People’s participation: is it a significant factor in the success of a public project?

Abstract

This paper studies the role of people’s participation using the experiences of the two towns of Bacoor, Cavite and Cainta, Rizal, which were chosen on the bases of their proximity to Manila and their class. People’s participation has always been considered as an important factor in the success of any project in the community, but it often takes a backseat as the attention is more focused on the role the government plays in implementing projects. Moreover, how people gauge their own level of participation and how this affects the outcome of certain projects are rarely studied. To show how people view people’s participation in their own communities, this paper analyzes their evaluation of the importance of community participation, their own involvement, their communities’ participation, and the success of public projects. By correlating all the results, the study proves that for a public project to succeed, the participation of the whole community, and not just of government, is needed.