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Road to Zambales: Impressions of barrio immersion as a training and development technique in the Philippines
Author(s) -
Shams M. K.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
public administration and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-162X
pISSN - 0271-2075
DOI - 10.1002/pad.4230050206
Subject(s) - civil servants , local government , work (physics) , training (meteorology) , government (linguistics) , rural development , economic growth , management development , political science , public administration , geography , engineering , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , meteorology , law , economics , agriculture , archaeology , politics
The wide range of management training programmes for public servants in the Philippines is closely integrated into career development plans and involves practical work by trainees at village level. Trainees are required to reside in a village for varying periods of time to familiarize themselves with life among the rural poor. The aim is to train local people in self‐reliant project management as well as to train civil servants in rural development. Close relations with villagers provides an invaluable experience for city‐based officials. However, little effort is made to identify the needs of the rural poor. Client groups are selected at meetings dominated by local officials. Officials tend to be “hosted” by relatively wealthy families. Linkages with government agencies at the local level are not made and there is little organizational development among the rural poor to ensure the continuation of projects after the withdrawal of trainees. Nevertheless, the “barangay immersion” approach to management training for rural development has considerable potential.