FOSTERING PEOPLE’S EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT & ENTERPRISE, INC.

(FPE3)

QUESTIONNAIRE

Name Denise Melanie Du Lagrosa, EnP.

Last Position Held Project Development Officer
Date of Separation July 13, 2022

1. How long were you employed in Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment and
Enterprises, Inc.?
I was employed April 2021, about 1 year and 2-3 months

2. What were the positive things about your job/ the management/ Fostering People’s
Education, Empowerment and Enterprises, Inc.

I was able to apply my environmental planning license and profession in the workplace. I
find the work meaningful knowing that I was able to contribute to the environment and
community.

I was able to work and contribute in my hometown of Antipolo since the project sites are in
Antipolo Rizal. I became close with the Antipolo Tourism Office and their officers. I
became proud of my roots when their office presented during the anniversary. According to
them, Antipolo is at the top tourism destination in the Philippines in terms of tourist arrivals
due to the Our Lady of Antipolo pilgrims and devotees. I was able to travel and go on field
work amidst the pandemic and see beautiful scenery. I experienced the kindness and
generosity of the people of Antipolo.

I learned about publishing and copyrighting a book. I became interested in Environmental

Education and Children’s Literature. They let me attend the Copyright Summit and other
conferences online.
I learned to work closely with the finance and administrative unit officer and learned a lot in
office administration.

I was able to have work life balance since the office is 10 minutes away from home. I was
able to manage working in a lean and mean team with a virtual boss.

I was prolific in writing reports.

I experienced having to move our office from first floor to second floor.

I liked that our President/ CEO appreciated my work or contribution especially in organizing
the anniversary. She appreciated my creativity in writing poetry for the anniversary.

I liked the office. It feels like the best workplace to work with in terms of physical space. It
is a home turned into office. After the lockdown with staying or working from home, the
transition of working in a home turned office was smooth and appealed to my senses. I
enjoyed the garden space.

I enjoyed the budol fight way of eating with the community whenever we go on field work. I
enjoyed the food, recipe or delicacy. They introduced, eating food from the kawayan or food
wrapped in banana leaves.

I was fascinated with the process of identifying plant species together with the people’s
organization. They can identify the plant through smell, taste, texture. They can also count
the number of species with the number of leaves they picked. They can also estimate the
land area or height of a tree on their own.

I also used my I Naturalist App where I can identify plant, animal species through sound and
photos. I was able to document some of them in my app.
3. What is your primary reason for resigning/ retiring?
I was offered a job opportunity that was too exciting for me to refuse.

4. Did anything particularly trigger your resignation/ retirement?

None. I was actively fielding application. In less than a year, my contract will end and
the process of application normally takes months.

5. Do you think that your particular job was important and significant in the overall
operations of Fostering People’s Education, Empowerment and Enterprises, Inc. ? In what
way?

My role was significant in the onboarding process of the new program coordinator. I
prepared the timeline/ task list during his probationary period. I accompanied him in the
field during his first visits with the people’s organization to ease him with the community.

I also had the Young Ecolovers Book copyrighted, published and launched. The idea or
the book was on file for the longest time. I find it a pioneering project that it was timely for
the project to be introduced to the public.

Organizing the anniversaries was also important in celebrating the milestones of the
company with the partner organizations and government agencies.

Writing the minutes of meeting, organizing the online board meeting was important in the
operations of the company.

I assist the finance and administrative officer. I accompanied him to the homes of some of
the board members for signing documents and cheques, and to bank errands and the
government agencies for administrative work. I became familiar with his task and
appreciated his efforts.
 6. Do you think your job has utilized your potentials? What particular strengths did this job
draw out from you?
I was able to apply my environmental planning license and profession. I was able to
write Activity Plans with rationale according to the Sustainable Development Goals and the
company’s vision and mission. I was able to draft Sustainability Plans among others. I was
able to engage in various stakeholders such as the local government, people’s organization,
donors and partners. They were crucial in the environmental planning and management
processes.

7. What was most/least satisfying in your job with Fostering People’s Education,
Empowerment and Enterprises, Inc.?
I found work life balance with the company since it is 10 minutes away from my home. Our
project site is my home town. I was able to give back to my hometown through my work. I
became proud learning that Antipolo was top tourism site in the country in terms of tourism
arrivals which was a great potential for Rainfo tourism project.

I was happy I was able to have the Young Ecolovers Book copyrighted, published and
launched. I am proud that it is the first book of its kind in the Philippines on Biodiversity for
Kids. It sparked my interest on Children’s Literature on Biodiversity Environmental
Education.

I felt safe and at home with the community in the project site. I felt like I was in a paradise
with lots of Children of Eden (the Filipino archetype of feeling like one is always living in
paradise). I was amazed that the people felt safe or protected from pandemic, the storm or the
ash fall with the forest and mountains surrounding them. They felt proud of their place and
climate like little Baguio.
8. Please describe your working relationship (with respect to both your particular job and
your relationship with fellow workers) as pleasant or unpleasant? What was pleasant and/or
unpleasant?

