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I asked two of the upper-class men close to me about development-oriented topics and what makes them one. Interestingly, they had similar responses . They told me about poverty, community building, the SDGs, and even as far as the 4 E’s of DevCom. After hearing from them, I came up with these three characteristics to describe a development-oriented topic:

1. poverty

They told me that a development-oriented topic must tackle all forms of poverty, may it be about the marginalized sectors or the minorities and oppression that these groups of people face daily, up to economic scarcity. As my prof in DevCom 10 said, poverty, in all its form, will always be present in our lives. It is our goal as future development communicators to eradicate if not lessen the rate of poverty in the Philippines.

2. small

The concern of a development-oriented topic are the small stories that mass media doesn’t cover. One of the upper-class man that I asked said, “innovative tapos di usually tinututukan ng mga media“. This means that we, as future development communicators, must focus on the stories of stakeholders in the baranggay or small communities, those who weren’t given spotlight by mass media.

3. the SDGs

Both of them told that a development-oriented topics answers or deals with the SDGs or the Sustainable Development Goals. Today, there are 17 SDGs set by the United Nations. They defined SDG as, “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs“. Additionally, NEDA who led the “AmBisyon Natin: 2040” campaign connects and relates the SDGs with what our Filipinos hope for for themselves and for the country.

From the name of the course itself which is Development Communication, we as development communicators in training are expected to be able to, one day, write papers pertaining to development-oriented topics. But the question is, what are ‘development-oriented’ topics? What are the certain attributes that makes it one?

Ano nga ba?

As a freshman who is taking up BS Development Communication, what I think makes a topic ‘development-oriented’ are the following:

A development-oriented topic needs to be realistic. It should not only be focused on being beneficial, but also considering the fact that it has to be attainable for it to succeed.

A development-oriented topic must always have a purpose that, in relation to the first, it wants to achieve. With this, the golden rule of devcom must be kept in mind, which is to know your audience. For one of the purposes of a development-oriented topic, is to be of service to the people.

A development-oriented topic is focused on the people – especially those who are in the marginalized sector. Its focus is not to purely change people, but to help them change themselves for the better, by providing them the guidance that they need.

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.