PROTOCOL P-03 | Coordination & Alignment

Pre-Activity Notification Protocol

TRIGGER Before any clearing, survey, geotechnical work, construction, equipment delivery, or other visible site activity begins

STEPS

1. Identify all barangays and stakeholder groups within the activity area

Use the Stakeholder Map and Land & Permit Status Dashboard. Include not just directly affected landholders but fisherfolk, water users, adjacent landowners, and passage routes.

2. Prepare the Activity Brief at least 7 days before activity start

The brief should cover: what the activity is, where exactly it will take place, when it starts and estimated duration, what stakeholders will see or experience, who is conducting it, and who to contact with questions or concerns.

3. Notify the LGU and barangay captain at least 7 days in advance

Provide the Activity Brief in writing. Confirm receipt. Brief the barangay captain on anticipated questions and what to tell constituents. LGU officials should never be caught off guard by activity their constituents are asking about.

4. Conduct community notification at least 5 days in advance

Use the agreed notification channels for that barangay: community assembly, posted notice, group messaging, or direct household visit. The method should match the community's established preference, not just the easiest option for the project team.

5. Use plain, livelihood-relevant language

The notification should explain what people will see, what it means for them specifically (will their access be affected? will noise or dust be present?), and how long it will last. Avoid technical terms. If equipment is being used, describe it plainly.

6. Document who was notified, when, and how

Record in the Activity-Communication Alignment Tracker: barangay names, notification dates, channels used, and names of barangay officials who confirmed receipt.

7. Allow for a concern window before activity begins

Between notification and activity start, create an accessible channel for concerns to be raised. Assign a focal person to receive and log concerns during this window.

8. If significant concerns are raised, pause and assess before proceeding

Do not proceed if concerns suggest land status issues, safety risks, or that a key stakeholder group was missed. Trigger the Signal Escalation Protocol (P-02) and consult with the Project Manager and LGU before resuming.

9. Verify on-site that notification was received before work begins

Field team or ComRel Officer confirms with the barangay captain that community members are aware of the activity. This is the final check before mobilization.

PURPOSE

To ensure that affected communities are informed before they observe any project-related activity in their area, not after. This protocol defines who must be notified, by whom, through what channels, and how far in advance. It addresses one of the most consistently observed breakdown patterns in the field: communities interpreting unannounced visible activity as evidence that decisions have already been made without them.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary:

Actor: ComRel Officer / PCO
Responsibility: Prepares Activity Brief, coordinates notification, documents receipt, manages concern window.

Supporting:

Actor: Project Manager
Responsibility: Approves Activity Brief and confirms activity timeline is aligned with notification completion.

Supporting:

Actor: Contractor Site Supervisor
Responsibility: Confirms field team is aware of notification status before mobilizing. Does not begin work if notification is incomplete.

Notified:

Actor: LGU / Barangay Captain
Responsibility: Receives notification, briefs constituents, relays concerns back to ComRel Officer.

Field Notes and Adaptation Guidance

• Field Note — 7 days is a minimum, not a target

  Seven days allows barangay officials to inform constituents at the next assembly, post notices, and relay questions. For activities with wider impact (full clearing of a land parcel, equipment arriving by barge, road use), 14 days is more appropriate. The lead time should be proportional to the visual and livelihood impact of the activity.

• Field Note — Contractors are part of the notification chain

  In multiple sites, notification was conducted by the developer's ComRel team but contractors mobilized on a different schedule, sometimes before notification was complete. The Contractor Onboarding Protocol should require contractors to confirm notification status before site entry. A contractor who begins work in an un-notified area creates a breach that the ComRel team must then manage retroactively.

• Adaptation Guidance — Barangay assembly timing

  In some areas, barangay assemblies only occur on specific dates. Build the notification schedule around assembly cycles, not project timelines. If assembly timing means the 7-day window cannot be met, the activity start should move, not the notification.

Required Output / Documentation

• Activity Brief (what, where, when, why, who to contact) — filed and shared with LGU

• Completed notification log in Activity-Communication Alignment Tracker

• Documented confirmation of receipt from barangay captain

• Concern log from notification window (even if empty — document that no concerns were raised)