Community

Engagement,
Solidarity, and
Citizenship
COMMUNITY ACTION MODALITIES and CITIZENSHIP

Background Information for the Learners

What is community action?
Community action refers to the collective efforts of people directed toward
addressing social problems, (e.g., social inequalities, environmental degradation,
and poverty) in order to achieve social well-being.
On the other hand, community engagement refers to the process of
developing partnerships and sustaining relationships with and through groups of
people affiliated by geographic proximity or common interests for the purpose of
working for the common good by addressing issues affecting their well-being.
The most common forms of community engagement in the educational setting
are the following:
1. Service Learning. It is a teaching methodology that employs community
service and reflection on service to teach community engagement, develop
greater community and social responsibility, and strengthen communities.
(Donahue, Fenner, and Mitchelle 2015; Scott and Graham 2015). Service-
learning projects are expected to be a collaborative effort between the
community and the students so that community issues or social problems
can be addressed.
2. Community outreach. It refers to the voluntary services rendered by
students, school faculty and employees, or alumni in response to the
social, economic, and political needs of communities.
3. Community engaged research (CEnR). It is a collective process between
or among faculty, students, and partner communities in conducting
research. Here, the communities are considered as co-leaders in the
design and conduct of the different phases of the research process.

It is stressed that the foregoing serve as guides in exploring the

different avenues through which school stakeholders can engage with the
communities for social change.

What are the modalities of community engagement?

• Transactional – a one-way community project or activity that
comes from service providers for the community. This may
include volunteer work, free consultancy services, philanthropic

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 cash donations, skills transfer, and technical support extension.
In this level of community engagement, interaction with the
community is occasional, service is on a need per need basis
(seasonal), and the service provider has full control of the
community engagement process.
• Transitional – a two-way community project brought about by the
process of consultation and collaboration between the service
provider and the community. Here, repeated engagement
between the community and the service provider takes place
as a result of the infusion of consultation and
collaboration mechanisms in the organization and
implementation of community projects. By extension, the
community members are then expected to be primarily involved
in the project implementation, either as volunteer workforce or
regular participants. However, community project management
remains in the hands of the service provider, informed only by
consultations with the community.
• Transformational – a two- way community project characterized
by active dialogue and critical reflectivity brought about by the
process of involvement of the external agent and the community.
Here, there is what is called the involvement of joint learning and
value-generation, and community leadership in the decision-
making process is prioritized. Moreover, control over the
community engagement process is shared by the external agent
and the community, resulting in mutual trust grounded on
sustained personal relationships and shared understanding.
Thus, community assets (human, financial, natural, social, and
physical) are fully integrated in the planning, implementation, and
evaluation of the undertaking.
It is emphasized that the modalities of community engagement operate in a
continuum, parallel to the levels of community engagement. This means that most
community engagements begin as transactional, which stops at the information level.
However, repeated engagements in the community increase the chances of
consultation and involvement of the community members in the engagement
process, which results in transitional modality which, in turn, may evolve into
transformational community engagement depending on the readiness and maturity
of both parties to initiate active participation. In a sense, because it is a
continuum, the levels of community engagement and the modalities can either
evolve or devolve.