I remember in one of our field work, I was walking on muddy road. I slipped. Our project
coordinator was already several feet away from me. He walked back and helped me get up
and held my hand along the way up to the assembly area. I was touched since he never left
my side. He was concerned of my safety.

One of the mothers in the community let me borrow her clothes since I had mud all over.
She hand it to me without asking. I took a shower in their bathroom. They let me rest in
their home. The following field visit, I returned the clothes. She said I should not have
returned it.

I remember the finance and administrative officer would offer to buy me food or would buy
me merienda. One time, he just bought pansit for me without asking.

I remember one time after an extensive meeting, I had to take a break. I drank water and sat
by the chair near the guard looking outside for respite. The program coordinator approached
me and asked how I was.

I liked that my team mates were kind, thoughtful or concerned. These simple gestures were
heartwarming and touching for me especially I am the only woman in the group. They were
silently supporting me and they were gentlemen.

I was touched that our Executive Director/ CEO/ President appreciated my work especially
organizing the anniversary.

Working with the community and the people’s organization was also fun and meaningful.
Having one of the BOT and the donor partners join us in the field was also memorable and
enjoyable. I was amazed that one of the BOT member was able to hike the planting area
given his age. He was still fit for this age. I want to grow old like him. He seem serene,
content and happy with his life.

I was surprised one of the board members communicate with me through facebook
messenger. They were adept with social media. They seem approachable.

The security guards were friendly. They ensured our safety. They lend us umbrella and fetch
a cab or tricycle when rainy.

The staff was generous with food. They welcome us to eat in between breaks and the
kwentuhan can be engaging.

I like that we are only a few people in the office. I felt safer. I became familiar with the
people in the office.
 9. How do you think the pleasant aspects of the working conditions in Fostering People’s
Education, Empowerment and Enterprises, Inc. can be optimized?

I hope there can be more bonding time, recreation or teambuilding activity.

10. How do you think the unpleasant aspects of the working conditions in FPE3 be
eliminated?

I think having open communication, regular bonding time, team building activities outside
the office can be done.

11. Given a chance, what would you change about your job?

I hope that the workplace can be more adaptive to the changing times. Having a more
work from home set up given the increase in fuel prices and transportation cost. The
company can shoulder the transportation cost or provide reimbursement for the employees
considering the increase of prices of goods I hope the company will be more considerate
during the time of pandemic when employees need space to rest or prepare for field work or
for emergency circumstances. I hope there can be provision for counseling. The pandemic
has some effect on the behavior of employees.
I hope that the people’s organization will learn how to do their counterpart in terms of project
engagement. They were very skillful, smart, enterprising that every task needed to be
considered in the budget. I hope the value of volunteerism or bayanihan can be instilled in
them.

I hope there can be environment friendly cell sites placed in the project sites for efficient
communication.

12. Did your job duties turn to be what you expected?

I think it was more than what I expected since I learned more aside from my profession or
background or my job description. Since our team was lean and mean, I was able to learn
from the finance and administrative officer in office administration or do community
engagement work closely with the program coordinator.

13. Did you receive adequate support to do your job?

Yes, my team mates were supportive. The partner people’s organization were also supportive
and reliable. They ensured our safety. Our executive director/ CEO/ President was very
thorough in giving instructions and feedback.
 14. Did you receive sufficient feedback on your performance?
Yes, we had our performance evaluation and every now and then we receive feedback and
instruction through e-mail.

15. Given the chance, what would you improve to make Fostering People’s Education
Empowerment and Enterprises Inc. a better workplace?

I think the finance and administrative staff should have an assistant or it can be another team
or unit. I can sense it was the busiest task.

I observed the program coordinator seem to enjoy reporting more on field than in the office.
Perhaps he can be assigned to work or report in the project site. He can be called to the
office occasionally to submit liquidation reports, activity reports, sign documents and for
board meetings.

16. Were you happy with your pay?

Yes I was happy. I was happy I had a job in the time of pandemic and I had work life
balance.

17. Do you have any particular tip to your replacement that could better help her in doing the
job?

Take the initiative to help your team mates even though it is not part of your job
description. Help the finance and administrative officer and the program coordinator and
learn from them. Be kind and respectful to the community and the people’s organization.
Listen attentively during board meetings and make sure to have a recording and back up
files. Save files regularly in the hard drive Keep communication lines open with the
team. Consult the team and the BOT before making any decision. Enjoy the field work
experience. Have a goal during your stay with the company eg. Earn a License or get as
much work experience.

18. Any other things/comment you may want to share?

Date Accomplished:
July 13, 2022

Signature: