Grassroots Governance in Action: Examining the Leadership Styles and Performance Outcomes of Barangay Officials in Strengthening Local Political Development in La Union, Philippines

Dulce Rodriguez

doi:10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI3.375

Authors

Dulce Rodriguez Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7341-4311

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI3.375

Keywords:

grassroots governance, leadership styles, barangay officials, political development, participatory leadership, democratic communication, Philippines

Abstract

This study examined the leadership styles and performance outcomes of barangay officials in La Union, Philippines, with the aim of assessing their role in strengthening grassroots governance and local political development. Guided by the objectives, the research explored how democratic, participative, and authoritarian leadership styles influenced governance performance across service delivery, transparency, responsiveness, and citizen participation. A descriptive-correlational design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Survey data were gathered from barangay officials using a structured questionnaire, while in-depth interviews provided contextual insights. Descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, Pearson’s r correlations, and multiple regression were applied to analyze the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used for qualitative responses. Findings revealed that participative and democratic leadership styles were most frequently practiced and positively correlated with higher governance performance, particularly in transparency, responsiveness, and service delivery. Conversely, authoritarian leadership, while occasionally expedient in emergencies, showed a negative relationship with participation and trust. Qualitative themes reinforced these results, demonstrating that participatory practices build trust and efficiency, democratic communication enhances transparency, and authoritarian shortcuts erode sustained citizen engagement. Respondents also emphasized that harmonious workplace climates amplified performance despite limited resources, while gaps in capacity and clarity underscored the need for institutional support systems. The study concludes that grassroots governance thrives under participatory and democratic leadership, complemented by cultural values such as bayanihan, pakikisama, and pakikipagkapwa. Effective leadership must therefore be supported by clear systems, capacity-building, and citizen engagement mechanisms to achieve sustainable local political development.

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