Mobile Civic Education: A Novel Public Administration Model for Strengthening Democratic Literacy among Indigenous Communities in the Philippines

Abstract

Democratic backsliding and disinformation weaken citizen competence in fragile democracies, yet civic education for adults in indigenous communities remains rare. This study tested a Mobile Civic Education (MCE) model that treated civic education as a mobile public administration extension service for Maranao communities in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, Philippines. A quasi-experimental mixed methods design compared eight intervention barangays that received four MCE sessions with eight comparison barangays that received usual civic exposure and delayed rollout. Respondents (n = 392) completed measures of civic knowledge, internal political efficacy, and civic participatory intent before and after the intervention, complemented by focus groups and informant interviews. At baseline, groups were similar on demographic characteristics and democratic literacy. At post test, intervention barangays showed larger gains in civic knowledge, internal political efficacy, and civic participatory intent. Time by group interactions were significant for all outcomes. Qualitative themes described clearer understanding of government and rights, greater confidence to speak in public, and the MCE educator as a trusted bridge between state and Adat leadership. Findings suggestthat mobile, culturally anchored civic extension can raise democratic literacy in politically peripheral Indigenous communities.