Literacy Needs of Cultural Communities in Ilocos Sur

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the literacy needs of the cultural communities in the province of Ilocos Sur. It also sought to determine the profile of the cultural communities in Ilocos Sur; the level of the existing services in the municipalities/locality in terms of education, health, nutrition, social, communication and technology transfer; the priority needs of the people for the upliftment of their literacy level; and the effect of demographic, sociocultural and economics factors to their literacy level. The assessment included those in the interior municipalities of Nagbukel, Burgos, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, San Emilio, Galimuyod, Salcedo, Del Pilar, Sigay, Quirino, Cervantes, Suyo, Alilem and Sugpon. There were 890 respondents coming from the above-mentioned communities whose ages range from 15-24 to 65 and above years old. Most of the respondents were married, majority came from the rural farm. Most of the respondents finished high school. In terms of occupation, agriculture and service jobs were the most represented. Majority belonged to the poverty line. The priority needs of the people in the cultural communities were categorized as follows: a) handicraft (bamboo/wood craft and basket weaving); b) post harvest facilities (rice mill, dryer and warehouse); and c) assistance from the government (free raw materials for training, provide financial assistance to trainees and open small scale industries in the barangays). The study showed a significant effect of the demographic, socio-cultural and economic factors to the literacy level of the respondents.
For services catered to their cultural and literacy needs, the following were found: a) along education, all services were inadequate in Banayoyo, Burgos, Cervantes, Del Pilar, Sigay and Suyo and very inadequate in the municipalities ofNagbukel, Quirino, Salcedo and San Emilio; b) along health, all services were very inadequate in Burgos, Cervantes, Del Pilar, Nagbukel, Quirino, Salcedo, San Emilio and Sigay inadequate in the rest of the municipalities; c) nutrition needs were also inadequate in all municipalities except in San Emilio where these services were very inadequate; d) social services were also inadequate in all cultural communities; e) communication services and technology transfer were very inadequate in majority of the municipalities. It is strongly recommended in this study that government officials (local, municipal, and national) should take stride in providing and addressing the development of the people along all aspects: transportation and communication services should be provided to facilitate the flow ofwelfare services catered to the literacy needs of the people, as this appears to be the major cause of difficulty in providing them. And finally, similar studies, be made to find
out further other relevant needs of the people concerned to help them materialize/actualize their potential capacities and resources.