Research & Documentation

As an Institute, ISACC is frequently tapped to do research on development and socio-cultural issues.

As part of its service to faith-based communities, ISACC does project evaluation studies and consultancies on both the technical efficacy and missional impact of mission and development organizations.

Commissioned Research

  • A Study of Culturally-Sensitive Exit Strategies — commissioned by Tear Fund UK. ISACC sent a team to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand to study how international agencies exited from their development projects and the impact on local NGO partners and beneficiaries.
  • Transforming Communities: CCT as a Case Study — research into how a microfinance organization like the Center for Community Transformation integrates faith and practice in their operations.
  • Baseline Study on the Contributions of Faith-Based Organizations to Poverty Reduction — focusing on evangelical organizations doing community development work.
  • Impact Assessment of Interventions in Tacloban — commissioned by Woord en Daad, Netherlands, assessing three faith-based organizations.

During the mid-90s ISACC embarked on a groundbreaking research into the coming of American Protestant Missions in the first three decades of the last century, focusing on the intercultural communication miscues in the interface with Filipino religious consciousness. Part of the results has been published in the book A Clash of Cultures, published by De La Salle University and Anvil Press, funded by the PEW Foundation in the US.

An ICCO-funded participatory research into the economic empowerment of seven grassroots communities by seven NGOs yielded learnings written up in the book Rise Up and Walk: Religion and Culture in Empowering the Poor, published by Regnum and the Oxford Center for Mission Studies in the UK.

Notable Research & Documentation Projects

  • Conversion to Protestant Christianity Under Early American Rule (1995–1999) — A massive four-year study of the interface between Filipino religious consciousness and conversion themes brought by American Protestant missionaries. Funded by the PEW Foundation, this study was the first of its kind outside US territory and done completely by local scholars.
  • Hasik-Unlad: An Experience in Community Development Training (1998) — Writes up insights and learnings from trainings for church-based communities, integrating biblical perspectives in community organizing.
  • Sambahaginan: An Experience in Community Development (1991) — Documents the process of community organizing in Sitio Ibayo, Nasugbu, Batangas.
  • Homeroom: An Evaluation of its Influence on Moral Values (1982–1985) — A three-year nationwide research for the Ministry of Education and Culture through World Bank development funds, covering elementary schools across the country. The study formed the basis for the institutionalization of an integrated values education program.
  • Kingdom Agenda: A Development Resource Manual (1980) — A compilation of resource materials on development theories and practices, funded by World Vision International.
  • The Trade Union Movement in the Philippines (1979) — An oral history based on interviews with labor leader Felixberto Olalia, founder of the Kilusang Mayo Uno. Commissioned by the National Federation of Labor Unions.

As part of its educative mission, ISACC does Collegial Sharing after a major research or grassroots development project and shares learnings through publications, seminars and video productions.