Toward A Cultural Values Model of Public Relations: A Philippine Case Study

1. Toward A Cultural Values Model of Public Relations: A Philippine Case Study Dr. Zeny Sarabia-Panol, MTSU Dr. Marianne D. Sison, RMIT Ritzi Villarico Ronquillo, IABC

2. Purpose Case study examines the construction of meaning & cultural context of the Gawad Kalinga PR campaign in contemporary Philippine society & in a globalized world. Distills cultural forces that promote or constrain Philippine strategic communication programs. Explores how elements of colonial history possibly embedded in cultural values are made manifest in public relations.

3. Circuit of Culture Model • PR professionals as cultural intermediaries • primacy of power in relationships • convergence of culture, knowledge & power • 5 circuit nodes where meaning is created: representation, production, consumption, identity & regulation • Applied & extended to examine the closure of Starbucks in Beijing (Han & Zhang, 2009); Napster (Taylor et al, 2002) & the Adidas ‘Beat Rugby’ campaign (Scherer, 2007). • Goggin (2006) used the model to advance understanding of cell phonesas cultural artifacts. • With the model as analytical framework, Terry (2005) reported on culture & PR in Kazakstan.

4. Representation • Discursive process of manufacturing & shaping cultural meaning • “We give things meaning by how we represent them (Hall, 1997: 3).

5. Production • Meanings associated with products or in the case of PR the messages strategically crafted for targeted publics

6. Consumption • Where meaning is fully realized “because meaning does not reside in an object but in how that object is used”

7. Identity • Meanings derived through the production & consumption process form identities which are at once malleable, fragmented & complex • Includes subjective & socially-developed constructs such as class, gender, ethnicity, etc.

8. Regulation • Formal & informal cultural control mechanisms that run the gamut of legal, technological, institutional, socioeconomic, religious & political systems.

9. Gawad Kalinga or GK • Filipino for “to give care” • Community-building, humanitarian movement that started in 1995 in Bagong Silang • Aims to eradicate poverty through volunteerism following the Filipino bayanihan way. • Bayanihan: “a Filipino tradition wherein neighbors would help a relocating family by gathering under their house, & carrying it to its new location… a communal spirit that makes seemingly impossible feats possible through the power of unity & cooperation.” • Roots in bayan (country) & when “i” is added, it becomes bayani (hero), the latter being what the volunteers become with their padugo (bloodletting) or selfless sharing of self, talent &/or resources.

10. GK … 2 • Early beginnings as an out-of-school youth intervention program run by a Catholic group, Couples for Christ • Evolved as a secular foundation that builds homes & communities & includes livelihood programs with a mission to “end poverty for five million Filipino families by 2024” • Combining infrastructure, capacity development, public-private partnerships its program is implemented in 2000 communities in the Philippines as well as in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea & Cambodia. • Morphed into a national & global program that shows the interplay of culture, religion & communities in generating meaningful social change in the Philippines.

11. GK Representation • Defines poverty not as a ‘lack of resources, but a lack of caring & sharing’ • Not building houses but hope, dreams of a life of dignity • Not class conflict but “breakdown of relationships” – not “us vs. them” but WE, all of us working together. • Leverages on Filipinos’ religious responsibilities, culture of giving, hospitality (Mabuhay women) & focus on community development. • Effectively generated much needed funds & services from people locally & overseas, but also seen as a manipulative effort to exploit the poor.

12. GK Representation … 2 GK’s programs operate through ‘caretaker teams’ who are selected to live the values of faith & patriotism. Caretaker teams are responsible for organizing neighbourhood associations, delivering values formation programs, implementing community development initiatives, & mentoring the community toward self-governance.

13. GK Production • Empowering people with faith & patriotism by building a nation comprised of caring & sharing communities “dedicated to eradicate poverty & restore human dignity” • Use of the discourse of care is underpinned by Filipinos’ cultural values of bayanihan & allows the shift of responsibility from the government to the people. • Communicating social development resonates loudly with various sectors of society, & encourages public-private partnerships. • To meet its national & international ambitions GK, however, had to deal with questions raised by the Catholic hierarchy about some of its partnerships.

14. GK Production: Slogans Land for the landless. Home for the homeless. Food for the hungry. Lakas ng Pagbabago (Power of Change) Isang Milyong Bayani (One Million Volunteers; One Million Heroes) Bawa’t Pilipino, Bayani! (Every Filipino, A Hero!) Bayan. Bayani. Bayanihan. (Country. Hero. Collective & Heroic Action.) Walang Iwanan! (No One Gets Left Behind!)

15. GK Consumption • 2007 separation from its original Catholic group paved way to expansion of programs & consequently funding sources. • Catholic roots & evangelical strategy was turning away potential volunteers & financiers & limiting its ability to become global. Following the split founder Tony Meloto said: GK is non-partisan. We do not take any side in building a nation in the same manner that we do not pass judgment on any corporation that we engage. We do not even ask them what their products are as long as they want to help.

16. GK Consumption … 2 • GK’s new discourse of ‘nation building’. • Its message encouraged Filipinos to dream as dreaming generates hope & persuades overseas Filipinos & foreign benefactors to become ‘saviours’ as volunteers or fund raisers. • Juxtaposition of social impact that overseas contract work has on separated families with the building of clean, aesthetically appealing houses & strong communities appears to be a compelling narrative for poverty-stricken populations.

17. GK Identity • Maintained original social development cause, its autonomy has resulted in a stronger identity for the organization beyond its Philippine borders. As Curtin & Gaither (2007: 41) suggest, “the challenge for practitioners when designing a campaign is to create an identity that a product or issue & publics can share.” • While the faith & care discourse dominates its messages, the organization has scaled up its programs to include reconstruction, peace building, ‘volunteer-tourism’ & social entrepreneurship. • By offering various opportunities to become donors, volunteers, advocates, partners & researchers, GK enables stakeholders different experiences to construct their identity within & of the organization.

18. GK Identity … 2 From slum dweller to home owner From profit-seeking, uncaring corporation to socially responsible corporate citizen From religious group to secular nation building social movement From corrupt, inept government agency to transparent, competent GK partners

19. GK Regulation • Philippine culture is complex with 350 years of Spanish colonial history & 50 years of American rule. Eighty percent of population is Catholic & the Catholic Church is the country’s most trusted institution (Philippine Trust Index 2011). • American-styled government & robust free press have not curtailed corruption, which has impeded the country’s progress. In 2006, 44% of its population or 40 million Filipinos lived below $2.00/day. About 20% of GDP come from remittances of overseas Filipino workers. • Aside from faith, Filipino culture is also characterized by strong families, which often include extended members, who live in the same house. • With these in mind, GK tapped into Filipino values of helpfulness, neighbourly care & cooperation focusing its messages on ‘poverty alleviation with human dignity.’’ [

20. Conclusion • Case study demonstrates importance of a culture-centred approach to PR & communication. • Reflects how Filipino values were considered not only in program development but in its associated discourse. • By constructing its vision, philosophy & messages around faith & patriotism, GK has gained multitudes of followers & seemingly very few detractors. • While focused on one country, this case builds a stronger case for considering cultural approaches in public relations scholarship & practice.