Theoretical Framework and Paradigm

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This study is based on the Theory of Communicative Action, Theory of Public

Participation in Governance and the Ladder of Citizen Participation. The selection of
three theories had been driven by the fact to determine the awareness of the community
in the policies and regulations on the peace and order sector of the LGU of Daraga
during the pandemic.
Strong communication in local government creates trust in its citizens. The anticipation
is that this trust will inspire citizens to become involved in their communities. As the
relationship builds between governments and citizens, over time, citizens will come to
realize that their concerns matter. Communicative action is a theory that aims to explain
human rationality as the necessary outcome of successful communication (Mitrovic,
1999). The theory can be drawn to the German philosopher and sociologist, Jürgen
Habermas, who argues that the potential for rationality is inherent in communication and
action, and represents a critical synthesis (Habermas, 1987) 1.
The theory of Communicative Action has influenced thinking about the way in which
planning and policy-making should happen. Habermas’ theory of communicative action
calls for policy decisions to be reached through communicative processes involving all
stakeholders and according to particular rules, which ensure that participation is fair,
equal and empowering.
By the early 2000s, public participation had become a tedious and likely feature of
public policy-making (Bingham et al. 2005). Concerns among practitioners and scholars
have shifted from whether it should occur to a general recognition that when it is well
done it can be very beneficial for decision-making, citizenship and inclusion (Bryson et
al. 2013).2
In addition, citizens choose to participate because they expect a satisfying experience
and hope to influence the planning process. Clearly, citizen participation programs can
increase costs and the amount of time a project takes. In the structural model of
Arnstein's Ladder of Citizen Participation, described a “ladder” that showed participation
ranging from high to low. The ladder is a guide to seeing who has power when
important decisions are being made. 3 Below explains the deliberately provocative take
on the relationship between community and government by using a ladder as a
metaphor for increasing access to decision-making power.
Figure 2.The Ladder of Citizen Participation
Similarly to this, Freeman (2010), the Theory of Public participation in governance

involves the direct involvement – or indirect involvement through representatives – of
concerned stakeholders in decision-making about policies, plans or programs in which
they have an interest. Stakeholders are persons, groups or organizations that may
influence or be affected by policy decisions.4
The Theory of Public Participation has three themes: 1) Legitimacy; 2) Diversity and
Inclusion and; 3) Expertise and Participation. Participants can contribute to decisions by
providing new information, different ways of seeing an issue and motivation to address
problems, sometimes helping government decision-makers and the public to become
more informed and develop an enlarged view of issues. And it can construct resources
for future problem-solving and implementation to address new public problems by
enhancing trust and legitimacy, building relationships and generating knowledge and
interest about policy issues and processes (Feldman and Quick 2009; Ansell 2011). 4
The essence of this theory in the study is to employ a perspective on the response
(awareness) of the residents in the policies and regulations implemented in the peace
and order sector during a distress situation. Since the target of the study were the area
of Daraga addressed the level of awareness of the residents with the policy and
regulation in the peace and order.
Feedback
(Communication)
The Government The Community

(Participation)
Theory of
communicative action
Public Participation in
Governance
The Ladder of Citizen
Participation
Figure 2.1 Theoretical Paradigm
Excerpted information sources
1
Salah (2009) Public Participation: Theoretical Perspectives and Application in Contexts
of Poverty and Inequality
2
Bingham, Lisa B., Tina Nabatchi and Rosemary O’Leary (2005), ‘The new governance:
Practices and processes for stakeholder and citizen participation in the work of
government’, Public Administration Review, 65 (5), 547–558.
3 https://pages.uoregon.edu/rgp/PPPM613/class10theory.htm
4
R. Edward Freeman (2010): Strategic Management: A Stakholder Approach

Theoretical Framework and Paradigm

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is based on the Theory of Communicative Action, Theory of Public

Similarly to this, Freeman (2010), the Theory of Public participation in governance

The Government The Community

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