Category: Week 06

Development in general is very broad since it is present in different aspects of living. However, choosing the right development-oriented topic is still difficult and confusing. So how could we say that the topic we have in mind is a development-oriented one?

Ms. Riezl Jermaine Monteposo from the Batch 18 stated that a development-should be the following:

1. Timely– It’s important that the topic you’re going to work on is relevant to the community you’re addressing it to.

2. Biased for the marginalized– Whatever topic you may decide upon, it must always, always be of help to your stakeholders- in our case, the marginalized.

3. Purposeful– In pursuing a topic, you must know why you’re doing it. It may be that you want to promote a certain culture of a community, or raise awareness about a particular issue- whatever it is, know thy purpose.

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What makes a topic development-oriented?

Development-oriented topics are the most needed texts if you are a Development Communicator since you are dealing with the marginalized people’s problems that needs to be addressed. Also, a Development Communicator should be the voice of the people that is in need.

Angel Cruz, Batch 2014’s Magna Cum Laude, shared what she thinks of a development-oriented topic:

Well, for me, development-oriented ang topic if it deals with the needs of the people and improving their lives. Whether it’s addressing lack of information, lack of services, or lack of infrastructure, as long as the topic concerns people, the topic is development-oriented.

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Indeed, a topic that is development-oriented should be about the people. As Nora Quebral stated:

“We need to influence their ideas and thoughts. They can, like the end users of development projects, be as resistant to change and as traditional in their ways of thinking. The DevCom practitioners must also win over this group of people.”

(Quebral, 1975)

As a DevCom student we study different aspects of a person’s life, we study their society, we study how we can help them in order to solve the problem. We also make Problematique Map for us to know the root causes of underdevelopment of a society.

Development gives us a wide variety of ideas which derives us into concepts. In choosing a development-oriented topic, one must identify what constituted underdevelopment, and what it lacks that hinders it from a progressive state.

Nur Lemuel Castillo, Batch 2015 emphasized three factors that should be taken into account when identifying a development oriented topic.

A topic is development-oriented if in promotes any of the 4 Es of Devcom

Empowerment.  Nourishing problem-solving and decision making skills, raising social and political consciousness, and mobilizing people towards critical action.

Equity. Access to information and technology and hastening the redistribution of resources to the poor through communication.

Entrepreneurship. Promoting entrepreneurial spirit and communicating strategic information for agro-industrialization.

Environmentalism. Managing and sustaining the environment through information, education, advocacy, social mobilization, and community action.

A topic is development-oriented if it deals with stories of marginalized communities

It must give opportunities to the communities that are lacking when it comes to economic status, social well-being and technological advancement.

A topic is development-oriented if it tackles socio-economic issues involving community

Socio-economic issues are the primary factors that establish one’s community progress and if it gives emphasis on how a governing must have bottom-up communication, we can say it is a development-oriented topic.

What makes a topic development-oriented?

That is one of the many questions so often asked by students in the College of Development Communication, most especially by those who are new to the field of DevCom. To help shed some light on this, we asked DevCom upperclassman Amiel D. Oropesa to share her top three insights.

Amiel D. Oropesa is a Batch 2015 student at the UPLB College of Development Communication. She is perhaps best known for her career as a professional photographer under the brand #ShootMeAmy – recent events covered include Metanoia 2019, CineLaban 2019, and Aboitiz Foundation’s APRI Youth Development Summit. For bookings, media partnerships, or inquiries, you may contact her at adoropesa@up.edu.ph. You can also like her Facebook page at Amiel Oropesa Photography.

It is imperative that as Development Communication practitioners in training that we learn and foster a deeper understanding of what development is. That’s why in DevCom we are taught to write under the umbrella of development-oriented topics. Development-oriented topics are needed in this field because it is communication for development but what exactly are developmental topics?

SDG Oriented

Development-oriented topics are also Sustainable Development Goals oriented. The Sustainable Development Goals are a summary of long term goals our government wants to attain in a certain amount of time. These goals help a address the most timely and relevant developmental issues in the community. A Development-oriented topic most likely should support the 17 goals under the Sustainable Development Goals.

4E + 2E Oriented

The 4E’S of DevCom: Entrepreneurship, Environmentalism, Equity, Empowerment plus the 2E’s; Ethics and Education are DevCom’s core values in which should be manifested in the development-oriented topic chosen. Development-oriented topics should promote self sustainability among its readers, involve environment-friendly advocacy, advocate for inclusiveness, help realize potentials, practice and apply ethical standards, and help people make informed decisions through education.

Purposeful

Development communication is communication with a purpose therefore development -oriented topics should fulfill that purpose which is not just to inform but to assess and help the audience to make informed decisions and take action. Development-oriented topics involve the participation of both the stakeholders and the source.

Unpacking “development-oriented” topics

what makes a topic development-oriented?

Based from the premises given by Batch ’15 Alumni Derrick Ordoñez, Batch ’16 Diwa Velasquez, Batch’ 16 Faye Marie Sueño and Batch ‘ 15 Nur Lemuel Castillo, development orientation can be considered through numerous aspects of a certain issue or event. It may seem abstract at first but once you have read them, you will see the ground at which they all stand in unison.

According to the Ongkiko and Floor (2006), “the true measure of development is man.” That statement alone can be expounded into numerous interpretations. It is always pointing at the same idea that development is inclusive of the wellness, capability and empowerment of man.

1. FROM AND FOR THE GRASSROOTS

A common characteristic of a development-oriented topic is its angle and treatment of the issue which is based on the underrepresented people such as the grassroots, indigenous people and the marginalized sectors of society.

2. EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITIES

Another commonality that they possess is their orientation on the positive change and progression of the topic such as unfolding of individual potential which highlights the capability of the people of the community to be aroused into their learnings in order for them to organize themselves within a certain goal and then mobilize to realize their ideas into concrete and lasting outputs.

3. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

More than just being inclusive and putting the visibility of the grassroots, underrepresented and marginalized sectors of the society into the spotlight. It evident that these future development communicators include the principles at which the College of Development Communication stand upon, the 4Es: Empower, Equity, Entrepreneurship and Environmentalism. Such principle can be tightly related with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

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