DEVC208 – Communication, Social Marketing, and Social Mobilization

SS_20192020

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SOCIAL PROBLEMS, SOCIAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

by: MONAY, SARAH MARION D.
2019-30167

DEVC208 is a very interesting yet challenging course. As I go through it, I’ll keep in mind Dr.
Mel’s response on my self-introduction post because it will serve as one of my motivations to make
the most out of this powerful course.

The key questions in this module are:

1. What is social change?
2. What are social problems?
3. How do social problems emerge on the public radar screen? (Andreasen,
2006)
4. What is development?

So far, the following are my significant learning from Module 1 which I’ll be relating with my
chosen social mobilization project, The Dawani Project, Inc.
c

As discussed by Andreasen (2006) in his book, Social Marketing in the 21st Century, there is
no perfect society. It takes me back to DEVC202 last semester when societal problems were discussed.
These societal problems are poverty, inequality, unemployment, high population growth,
malnutrition, environmental degradation, loss of arable land, and ethnic conflict.

Macionis (2002) defines as “conditions that undermine the

well-being of some or all members of a society and that is usually a matter of public controversy.”
Andreasen (2006) added that social problems have both dynamic and structural characteristics, and
concrete/factual and perceptual/subjective dimensions. They are found in every society around the
world and varies in prominence and importance per society.

These social problems emerge on the public radar screen through any of the following:
- Statistical surveillance;
- Special One-time Quantitative Studies;
- Special Nonquantitative Studies;
- Individual Insight or Argumentation;
- A vivid event;
- Personal Tragedy (remember Killer Road?);
- Uncovered evidence; and
- Pseudoevents

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For my inputs about this concept, I will be focusing on how the condition and concerns of
young artists and local artists in the Bicol Region emerged in the public radar screen.
Throughout time, the arts had been faced with various criticisms and questions regarding its
impact and relevance to the society. Until now, there are still many people who continue to pit the
humanities against the sciences, arguing that the latter is superior and more important than the former.
Artists receive less recognition, regard, and compensation than those who work in the fields of
engineering, architecture, business, accountancy, law, and the like. Unlike those in the metro, there are
only very limited opportunities for artists and cultural workers in provinces like Bicol, to maximize their
crafts due to absence of theater and performance companies, lack of or insufficient awareness and
cultural education, and financial constraints. Today’s trends also challenge local artists in terms of
patronage since most of the youth and millennials prefer products, music, shows, personalities, etc.
outside of their locale (e.g. foreign and those from the metro). There were events featuring performers
from other places who gathered way bigger crowds than those performers who are natives of the place.
Through special non-quantitative studies (such as systematic conversations; careful
observations; talking with a range of affected/concerned individuals; focus groups; and simple surveys),
individual insights of supporters and enthusiasts, and personal tragedy (the simple, dramatic
story) of the artists themselves, the issue at hand emerged in the public eye, in this case, the province of
Albay and the rest of the Bicol Region.

In the courses we took last semester (DEVC202 and DEVC206), it was emphasized that
development communication plays a vital role in responding to the societal problems.

As defined by Quebral (1971), DevCom is “the art and science of human communication
applied to the speedy transformation of a country and the mass of its people from poverty to a dynamic
state of economic growth that makes possible greater social equality and the larger fulfilment of human
potential.” This is why DevCom is a powerful field to study and practice in relation to social change.

is defined as “transformation of culture and social organization/

structure over time.” (worldanimal.net) For Andreasen (2006), social change is “influencing individual
behaviors” by getting someone to start something, someone else to stop, or still others to just keep doing
what they are doing.

It has four main characteristics according to Macionis (1996):

- It happens everywhere but the rate of change varies from place to place;
- It is sometimes intentional but often unplanned;
- It often generates controversy; and
- Some changes may matter more than others do.

The various causes of social change include: culture which may change due to invention,
discovery, and diffusion; conflict; idealistic factors; need for adaptation; environmental factors;
economic and political advantage; demographic change; social movements and change; consumerism;
role of values and ethics; religion; and technology and information.
According to Figueroa, M.E. et al. (2002), social change requires a communication model that
is cyclical instead of linear, relational, and leads to an outcome of mutual change rather than one-side,
individual change (with mutual understanding, mutual agreement, and collective action).

