A Report on Social Marketing on Solid Waste Management: the Jagna Experience (Initial Implementation

The application of marketing principles and techniques to promote a social cause, idea or behavior has been effectively used in many projects. Known as Social Marketing, this strategy has been found to significantly contribute to the attainment of specific program objectives and goals. Implementing it, however, involves a decision by management to undertake a focused and purposive activity requiring the kind of support that is anchored on the belief that this approach in fact, can make a difference.

In March 2006, the management of EcoGov2 decided that the Social Marketing on Solid Waste Management of the project follow the process detailed in the book, entitled, “Social Marketing: Improving the Quality of Life”, authored by Kotler, Roberto and Lee. The process consists of eight (8) steps:

Step 1: Conduct a Situation Analysis Step 2: Select Target Audiences Step 3: Set Objectives and Goals Step 4: Analyze Target Audiences Step 5: Develop Marketing Strategies Step 6: Develop a Plan for Evaluation and Monitoring Step 7: Determine Budgets and Funding Sources Step 8: Complete an Implementation Plan

A modified version of this approach will be tested in Region 7. The first phase of this activity was to gather information related to Steps 1 to 4. After these steps have been completed, a meeting with the Project Management and the IEC team will be held to assess the initial information gathered and the succeeding steps to be undertaken. Based on the results of the project’s Governance Index conducted in 2005, five sites were identified as the areas in the region most prepared to undertake Social Marketing: the municipalities of Albur, Jagna and Maribojoc in Bohol, the City of Bayawan, and the municipality of San Jose in Negros Oriental. In April and May of 2006, the five sites were visited by the Regional IEC Specialist and a focus group discussion with members of the Technical Working Group, IEC Group and / or SWM Board, was conducted in each area to gather information related to Steps 1 to 4.

As planned, a meeting with the Project Management and IEC Team was conducted in June to evaluate the results of the focus group discussions in the five identified sites. To complete the Social Marketing process, it was further agreed that Steps 1-8 will be done in the municipality of Jagna.