Looking for a development-oriented topic had been a challenge for us, freshmen students, since the first day. You will always hear students chatting along the hallway and asking questions like, “Teh, paano mo ba masasabing development-oriented ‘yon?” Well, I will admit that I am one of those freshies who asked this kind of question when we were first tasked to look for a topic that is anchored to development.
After a month of being in this field, these blurred lines that separate me from understanding the characteristics of a development-oriented topic have become clearer. This was all thanks to the guidance of our ates and kuyas, words from our instructors, and lectures from our devcom classes.
These are three of the many characteristics of a development-oriented topic that I have learned throughout my stay as a devcom student:
1. People-centered. The betterment of the lives of the people is a top priority when it comes to development. This puts people’s rights and privileges that should be given to them at the center of the goal. This also involves being inclusive which means that the topic is not only limited to addressing the issues faced by a group of people. It must include and take effect on different sectors in the society.
2. Encompassing. A development-oriented topic covers not just one field or industry. It encompasses a number of aims that may benefit the members of the community. This may also denote that a general topic includes a wide variety of specific topics.
3. Anchored to SDGs and 4Es. These are aimed at achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 4 CDC Values and Guiding Principles may direct one’s path easily to the development-oriented topics. Identifying issues and topics related to these may help you distinguish a topic that aims for development.
A wide range of answers will be acquired when asked on how they can describe a development-oriented topic. However, these three served as my stepping stones into digging the deeper meaning of development. It is indeed important to be knowledgeable first about development in order for us to fulfil our duties as devcom students.
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