The Dawani Project, Inc., the social mobilization project that I chose, adheres to the
quest for an improved quality of life for all by supporting and developing young Bicolano artists in
the "grassroots" level so that they can use their creativity for the betterment of the community. In the
quest of empowering local arts and culture in Albay and later in the whole region, Mr. Jan Aldrin
Belisario, a high school teacher and singer-songwriter whose passion and skills in music were
strengthened through his participation in creative camps, founded the non-profit organization and
creative community which got its name from the Bicol word hablon-dawani (means rainbow). As
Andreasen (2006) stated it, “For social improvement to take place, someone has to take action” and
in this case, that someone is Mr. Belisario. But for the project to go to scale, he works closely with his
members and alumni to:
- raise significant changes in the public agenda through social media platforms, radio
guesting, exhibits, and live performances;
- - maximize necessary with
form partnerships resources, and and
the artistic institutionalize lasting programs
academic communities and the(as testified
public by their
and private
annual creative
sectors; camp which is .

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- maximize necessary resources from their personal capacities as well as those from their
partners and sponsors; and
- institutionalize lasting programs as testified by their annual creative camp which is on its
fourth year now.

Social change enables development.

is simply defined by Gonzales (undated) as “a quest for an

improved quality of life for all”.
Gonzales also added that it embodies the following characteristics:
a. multidimensional because it covers political, economic, social, cultural, institutional,
and environmental dimensions;
b. multidisciplinary since it draws from various disciplines like economics, sociology,
psychology, anthropology, and from the sciences of politics, management, and environment;
c. interdisciplinary for it derives its comprehensive, strategic, and operational
implementation plans from relationships between and among disciplines; and
d. integrative because it unifies the diverse orientation to allow inter-penetration among
disciplines.

It aims to be relevant, responsive, effective, efficient, economical, equitable, and sustainable and
uses technology in harmony with the environment.

Relating this to The Dawani Project, Inc., it primarily has cultural, social, and
institutional dimensions, and also covers economic, environmental, and political dimensions. It
draws from the disciplines of sociology, psychology, and even the sciences of management,
environment, and politics. These disciplines are incorporated and integrated in the implementation and
execution of the project.
The relevance, responsiveness, effectivity, efficiency, equitability, sustainability, and
economy of The Dawani Project, Inc., aside from its activities and programs, is supported by the
statement of Ken Robinson, an international cultural educator who works with governments,
education systems, and international agencies and corporations, “Creativity is as important now as
literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.”

As discussed in the module, we must remember that there is no one final definition of development
since its thought and theory continue to evolve as the environment and insights about society change,
making it dynamic.
I want to include in this learning blog my answer for Activity 1.1 found in the reference module,
which, though personal in its sense, proves that the picture of development or “the good life” changes
through time.

As a child – BIRTHDAY PARTIES As a teenager – GOOD GRADES

I can say so because when I was a kid, For me, it reflected my discipline and
I was genuinely happy with any gift or dedication. Making my parents proud
celebration, especially if it’s for me. made me happy and more inspired.

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As a young adult – PROFESSIONAL As a mature adult – QUALITY TIME

DEVELOPMENT
It’s a competitive world so in order to
excel and support yourself and help
your family, you have to enhance
yourself professionally.
WITH LOVED ONES
Nothing matters more than my faith and
my family. They are my simplest yet
most special joys. They are my core.
Quality time with them is everything.

The following concepts on the trends and issues defining development, as discussed in Module
1, are incorporated in The Dawani Project, Inc.:

1. Concept of People-Centered Development vs. Production-Centered

Development

Unlike development before which was production-centered or more on economic growth

rather than human growth, The Dawani Project, Inc. aims to be people-centered. It upholds
human growth and well-being, equity, sustainability, and balanced human ecology. There is local
initiative and participation because independent artists and art enthusiasts and supporters organized
themselves to maximize their platform and be relevant not just within the creative community, but in
the whole community as well. Members, alumni, and supporters have goals, manage resources, and
involve themselves in the process which all affect their lives. Through their collective efforts, they
become a self-reliant creative community which attracts supplemental support from sponsors and
stakeholders.

2. Concept of Participatory Development

Development is participatory because it must involve the people in the government and those
in the grassroots. In the comparison given by Cuyno and Lumanta (1978) between a hatching egg
and development, there are always two forces – an external force and an internal force.
From these are the two types of approach in development namely: top-down/trickle-
down approach and the bottom-up approach. The latter is more responsive and relevant in
today’s time because it involves the masses in policy-making and designing, implementing, and
evaluating development programs, making development participatory and reinforcing the fact that
people are not merely objects of development but also subjects of development. Terms related to this
approach include “grassroots development”, “community organizing”, and “people empowerment”.
This approach is applied in The Dawani Project, Inc. since members and alumni are the
ones who identify their needs and craft and create their artworks, which they later present and perform
to the community through events and exhibits, then these are covered and featured by local media and
are supported by local and provincial governments.