What is citizenship?
Citizenship, in its basic sense, refers to full membership in a community
where one lives, works, or was born (Atlanta and Marquis 2010). However, there are
three interrelated dimensions of citizenship that shape its common notion or
understanding.
What are the dimensions of citizenship?
According to Leydet (2014) the following are:
• Legal Dimension – a citizen refers to a person who enjoys civil (freedom of
speech and right to own a property), political (right to vote and hold a public
office), and social rights (right to education, health, and social security). A
citizen, in this context, also has the right to invoke protection by law.
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 • Political Dimension – a citizen refers to a person who is a political agent and
is actively participating in society’s political institution and system. As a
political agent, the citizen is expected to participate in influencing the behavior
of political decision-makers, in crafting laws and policies, and in encouraging
other citizens to promote the common good (Sundaram et al. 2012).
• Identity Dimension – a citizen is considered a member of a political
community (nation-state) that actively shapes his or her cultural identity. Here,
a citizen is expected to demonstrate national pride, loyalty, and love for his
country. Thus, citizenship becomes equivocal to the concept of national
identity, which is understood as a body of people who feel they are a nation
(Emerson 1960).
These dimensions of citizenship fuel one another. The legal dimensions of
citizenship, through its provision of political rights, provide the basis for
political participation stressed under the political dimension of citizenship.
Moreover, the core Filipino values of maka-Diyos, maka-Tao, maka-Bayan, and
maka-Kalikasan shape our national identity.
What are the different national mandated service-learning courses?
1. Citizenship Advancement Training (CAT) in junior high school
• CAT – aims to enhance the students’ social responsibility and commitment
to the development of their communities and develop their ability to uphold
law and order as they assume active participation in community activities
and assisting the members of the community in times of emergency
(Department of Education Order No. 50 series, of 2005). It has three
components, namely: military orientation, community service, and public
safety and law enforcement service.
a. Military orientation – provides learning opportunities for the students to
gain knowledge, skills, and understanding of the rights and duties of
citizenship and military orientation with focus on leadership,
followership, and personal discipline.
b. Community service – refers to any activity that helps achieve the
general welfare and betterment of life of the members of the
community or the
enhancement of its facilities, especially those devoted to improving the
health, education, safety, recreation, and morale of citizenry.
c. Public safety and law enforcement service – encompasses all
programs and activities which are contributory to the peace and order
and public safety and compliance with laws.

2. National Service Training Program (NSTP) in college

• NSTP – is a program aimed at enhancing civic consciousness and
defense preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of services
and patriotism while undergoing training in any of its three (3) program
components. Its various components are especially designed to enhance
the youth’s active contribution to the general welfare (R.A No. 9163). Its
three components are:
a. Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) – is a program
institutionalized under Section 38 and 39 of RA No. 7077 designed to

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 provide military training to tertiary-level students in order to motivate,
train, organize and mobilize them for national defense preparedness.
b. Literacy Training Service (LTS) – is a program designed to train
students to become teachers of literacy and numeracy skills to school
children,
out of school youth, and other segments of society in need of
their
services.
c. Civil Welfare Training Service (CWTS) – refers to program or
activities contributory to the general welfare and the betterment of
life for the
members of the community or the enhancement of its facilities,
especially those developed to improve health, education, environment,
entrepreneurship, safety, recreation, and morals of the citizenry.
The CAT and NSTP are service-learning courses that help engage students
with their communities. Through such programs, students are not viewed as “future
citizens” but as “citizens of today” who can make significant contributions to their
communities in the present.

Activity 1: Name Them!

DIRECTION: Using the graphic organizer below, identify the community
engagement modalities and answer the following questions:
A. What are the different community engagement modalities?

Community
Engagement
Modalities
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 Follow-up questions:

1. What is community engagement?

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2. What are the different forms of community engagement in a school setting?

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Activity 2- Tell me!

DIRECTIONS: Read carefully the statements below. Then, tell whether the
modality of community engagement being described in each situation is
transactional, transitional, or transformational. Write only the letter of your answer on
the blank.
A. Transactional B. Transitional C. Transformational

1. Mr. Juan, a CEO of a burger company donated 5,000,000 pesos to the

residents of Barangay Malambing to help ease their burden brought about by the
Covid-19 pandemic.
2. The late Gina Lopez set up a non-government organization (NGO) to
help solve environmental problems. It attracted massive participation from the
communities which also made sure that the NGO would have a long-term effect on
or benefit to them.
3. The community members are primarily involved in the implementation
of the projects while the service providers are in full control of the engagement
process.
4. The Grade 12 students of Mapagmahal National High School initiated
an environmental protection campaign for Barangay Bigong Pag-asa.
5. The community members and external agent are working together in
the planning, implementation, and evaluation process for the realization and
development of certain projects.
6. A group of medical doctors conducted a medical program in one of the
Agta communities at Cagayan Province.
7. MAUNLAD group of company initiated a livelihood program to help the
people of a certain barangay at Bigong Pag-asa. This program will be implemented

