Last August 30, we personally went to Barangay Tadlac and asked the officer-in-charge about the information of the barangay. We had to go there so that we could gather the data immediately and we got the information directly from the source so that we can be assured that it is legitimate/correct.
Based on our experience in data gathering in Barangay Tadlac, we learned lessons that I think would help future Devcom practitioners and researchers. Below are the top three lessons I learned in data gathering:
In data gathering, you should always know about the place where you will visit/go to so that you wouldn’t get lost. Research about how you will get there and how you will get back home. What we did before going to Barangay Tadlac was to use Google Maps and ask the locals of Los Baños for directions and ways how to get there.
Second, you should also be prepared in terms of documents like letters because not all offices would accommodate you if you don’t have a signed letter. In our case, the barangay staff didn’t ask a letter from us in order to be allowed to be given data. However, it is still important to keep permits or letters in order to practice formality and professionalism.
Lastly, you should not be afraid of interacting with different kinds of people because being shy or timid won’t help you in data gathering. In Devcom, you must expect that there will be a lot of fieldwork that will push you to face your fears of talking to strangers. Don’t worry, sooner or later, you’ll get better in connecting with people and building connections in various sectors and areas.
These three lessons are the ones we kept in mind when we went to Barangay Tadlac. There are still lots of lessons one must follow in order to successfully gather data like being respectful and being curious, but generally, we didn’t struggle nor get lost even though we were very new to the place, we gathered the needed data and most importantly, we enjoyed.
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