3. Concept of Sustainability

True development does not add up to the damages made in the environment. It is important for us,
humans, to be advocates and activists for sustainable development. It is meeting the needs of the present
generation without compromising the resources for the next generations.
In my classmate’s report, there are three pillars of sustainability namely: social, economic, and
environment.

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Through incorporating their tagline, #mangagsidami which translates to multiply in all of their
camps, concerts, exhibits, and programs, and through being resourceful and practical in mounting their
projects and productions, The Dawani Project, Inc. secures their longevity and relevance in the
society. Since they primarily cater to young artists with talents but no machinery for their craft/skills,
developing and supporting these aspiring artists is a good investment since they will be able to utilize
and maximize their creativity in helping the community in the long run. By reflecting and interpreting
the realities of life in their works, and since being immersed in art and culture feeds the mind and soul,
these young artists will be more motivated in their pursuit of education and excellence. Their values and
character will be calibrated; thus, social interactions and environmental responsibility will be fostered
in them. This will affect their families, friends, and local community, and such are manifested in the
volume of people who patronize their works and activities and the increasing awareness and regards the
community is expressing to the local artists – members and alumni of The Dawani Project, Inc. are now
frequently invited to perform, conduct workshops and mount exhibits, and even commissioned for their
talents and skills by shopping malls, high schools, LGUs and the provincial government.
With these said, social sustainability which may affect environmental and economic
sustainability is made possible.

In order to support and facilitate development, governments and development workers use social
marketing and social mobilization. These two emerged from the forerunners: development communication
and commercial marketing.
Social mobilization is wider in scope because it brings together all feasible and practical inter-
sectoral and social allies toward a particular developmental program, while social marketing involves
social ideas and values focusing more on emphasizing and empowering behaviour.
As discussed in the module: Social marketing is the marketing of social ideas and values, and
is formally defined by Kotler and Zaltman (1992) as “the design, implementation, and control of
programs calculated to influence the acceptability of social ideas, involving considerations of product,
pricing, communications, and market research”. On the other hand, social mobilization is “the
creation of vast social movement for a particular program.” It was defined by McKee (1992) as “the
process of bringing together all feasible and practical inter-sectoral and social allies to raise people’s
awareness of the demand for a particular development program, to assist in the delivery of resources and
services, and to strengthen community participation for sustainability and self-reliance.” Social
mobilization may be through advocacy, lobbying, using goodwill ambassadors, training programs, study
tours, participatory planning, establishment of community groups, and use of traditional and mass media.

The Dawani Project, Inc. is a social mobilization that rallies together local artists,
curators, educators, youth and students, public and private sectors, and local and provincial
governments in the name of culture and arts development and empowerment. This is through advocacy,
training programs, establishment of community groups (artistic groups in this case), and the use of
mass and social media.
This social mobilization initiative reinforces the values of devcom: purposive, pragmatic, and
value-laden, as well as touches its requisite values: empowerment, environmentalism,
entrepreneurship, and equity.

To sum up my learning, I hope I’m right with this table:

COMMERCIAL
TYPE OF MARKETING SOCIAL MARKETING
MARKETING
Concept people-centered production-centered
Approach Bottom-up Approach Trickle-down Approach
Objective human growth and social change economic growth and profits

SOCIAL MOBILIZATION
(The Dawani Project, Inc.)

I am relieved that The Dawani Project, Inc. is a social mobilization project worth reflecting about but
I am also looking forward to learning about the improvements that need to be applied to make it more
effective and efficient.
As early as now, I want to say thank you to my professor, Dr. Mel, and all of my classmates.
- Monay

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References:

Andreasen, Alan R. (2006), Social Marketing in the 21 st Century, Sage Publications, pp 3-29

Velasco, et.a l. (1999), DEVC208 Module (Social Marketing and Social Mobilization for Development),
pp. 1-14

UNICEF (2005), Strategic Communication for Behavior and Social Change in Southeast Asia, pp. 1-3

Figueroa, Ma. Elena, Kincaid, Lawrence D., Rani, Manju, and Lewis, Gary (2002), Communication for
Social Change Working Paper Series, pp 14-35

Ongkiko, Ila Virginia C. and Flor, Alexander G., DEVC202 Module (Introduction to Development
Communication), pp. 3-10, 130, 140-141

Social Change Introduction, http://www.worldanimal.net/documents/2_Social_Change_Introduction.pdf

Reports for Module 1 at MyPortal, https://myportal.upou.edu.ph/mod/forum/view.php?id=149355

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