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 until the residents will have a full capacity to run a business and have a daily
source of income.
8. A group of youth leaders develop a program and activities that shall
empower the active involvement of the people in their community.
9. GMA Kapuso Foundation is one of the lead NGOs in helping the
Yolanda victim. Furthermore, the community and the said foundation have a mutual
understanding wherein the involvement of joint learning and value-generation will be
observed.
10. Mrs. Magdalena donated 5 million pesos for the Lumad community.
The money will be used to purchase food for the community.

Activity 3: Choose your photo

Direction: Look at the photos below labelled as A, B, C, D. Choose two (2)
photos and answer the following questions below.

Guide questions:
1. What is the photo all about?
2. What is the message of the photo?
3. Are you willing to engage yourself in such activity or program? Why or why not?

A.

Photo owned by: Mr. Herson A. Raquinio

B.
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ht tp s://
exp lore.t raveloka.co m/
feat ures / environ ment a l-organizati ons -
p hilipp in es

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 C.

ht tp s:// r3 .rap pler.co m/ newsb reak/p rofiles/ 24 12 68 -

p hil ip pines -youth-cli mat e-st rike-lead ers

D.
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_ Photo owned by: Mr. Herson A. Raquinio

Activity 4 – Who am I?
Direction: Make a reflective essay focusing on the given title. Please be guided
by the rubrics provided.

Guide: Who am I in my Community?

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1. Do you think it is vital to know your relationship towards your community?

Why or why not?

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 2. How will you contribute to undertaking community action in your
respective community now that we are facing Covid 19 pandemic?

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3. Identify one skill you have learned or acquired from your CAT subject. How
will you utilize it responding to any community action?

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 Activity 5: Am I Making Sense?
DIRECTION: Read and analyze, then answer the following questions.
1. Do you think it is vital to know your relationship towards your community?
Why or why not?

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2. As student, why is it necessary for you to be aware of the different

community modalities? Does it help you in any way? How?

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3. Do you think it is important to join or participate in any community action?

Why or why not?
_

_ _.
4. How will you contribute to undertaking community action in your
respective community now that we are facing Covid 19 pandemic?

_.

5. What do you think is your biggest contribution to your community in

terms of community engagement?

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FORMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT CONTRIBUTE
TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOLIDARITY

Background Information for Learners

Community Action
Community action is a manifestation of a collective grasp and ownership of a
situation—a situation that generally has an effect on them. This means a situation
that touches their sense and sensibilities as individual and as a group. Community
action has three forms namely, community engagement, solidarity, and citizenship.
(Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D., 2016)

Community Engagement

Engagement, as defined by Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D. (2016), denotes

interaction, sharing and relationships at different level. It can be defined as
the partnership between two parties such as academic institutions and local
communities for mutual benefits and is characterized by reciprocal relations. Their
book also states that the ASEAN University Network (AUN) follows the definition
given by the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Center for
Service learning. Community engagement has a four-part definition:
▪ Active collaboration
▪ Builds on the resources, skills, and expertise and knowledge of
campus and community
▪ Improves the quality of life in the communities
▪ In a manner that is consistent with the campus mission.
This involves a paradigm shift from traditional mode in which an educational
institution works. From being ivory towers, the educational institutions are expected
to become a link or channel between the academic and community life.

Forms of Community Engagement

Wagner, W. & Owen, J.E. (in press) enumerated the following forms of
community engagement:
1. Direct Service: Giving personal time and energy to address immediate
community needs. Examples include tutoring, serving food at a shelter, building or
repairing homes, and neighborhood park clean-ups.
2. Community Research: Exploring a community to learn about its assets and
how it is being affected by current social problems. This form of community
engagement provides knowledge that other efforts can build upon.
3. Advocacy and Education: Using various modes of persuasion (e.g., petitions,
marches, letter-writing to convince government or corporate decision-makers to make
choices that will benefit the community. Raising public awareness of social issues by
giving speeches to community groups, distributing written materials to the general
public, or providing educational activities in schools.
 4. Capacity Building: Working with the diverse constituencies of a community
and building on existing assets to solve problems and make it a better place.
Creating a space for everyone in the community to have a say in what the
community should be like and how to get there.

