Author : Sawit, Ma. Theresa R.

Summary : The study sought to explore the empowerment of Mangyans as facilitated by the implementation of PhilRice's Palayamanan project. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, interviews with project implementers and project partners, and observation. Content analysis was carefully done to analyze all the transcribed data and come up with a detailed description of the case. Four main themes emerged which also answered the objectives of this study: the assets that drive empowerment, the enabling environment that encourages empowerment, nature of empowerment of the Iraya Mangyans, and the problems faced by the Palayamanan project implementers in empowering the Iraya Mangyans. Results also reveal that project strategies such as customization, community organizing, involvement of RSO in the field, engagement of various stakeholders, modified FFS, provision of in-kind capital and use of motivation had empowered the Mangyans. The abovementioned strategies provided them an environment to acquire new knowledge and skills, to become part of an organized group and be linked to other institutions, and to have access to more varied food. However, holistic empowerment was and will not be achieved through the implementation of Palayamanan project alone because Mangyans still are deprived of the resources and basic services which Palayamanan cannot all provide. Thus, an enabling environment created by several government and non-government services, programs, projects, and policies that would contribute to the psychological, economic, informational, organizational and human assets of IPS is much feasible for the Iraya Mangyans to achieve holistic empowerment.