows that there were over
10,000 robberies just in the first three months of this year, provides
evidence in favor of this.
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Both in Barangay Danao and across the country, accessibility
and a lack of educational facilities are issues. Due to the ongoing
population growth, there has been a steady demand for more
educational facilities and an upgrade in key access locations.
In conclusion, the barangay, the country's smallest political
unit, influences or reflects the overall state of the nation in much the
same manner that the changes and challenges faced at the national
level are felt by the common people in the villages.
References:
Barangay Communal Profile- Retrieved August 2014 Inquirer.net
report on PNP Crime Index

REALITY is a common term that we will constantly come across in

this course. But what do we mean when we say "reality"? Let's go
through some definitions of reality.
• Reality is the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed
to an idealistic or notional idea of them. [Oxford Dictionary]
• It is a situation or real event or series of events that exists and
with relevance.
In the practice of social work, it is a critical task to study and
analyze various realities that affect global, national, and local
situations. To be able to holistically examine these situations, a
SPECSEG framework of analysis may be utilized. This framework of
analysis provides a comprehensive look at the different dimensions of
a particular situation.
Describing and Analyzing Realities using SPECSEG Framework:
• Social — includes crucial factors such as access to basic
human needs, social networks and family support, safety
against crime and violence,
• Political — refers to the leadership and governance, decision
— making and policy development functions. This dimension
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is usually associated with power and dominance, as well as
service delivery and community participation in development.

• Economic — refers to the situations including the challenges

along income generation, employment, and livelihood
opportunities. These situations usually affect people's ability
to make choices, acquire assets of value, and manage stress.
• Cultural — refers to the customary values and belief system
held by the members of the community.
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