5. Political Involvement: Participating in processes of government such as

campaigning and voting. This includes keeping informed about issues in the local,
national, and global communities in order to vote responsibly and engaging in
discourse and debate about current social issues.

6. Socially Responsible Personal and Professional Behav ior: Maintaining a

sense of responsibility to the welfare of others when making personal or professional
decisions. Using one’s career or professional training to benefit the community. This
category describes personal lifestyle choices that reflect commitment to one’s values:
recycling, driving a hybrid car, or bicycling top work; buying or not buying certain
products or choosing to work for companies with socially just priorities.

7. Philanthropic Giving: Donating or needed items; organizing or participating in

fundraising events.

8. Participation in Association: Participating in community organizations that

develop the social networks that provide a foundation a foundation for community-
building efforts including a civic associations, sports leagues, church choirs, and
school boards.

Community Development

It is defined by Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D. (2016) as a process wherein

community members come together to take collective action and generate
solutions to common problems and pursue community well-being.

Solidarity

Solidarity is about regarding our fellow human beings justly and respecting who
they are as a person. Based on the perspective that a person is a relational being: a
person is in connection with other people, with the society and with the environment.
This means that a person has to relate responsibly and act in solidarity with others
and the whole humanity. (Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D. 2016).
It is removing the boundaries that prevent us from working together rather it
unifies the members of the community to achieve their common goals in community
development. Solidarity can also be associated with cooperation and collaboration
that is each member of the community is taking and sharing its part or role in fulfilling
the targets of the community development. (Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D. 2016).
ACTIVITY 1: True or False

Direction: Read and analyze each statement below. Write the word True if
the statement is correct and FALSE if otherwise.
1. Community Action is a manifestation of a personal grasp and
ownership of a situation that touches their sense and sensibilities as individual.
2. According to ASEAN University Network (AUN), one of the focus of
community action is active collaboration.
3. Direct Service is giving personal time and energy to address
immediate community needs.
4. Capacity building is creating a space for powerful individuals in the
community to have a say in what the community should be like and how to get there.
5. Solidarity can be associated with cooperation and collaboration in
which each member of the community is taking and sharing its role in fulfilling the
targets of the community dynamics.

ACTIVITY 2. Picture Analysis

Direction: Identify what form of community engagement each picture depicts
and write your answer in the box provided beside each picture.
1.

Your answer:
2.

Your answer:

3.

Your answer:

4.

Your answer:

5.

Your answer:
 Your answer:

Activity 3. Creating Dialogue

Study the picture below. Write a dialogue based on the event that happens in
the photograph. Write your answers in the callout boxes provided.
2.
1.

3.
ACTIVITY 4. Essay Writing
Choose one form of community engagement. In not more than 500 words
discuss its impact to community development. Write your discussion in the box
below.
Rubrics for Scoring Actvity 4: Essay W riting
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
All the ideas Most of the Some the Few ideas The ideas
Content of the output ideas of the ideas of the of the of the
are relevant output are output are output are output
to the topic. relevant to the relevant to relevant to need to be
topic. the topic. the topic. revised/
changed.
The ideas of The ideas of the The ideas of The ideas The ideas
Organization the output output are well- the output are of the of the
are organized. somehow output are output are
excellently organized. fairly poorly
organized. organized. organized.
The output is The output has The output The output The entire
Mechanics free from minimal errors has multiple has a lot of output
errors in in grammar, errors in errors in needs to
grammar, spelling, and grammar, grammar, be revised
spelling, and punctuation. spelling, and spelling, in terms of
punctuation. punctuation. and mechanics
punctuatio .
n

