PROTOCOL P-01 | Grievance Redress System

Grievance Intake Protocol

TRIGGER Every time a concern is raised — in any form, through any channel, by any stakeholder

STEPS

1. Receive the concern

Accept the concern through any channel (in person, by phone or text, in writing, through a barangay official, or via contractor relay). Do not redirect or dismiss any concern regardless of how it is raised.

2. Acknowledge receipt immediately

Verbally or in writing, confirm to the person that their concern has been received. If in person or by phone, say: 'Thank you for raising this. I will make sure it is recorded and that someone follows up with you.'

3. Log in the Grievance Register within 24 hours

Record: name (or 'anonymous' if requested), date received, channel used, description of concern in the person's own words, location, and any other affected parties mentioned.

4. Categorize by urgency and sensitivity

Assign one of three categories: Routine (standard timeline applies), Urgent (response within 48 hours: safety, livelihood disruption, or escalating tension), or Sensitive (requires management involvement: involves officials, allegations of misconduct, or potential rights issues).

5. Assign a responsible actor and response timeline

Identify who will lead the response and the expected date of first substantive response. Communicate this internally within 24 hours of logging.

6. Communicate timeline back to the person who raised the concern

Let them know: who will respond, by when, and how they will be contacted. This step is often skipped and is one of the main drivers of distrust in GRM systems.

7. Flag for escalation if threshold is met

If the concern is Urgent or Sensitive, or if it reflects a pattern already logged in the Signal Tracker, notify the Project Manager and relevant LGU focal person within the same working day.

8. If concern is outside your mandate, trigger P-06: Institutional Referral Protocol

Do not leave the person without direction. Record that a referral was made and follow up to confirm it was received.

PURPOSE

To define the steps, thresholds, and responsibilities for moving an early concern from observation to documented concern to institutional response. Without a defined escalation protocol, signals are captured but not acted on, they accumulate in a tracker while tensions build. This protocol closes the gap between detection and response.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary:

Actor: ComRel Officer / PCO
Responsibility: Receives, logs, categorizes, and assigns all concerns. Ensures timeline communication.

Supporting:

Actor: Barangay Official
Responsibility: Receives and relays concerns from community members. Should have direct line to ComRel Officer.

Supporting

Actor: Field / Contractor Staff
Responsibility: Receives informal concerns on-site. Required to relay to ComRel Officer within the same working day.

Notified:

Actor: Project Manager
Responsibility: Notified immediately for Urgent or Sensitive concerns.

Notified:

Actor: LGU Focal Person
Responsibility: Notified when concern involves LGU jurisdiction or public resources.

Field Notes and Adaptation Guidance

• Field Note — Informal channels must count

  At multiple sites, ComRel staff maintained that 'no grievances were filed' while community members described having raised concerns repeatedly through barangay channels, phone calls, and at meetings. Intake must include all channels — not just written or formal submissions. Train barangay officials to relay concerns and confirm they have been logged.

• Field Note — Anonymous concerns are valid

  Some stakeholders, particularly farm workers and tenants, will only raise concerns anonymously. Log these without a name. Anonymity does not reduce the obligation to respond. If the concern is specific enough to act on, act on it.

• Adaptation Guidance

  In contexts with low literacy or limited phone access, walk-in intake at barangay hall or a regular community check-in schedule can function as the intake channel. The key is that the channel is known, accessible, and that anything raised through it is logged.

Required Output / Documentation

• Completed entry in Grievance Register (date, channel, description, category, assigned actor, timeline)

• Acknowledgement provided to person who raised the concern (verbal or written)

• Internal notification if Urgent or Sensitive