PROTOCOL P-04 | Grievance Redress System

Feedback Closure Protocol Protocol

TRIGGER Upon resolution of every logged concern or grievance, before the record is closed.

STEPS

1. Review the closed grievance record for completeness

Confirm that the concern has been addressed (or a decision has been made that it cannot be), and that the response is documented with a clear rationale.

2. Identify the specific stakeholder who raised the concern

Check the Grievance Register for name and preferred contact channel. If anonymous, prepare a general community notification if the concern was representative of a broader issue.

3. Prepare the feedback response in plain language

The response must state: what was done in response to the concern, OR why it could not be addressed, what decision was made and by whom, and what happens next (if any follow-up is needed). Avoid institutional or technical language. Write as if speaking directly to the person.

4. Communicate the response through the same channel the concern was raised

If the concern was raised verbally at a barangay meeting, give the response verbally, ideally at the same type of setting. If by phone, respond by phone. Matching the channel signals that the process is accessible and continuous, not just formal.

5. If the concern could not be addressed, explain why clearly and what alternatives exist

Never close a concern without explanation. If it is outside the project's authority, say so and indicate who has authority. If resources are not available, say so and indicate any partial response. Unexplained closure is experienced as dismissal.

6. Confirm that the stakeholder has received and understood the response

Ask directly: 'Does this address your concern?' or 'Is there anything you would like clarified?'. Document their response, including if they express continued dissatisfaction.

7. Document the feedback communication in the Grievance Register

Record: date of feedback, channel used, response summary, stakeholder's reaction, and whether they confirmed satisfaction or expressed continued concern.

8. If stakeholder is unsatisfied, log as a new concern and trigger Escalation Pathway

Do not force-close a concern over the stakeholder's objection. Re-open or log a new entry and assign for escalation review within 48 hours.

9. Close the record only when feedback is confirmed as received

An unacknowledged response is not a closed grievance. The register should not show 'resolved' until the feedback step is complete.

PURPOSE

To ensure that every stakeholder who raised a concern receives a clear and direct response, either confirming what was done, or explaining honestly why it could not be addressed. This protocol closes the loop between concern, response, and acknowledgement. It is the most frequently skipped step in GRM systems, and its absence is the single most consistent driver of distrust.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary:

Actor: ComRel Officer / GRM Focal Person
Responsibility: Prepares and delivers feedback, documents communication, confirms stakeholder receipt.

Supporting:

Actor: Project Manager / Technical Lead
Responsibility: Provides response rationale for decisions that require management authority. Approves feedback language for Sensitive concerns.

Supporting:

Actor: Barangay Official / LGU Liaison
Responsibility: Assists in delivering feedback for community-sourced concerns, particularly where direct project contact may be uncomfortable.

Field Notes and Adaptation Guidance

• Field Note — Closing on the system is not closing with the person

  In several sites, ComRel officers marked concerns as 'resolved' in internal tracking systems after internal action was taken, without communicating back to the person who raised the concern. The person was still waiting. System closure and stakeholder closure are two separate steps. Neither replaces the other.

• Field Note — Group concerns need group feedback

  When a concern was raised collectively (at a community meeting, through a barangay relay, or by multiple individuals), the feedback should also be collective. A response delivered only to the barangay captain does not reach everyone who raised the concern. Consider a brief community update (posted or at the next assembly) for shared concerns.

• Adaptation Guidance — When concerns cannot be addressed

  Some concerns fall outside the project's authority or capacity to resolve land disputes between community members, regional infrastructure issues, and agency decisions. The feedback should be direct about this, name the appropriate institution and, where possible, offer to facilitate the referral. 'This is not something we can resolve, but here is who can, and we will follow up with you' is a credible and trustworthy response.

Required Output / Documentation

• Feedback communication record in Grievance Register (date, channel, response summary, stakeholder reaction)

• Updated concern status: Closed — Acknowledged, OR Re-opened — Unsatisfied

• For community-wide concerns: documented feedback at a community meeting or posted summary