Beyond the numbers

By Herman M. Lagon

Numbers help us spot patterns. But they rarely tell the whole story. Behind every percentage point is a real person—someone with struggles, dreams, and a story that raw data alone cannot explain. This is where qualitative research comes in. It adds depth to issues that are often reduced to faceless figures. In a country like ours, where poverty, learning gaps, and inequality are everyday realities, understanding why something happens is just as important as knowing what happens.

Take school dropout rates in the provinces. A statistic might show that numbers are high. But it’s qualitative research that reveals the stories underneath—kids walking hours to school on empty stomachs, parents choosing between education and survival, or teachers juggling multiple grade levels in a single room. These stories are not just context; they are red flags begging for attention. Without this kind of insight, policies risk missing the mark entirely.

I remember my comprehensive exam at the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod. I was asked what kind of research approach I valued most. I said qualitative research—without blinking—despite being an engineer, a physics teacher, and someone with a doctorate in math. That answer was more than academic. It spoke to my belief that research, like teaching, should be rooted in lived experience. After all, education is not just about test scores. It is about shaping minds that think, feel, and engage with the world.

One of the best things about qualitative research is how flexible it is. It does not box itself into categories. It follows stories where they naturally lead. For instance, a study on online classes might begin with internet issues but end up uncovering deeper problems—loneliness, mental fatigue, or even emotional neglect at home. This adaptability makes it incredibly powerful, especially in communities as diverse as ours.

In classrooms, this kind of research has already sparked change. Studies on indigenous education have shown how Western-style curricula often alienate local learners, causing dropouts. But through ethnographic work and community listening, teachers and policymakers have begun weaving local culture and language into lessons. The result? More engagement. More belonging. More learning that makes sense to students.

Outside school walls, qualitative research also plays a huge role in public health, governance, and social change. Look at mental health. Stats can tell us how many suffer—but not why they suffer. It is through interviews and fieldwork that we hear about stigma, silence, and lack of support. Studies on LGBTQ+ lives in the Philippines do not just count discrimination cases. They give voice to people’s daily struggles—at home, at work, even in church. This kind of insight does not just inform policy. It drives real advocacy.

And yet, despite all this, many still see qualitative research as less legitimate—“too subjective,” they say. But good qualitative research is not guesswork. It uses rigorous tools like triangulation and member checking to ensure that what is shared reflects truth, not assumption. It may feel like storytelling, but it is disciplined, verified, and deeply evidence-based.

Filipinos have always been storytellers. From epics passed down by elders to everyday kwentuhan over coffee, we make sense of life through narrative. That is why qualitative research resonates—it feels natural, intuitive, close to the ground. When people are heard, when their stories are valued, research becomes less about forms and more about impact. It stops being distant and starts becoming real.

Its biggest gift? It reminds us to see people—not just numbers. In a world ruled by metrics and algorithms, we risk reducing lives to spreadsheets. Policies made only from data might miss those living at the margins. But when we include voices, we center dignity. We remember that behind every graph is a heartbeat.

This is not about choosing sides—quantitative versus qualitative. It is about seeing how both work together. Numbers give us structure. Stories give us soul. Combine them, and we get a fuller, richer picture of the world—one that leads to smarter choices and kinder outcomes. For teachers, researchers, policymakers, and everyday advocates, embracing qualitative research is not just about tools. It is about values. It is about what kind of change we want to create.

If research is meant to move us, then we cannot just count. We must listen. We must feel. We must connect. Because sometimes, a single story can do what a thousand numbers never could—it can change a life. That is the power of qualitative research. And that is why we need it now more than ever.

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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.