Abstract

Conflicts are common in every community and can affect peace and relationships among residents. Barangay dispute resolution mechanisms aim to settle conflicts quickly, fairly, and peacefully without going to court. This study examined how effective these mechanisms are in Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela City in terms of accessibility, enforcement, transparency, and accountability. This study used a quantitative descriptive research design. A total of fifty (50) respondents participated, consisting of five (5) barangay officials, five (5) barangay staff members, and forty (40) residents selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire with a four-point Likert scale and were analyzed using percentage and weighted mean. Most respondents were aged eighteen (18) to thirty (30) years old, representing forty (40%) percent or twenty (20) respondents. The majority were female at 60 percent or 30 respondents and married at fifty-two (52%) percent or twenty-six (26) respondents. In terms of education, thirty-six (36%) percent or eighteen (18) respondents were high school graduates. Many respondents were unemployed at thirty-eight (38%) percent or nineteen (19) respondents, and most had lived in the barangay for five (5) to ten (10) years, representing fifty-two (52%) percent or twenty-six (26) respondents. ‎ ‎In assessing effectiveness, accessibility obtained a weighted mean of 3.36, enforcement had 3.58, and transparency and accountability had 3.46, all interpreted as strongly agree. The most common problems identified were bias or favoritism at fifty-four (54%) percent, lack of awareness at forty-four (44%) percent, lack of cooperation at forty-two (42%) percent, and ineffective communication at twenty-four (24%) percent. The findings show that barangay dispute resolution mechanisms are generally effective in maintaining community harmony because they are accessible, properly enforced, and transparent. However, issues such as perceived bias, limited awareness, and lack of cooperation still affect the trust and overall effectiveness of the system.