Category: Week 06

One of the many challenges a development communicator-in-training faces daily is perfecting the art of finding a development-oriented topic. Often, this proves to be a daunting task because of how broad “development” is, making it hard to determine the boundaries of what can be considered as a development-oriented topic, and what cannot be.

Fortunately, there are plenty of people to guide us wide-eyed development communicators-in-training as we navigate through the world of DevCom. Among these people is Rich Adriel De Guzman, a Batch ’18 DevCom student who I was lucky enough to get a few words of wisdom from.

According to him, the three (3) characteristics that make up a development-oriented topic are:

1. It has to be layman in nature.

In DevCom, majority of the audience we cater to do not have access to formal education, which is why it is important to keep this in mind when writing. Like our professors always say, the real challenge in DevCom is being able to write a complicated topic in a way that anyone, regardless of their intellect or educational background, can understand.

2.It has to be biased to the masses.

This can be related to the first characteristic, for in DevCom, the priority will always be the marginalized sector because they are the ones development is created for.

3. It has to be research-based or factual.

Of course, it is also important that when writing a development-oriented topic, it must be based on facts only, which means that it can be verified through different credible sources.

As mentioned before, the word “development” has a broad reach, which also means that a development-oriented topic cannot be easily confined within three characteristics only. Although there are plenty more criterion, these three characteristics can still serve as helpful reminders to those who find themselves a little lost in the pursuit of a development-oriented topic.

The meaning of development varies from each development decade. Does this also mean that the characteristics of a dev’t-oriented topic evolve from time to time? If so, what is the criterion that should be met for a topic to be considered developmental?

Thankfully, I was given the chance to ask our own Student Council, our leaders, on what particular characteristics a dev’t-oriented topic should possess. Go over this infographic to know more about their responses!

Their answers vary in form and scope, but the common denominator reminded me of what Flor and Ongkiko stated in 2006, that ‘the true measure of development is man’. Therefore a topic is not development-oriented if its focus is not on the people. A topic can be about a hospital, but a dev’t-oriented one should be about people’s health. A topic can be about the physical structure of a school, but a dev’t-oriented one should focus on the quality of education. Moreover, the top three characteristics that are given by our student leaders all lead to action.

After it focused on the marginalized, it then empowers them. Their empowerment will lead to participation, and booms out to the elevation of their socioeconomic status.

Only then we will realize that a development-oriented topic is an action-oriented measure.

Development oriented topics encompass a community or group of people. Focusing on a positive change.

A development communicator in training must be aware of the latest development-oriented topics. As we become a development communicator, we open our eyes to the recent developmental issues happening in our world. Through communication, we address these issues to achieve development.

Development-oriented topics are those which concern a society’s development. Almost every topic can be development-oriented. In one way or another, we can found a way for these topics to become development-oriented. But there are certain guidelines to know which topic is development-oriented.

Pro-poor – we must amplify the yearning of the poor for their voices to be heard. It reaches out to the marginalized and encourages people to express and be heard in the national level. It is vital to keep in mind that the individual people in the communication process are the key respondents.

Empower – giving them the power to decide for themselves and to take actions. Let them speak their rights and in what they believe in.

Transform – bringing the progress that they need.

“It’s a topic that talks about opportunities (or the lack of thereof), solutions to problems and generation or application of knowledge.”

Benice Battreal

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T0HqGL5P-_JyX6TndQ3Zm0t6vnz9Ryxa/view?usp=sharing

There are different types of writers and you’ll identify their differences based on what they write. As a development communicator, the things that you write are mostly about development. You address problems, spread awareness, and come up with a solution. Writing with a purpose is like making a change.

How can we know if a topic is development-oriented? The three characteristics listed below are what I got from Bryan Lawas — a development communication alumna.

Process-based

A development-oriented topic should answer the questions: What is the problem? Why ? How is it done? and What is needed to get it done?

In answering these questions, you’re providing factual information for your audience. You process and present your ideas in detailed. It makes your audience think that your article is real.

highlights positive social change

A development-oriented topic should highlight positive social change where it addresses issues and makes up with different solutions to make a better change.

focuses on the marginalized sector

Marginalized people should be prioritized because they are treated as insignificant by the society. This means that their voices are too weak to be heard. Taking this program for almost two months made me learn that, development communicators’ role is like amplifier’s. We make these voices strong in order for it to be heard.

A topic can be considered as development-oriented if it’s about the problems that the marginalized people are facing; if it’s about poverty. The goal of it is to address problems or raise issues to spread awareness and to seek help.

Multiple people have attempted to describe what makes a story development-oriented. From foreign scholars to homegrown geniuses such as our very own Nora Quebral, their inputs have helped form the very foundation of our course. Here, Juan Jamias gives his own ideas.

Development Communicators do not just publish communication materials just for the sake of publishing. These communicators makes an effort to make their work development-oriented and targets specific types of audience.

Let us see how an alumnus of UPLB-CDC sees a topic to be development-oriented.

John Derrick is not just an alumnus of CDC but a former CSC Chairman of CDC and is currently working as an instructor in LPU-Cavite.