Stakeholder engagement principles

The North Manila Bay Flood Protection Strategy recognized that different stakeholders had different interests and concerns that had to be respected. By including the affected stakeholders, varied interests and needs were considered and represented in decision-making.

The purpose of each gathering was to be made transparent to avoid raising wrong expectations that the consultations or the Project cannot meet. Transparency in the engagement process, particularly how decisions were arrived at, helped build trust and commitment and helped ensure buy-in of the process and outputs.

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Online meetings supplemented by face-to-face meetings

The advantages of face-to-face interaction cannot be overemphasized. They promoted clearer understanding due to the ability to explain messages thoroughly and derive instantaneous feedback since anyone can step into the conversation to clarify or follow up on specific points. Face-to-face interaction also enhanced credibility and trust since everyone was able to see nonverbal cues (i.e., body language) and genuine reactions throughout the process.

However, because of the worldwide COVID-19 crisis, a practical online approach was developed. Most of the meetings were conducted online using appropriate digital platforms. Online sessions included interaction with government agencies, local government officials, NGOs, and academic institutions. These types of stakeholders are used to speaking out in public, possess the required digital technology, and are familiar with the use of such technology. Online meetings were designed to allow everyone to comment and articulate their sentiments through appropriate engagement methods.

For fishermen's groups, face-to-face meetings were preferred whenever feasible and allowed by health and safety protocols set by national and local governments. Unlike the first group of stakeholders discussed above, the fishermen do not possess the required technology or have access to communication that would allow them to participate in virtual meetings. To help ensure their participation in a meaningful and productive manner, the best scenario was to engage them face-to-face in their communities where they felt most comfortable.

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Different types of engagement used for different types of stakeholders and purposes