Exploring Community Engagement Initiatives: Understanding the PUP Community

Community engagement in the Philippines has its major barriers regarding communication and implementation of strategies between the beneficiaries and implementing organizations including universities. A very serious issue that is observed is the absence of knowledge about the correct methods to engage the communities and as such interventions fail. Other problems include implementation problems, limited access to facilities, lack of funding to support programs, and appointment of officials who may not adequately meet the needs of the community. This research fills these gaps by establishing whom the various stakeholders may be who are not being catered to by current information systems, what their needs may be, and what they can offer. The focus of the study lies with the educational institutions in relation to the establishment of adequate communication plans; moreover, the research explores the live-limitation factors of sustainable projects. In this regard, the research seeks to improve on the levels of decision-making on the programs as well as facilitating participatory community engagement in university extension. In particular, it looks at the those key stakeholders in line with the organisation’s management to fit the requirements for sustainable community engagement initiatives, communication channels that currently exist, and factors that may hinder sustainability of community engagement.