9/8/2016

1

Understanding Different

Communication Needs of

Different Stakeholders:

A Marikina barangay experience

Inez Ponce de Leon, PhDDepartment of Communication

Charlotte Kendra Gotangco, PhDDepartment of Environmental Sciences

Ateneo de Manila University

Adaptation Challenge

Translating the science: Communication of

actionable information to support evidence-

based policy and planning.

Evidence-based Approach:

Manner by which planning and budgeting are informed by community realities, traditional and indigenous knowledge, history, culture, social, political, economic experiences and

challenges, environmental transformation and state of resources, and scientific information.

(Jessica Dator-Bercilla)

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Challenges to Communication

and Action

Climate change is not an easy concept for many

stakeholders to grasp -

• Impacts happen over the long term

• Impacts may be subtle or not readily observable

• (other than impacts on extreme events?)

Context of Communication Challenges:

Emphasis on Climate change Adaptation (CCA) –

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Mainstreaming

“We want to produce CCA-DRRM compliant LGUs

with enhanced CCA-DRRM mainstreaming

capacity” - Local Government Academy

Executive Director Marivel Sacendoncillo

9/8/2016

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In the Media…

“According to

[national gov’t

official], climate

change played a role

in the Manila Bay

storm surge that

caused flooding in

some establishments

along Roxas

Boulevard, including

the US Embassy and

the Sofitel Plaza.”

In the Media…

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PAGASA. Climate Change in the Philippines. 2011

Climate Change and

Extreme Rainfall

Events

SALIENCE for local

communities;

Springboard for

communicating

relevance of climate

change?

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What can we learn from how

people already regard scientific

information on flooding

that can help towards building

good climate change

communication?

What makes good

science communication?

Messages rooted in

empirical research…

… using “simple” language.

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We Might Ask...

How can scientific information be simplified so

that people will take action?

BUT:

• This assumes that scientific information is

actually needed and heeded.

• This assumes that awareness leads to

action.

• This assumes that people will respond in a

timely manner, and according to our

assumptions, to a message in the media

Flood Risk

Communication

Media (and

social media)

dissemination

+

Barangay

personnel

“ronda”

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Methods: Data Gathering

• Focus group discussions with various groups that have experienced floods in Barangay Malanday, Marikina.

• Marikina:

- City in Metro Manila (National Capital Region)

- Valley geography, bounded on the east by the Sierra Madre mountains on the west by the hills of Quezon City

- 450,741 people over 21.50 km2

- Known for shoe manufacturing industry

• Barangay Malanday

- Population of 55,442 (NSO 2015 Census)

- 0.87 km2

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Focus Group Discussions

• Groups:– People living at higher elevation

– People living at lower elevation

– College Students

• Issues:

– Message content, credibility, understandability, reliability, usefulness

– Trusted sources of information

– Interest in getting information

– Responsibilities

Methods: Data Analysis

• Systematic Qualitative Inductive data analysis

(derived from Hatch, 2002)

• Systematic sequence of analysis:

– Identify keywords

– Order keywords into domains

– Arrange domains into themes

– Code the data

– Use coded data to inform generalizations made

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Findings

People have a variety of sources from which to draw

information, but are generally not proactive about

seeking it out themselves.

Implications for CCC: We can use different media

channels (emphasis on TV and radio) to communicate

floods AND in relation to climate change, but we

need active follow-up.

Findings

People want information that is instructional,

exact, and personal.

Implications for CCC: Scientific information must

be pragmatic rather than conceptual;

Messages must be specific to a context

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Findings

People have their own logic that they

use to help them evaluate

situations.

Implications for CCC: Audience is

looking for verification via actual

experience. Information on climate

change must therefore be

correlated to tangible, salient,

relatable events that occur in the

audience’s contextLakbay ng Lakan

Findings

People have other criteria to

help them make decisions.

Implications for CCC: We cannot

assume that they will act as

prescribed or as assumed; we

need to understand priorities

and decision-making process. Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Things to Consider…

(1) Examine different stakeholders’

understandings of what

constitutes good science

communication;

(2) Understand the needs of different

audiences and their unique

cultural standpoints;

• How to package the communication

so it addresses context and priorities

Things to Consider…

(3) Explore further how to strike a balance between

giving people what they want to know vs. giving

people what experts think they need to know.

• How to balance essential concepts and concrete what-to-

do’s

• How to work with them to develop solutions to address

priorities as well as adaptation needs in the long-term

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Importance of Service Learning

The coordination with Barangay Malanday was

made possible by the university’s extension

program and their partnership with the VAWC

office.

THANK YOU!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

• RA Tanya Mariano; Facilitators E. and M. Lagdameo

• Ateneo OSCI and Brgy. Malanday VAWC

• Philippine Higher Education Research Network (PHERNet)

• Pictures from various blogs!

For questions/comments:

Dr. Inez Ponce De Leon: iponcedeleon@ateneo.edu

Dr. Charlotte Kendra Gotangco: kgotangco@ateneo.edu