Giving, receiving, and volunteering among households in Iloilo Province: A study on reciprocity

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the giving practices and receiving experiences of the households and volunteering patterns of household members in the province of Iloilo. Moreover, the study also determined variations in the giving, receiving and volunteering practices relative to selected characteristics of the households, household heads and respondents. This study collected data on the giving and receiving and volunteering practices of the households from the different income strata in the province of Iloilo. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. The quantitative data were sourced with permission from the Household Survey on Volunteering and Giving of the Philippine Non-Profit Sector, conducted by the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) of Central Philippine University, and the University of the Philippines Ugnayan ng Pahinungod supported by Johns Hopkins University wherein a one-shot survey design was employed using a structured interview. The qualitative data were collected using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in two urban and rural areas in Iloilo. The urban areas were the municipalities of Dingle (Barangay San Matias) and Pavia (Barangay Purok 4), the rural areas were Barangay Agsalanan in Dingle and Barangay Anilao in Pavia. In consonance with the objectives of the study, it was hypothesized that the giving practices and receiving experiences of the households significantly vary according to location of residence, household size and sex, age, civil status, educational attainment and work status of the household heads, and the volunteering practices of household members significantly vary according to their location of residence, sex, age, civil status, educational attainment, work status, religion and involvement in religious activities. It was further hypothesized that all these characteristics of the households and their heads and members were significant predictors of their giving practices, receiving experiences and volunteering practices. Findings The pertinent results of the study were: The households in the Province of Iloilo were generally located in rural areas and have five or less members. The household head was typically male, 50 years old or older, married, elementary-educated and gainfully working. Majority of the households had ever given something and were able to give during the last twelve months prior to the conduct of this study. Likewise, majority of household members had volunteered to do something for someone. Household size, age, civil status and educational attainment of household heads were significantly associated with the giving practices of the households, but place of residence, sex, and work status of the household heads were not. Moreover, an analysis of the regression coefficients of the seven variables on the giving practices of the households showed that age, civil status and educational attainment of the household heads significantly influenced the giving practices of the households which was consistent with the results of the test for association. Households with older household heads had given more than those households headed by younger household heads. Married household heads were more likely to give more than those households with single heads. The higher the educational attainment of the household head, the more likely that the household gave. Feeling compassion for those who needed help was considered to be the most important reason for giving, while prioritizing the needs of the family, was the most important reason for not giving. Two other reasons for giving were feeling good about one’s self and benefits were returned in many fold. Most of the decisions of the households such as whether to give or not to give, how much to give and what to give were either made solely by the household head or a shared decision by the husband and the wife. The households’ residence and size and age and civil status of household heads were significantly associated with their receiving experiences, but sex, educational attainment and work status of the household heads were not significantly associated with the receiving experiences of the households. On the other hand, regression analysis showed that the households’ residence and educational attainment of the household heads significantly influenced the households’ receiving experiences. Urban households were more likely to receive something than the rural households. Moreover, households with elementary educated-heads were more likely to receive something than those with college-educated household heads. Religious organizations were the most frequent recipients of contributions of the households while the most number of donations received by households came from the education and research sector wherein one in five of the household members were able to do so. However, experience in giving was not significantly associated with experience. The test of association between the volunteering practices of the household members and selected variables showed that location of residence and the sex, age, civil status, educational attainment and work status of the household members were significantly associated with their volunteering practices. Specifically, there were more household members in the urban than in the rural areas who had done voluntary work, and slightly but significantly more female household members than male members who had done voluntary work. Most of those who volunteered were either married or widowed/separated, and either college-educated or high school-educated. Moreover, regression analysis showed that the household members’ residence, age, sex, civil status, educational attainment and work status significantly influenced their volunteering practices. This confirms the results of the test for associations between these variables. Urban and younger household members were less likely to volunteer than rural and older counterparts. Female household members and those who were widowed/separated were more likely to volunteer than male household members and those who were married. Both elementary and high school-educated household members were more likely to volunteer more than the college-educated household members while working household members volunteered more than the non-working household members. Among the reasons for volunteering cited by those household members who volunteered were: “volunteering makes me feel good”; “feeling compassion for people in need”; “to improve conditions of community”; “religious/political ideology”; and “people know and respect volunteers.” Likewise, the activities considered as volunteering and participated in by household members were: “praying for someone”; “lending money without interest”; “community cleaning” and “helping someone in an emergency.” Conclusions On the basis of the findings of this study, it is reasonable to conclude that: Household size, age and civil status of household heads are significantly associated with the giving practices of the households. Households with six or more family members, households with older household heads, and households with married household heads tend to give more than those with fewer members, younger household heads and those with single or widowed heads, respectively. Age and educational attainment of household heads are significant predictors of the giving practices of the households. Households with older household heads and college-educated heads are more likely to give than those with younger and less-educated heads, respectively. Households’ residence and size and age and civil status of household heads are significantly associated with their receiving experiences. Households coming from urban areas, households with six or more family members, households with household heads aged 40 - 49 years old, and households with married house-hold heads tend to receive something more from others than those from rural areas, with fewer members, with younger heads (aged 39 years old and below) or older heads (aged 50 years old and above), and those with single and widowed/separated heads, respectively. Households’ residence and educational attainment of the household heads significantly influenced the households’ receiving experiences. Urban households and those with elementary educated-heads are more likely to receive something from others than rural households and those with college-educated household heads, respectively. The location of residence and the sex, age, civil status, educational attainment and work status of the household members are significantly associated with their volunteering practices. Urban, female, married and widowed/separated, college and high school educated household members are more likely to do volunteer work than those rural, male, single, elementary-educated or those with no formal education household members. The household member’s residence, age, sex, civil status, educational attainment and work status are significant predictors of their volunteering practices. Rural, younger, female, both elementary and high school-educated and working household members are more likely to volunteer more than those urban, male, college-educated and non-working household members, respectively. Recommendations The foregoing findings and conclusions lead to the following recommendations: Since educational attainment is one of the significant predictors of the giving and volunteering practices of households, it is important that these values of giving and volunteering be taught and modeled to the children in school. Children in school should be given opportunities wherein these practices could be put into action. They should, for example, support fully the gift-giving activity of their community as well as render voluntary service in any barangay project or endeavor. Moreover, since the variables considered in this study contributed minimally to the variances in the giving practices and receiving experiences of the households and volunteering practices of the household members, it is suggested that in the replication of this study other socioeconomic variables not considered in this study be explored.