Total Score: /15

Reflection
1. I learned that

2. I enjoyed most on
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3. I want to learn more

 IMPORTANCE OF SOLIDARITY IN PROMOTING
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT

Background Information for Learners

Community development is defined as a process wherein community members
come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems
and pursue community well-being. (Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D., 2016)
On the other hand, solidarity is about regarding our fellow human beings justly
and respecting who they are as a person. It is based on the perspective that a
person is a relational being: a person in connection with other people, with the
society and with the environment. This means that a person has to relate responsibly
and act in solidarity with others and the whole humanity. It is removing the
boundaries that prevent people from working together; rather, it unifies the members
of the community to achieve their common goals in community development.
Solidarity can also be associated with cooperation and collaboration, that is, each
member of the community is taking and sharing his part or role in fulfilling the targets
of community development. (Melegrito, M.L. & Mendoza, D., 2016)
Importance of Solidarity (from Graham’s Grumbles)
Solidarity is more than Unions
Solidarity is about more than unions. It’s about working with people on the things
that matter to them. It is also about removing the boundaries that prevent us from
working together. It is about believing that what hurts my neighbor also hurts myself,
that when I need a neighbor I have no right to expect help if I have not first helped
others. It is emotion and a goal, a process and a state of being. I try to tear down
the fence that prevents others from experiencing the wealth and opportunities I
experience, but I also act for them here and now.
Solidarity is Defying Bounderies
These boundaries that get in the way can be race, nation, gender, wealth,
indeed anything upon which segregation can be created. These walls create several
effects. First, that people on one side cannot experience the privileges that are
largely arbitrarily awarded to people on the other side. Second, that those on the
latter side cannot appreciate life on the first side, and therefore feel they are justified
in their current position. Third, it creates resentment, often both ways.
Solidarity is from Communication to Action
Solidarity can flow from communication, but it requires action to become a real
and present force. Sometimes, that action needs to be confrontational to improve the
lot of one group relative to another, and sometimes it needs to be conciliatory, taking
down the walls and bringing people together as equals. I can’t claim to be an expert
in deciding which is which. What I do know is that without Solidarity, without
considering the needs of the other, without looking at what I have and realizing there
are few valid reasons that I should have so much when others have so little, is a
necessary step towards creating a more civilized world. The endless pursuit of profit
at the expense of others, or the maintenance of these divides simply prevents us
from relating to each other properly as humans. As such, they prevent us from
experiencing life in all its fullness.
Activity 1. Post to Make Sense
Direction: Create a poster that illustrates the importance of solidarity in achieving
development in your locality/community. Use the box below for your poster. You may
use other medium like oslo paper, coupon bond, illustration board, cartolina and the like.

Activity 2. Now Let’s Advocate

Direction: Create a slogan advocating solidarity among the Filipino nation and give
emphasis on its critical role in achieving local, national, and global
development. Put your output in a LONG bond paper .

RUBRICS FOR SCORING ACTIVITIES

A. Rubrics for Activity 3: Poster Making Activity
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
1. Use of All graphics Most of the Several Most of the Graphics
Graphics are related graphics are graphics of graphics are are not
to the topic. related the poster not related related to
to the topic. are related to the topic. the topic.
to the topic.
2. Visual The poster The poster The poster The poster Layout and
Clarity and has an has a very has a good has a fair design
Appeal excellent good design design and design and needs
design and and layout. layout. It is layout. It is improveme
layout. It is It is neat somehow not neat but nt. It is not
neat and and easy to neat and can be neat and
easy to understand. can be understood one needs
understand. understood within a longer time
within a given time. to
given time. understand
it.
3. Impact The poster The poster The poster The poster The poster
has an has very has a good has a fair has no
excellent good impact to impact to impact to
impact to impact to the the the
the the viewer/s. viewer/s. viewer/s.
viewer/s. viewer/s.
TOTAL SCORE: /15

Reflections:
1. I learned that
_

2. I enjoyed most on