Development in the Philippines: When
Does it Happen/Occur?
(Written by:
Jose Angelo Lorenzo S. Gomos)
There are many causes of poverty in our country today. Some of these
causes are the growth of population, our mismanaged economic system, our social
and cultural issues, the poor education given to the less fortunate and
illiterate citizens, the endless flow of the poverty cycle, and the devastating
natural disasters. We have the tendency to ask ourselves the most basic of all
questions: When does development happen? When does development occur? When do
people start to realize that our country needs a major improvement in terms of
its political affairs, economic situation, social issues, and cultural values?
When should people start to act for the change? The answer is simple –
development does happen at any time and in any place. How could this be possible?
Let us find it out!
There are many ways on how to develop our country. In my previous
composition, I wrote about starting the change by ourselves. It is possible.
But there should be an effect to it. Consequently, we need to start the change
by ourselves and we need to influence others to do the same. If many people
will have the change of heart to gain the eagerness, determination, motivation,
and inspiration to develop our society, our community, and our country, then
the development of our country is possible to happen at any time and in any
place. When we all realize that change needs to be done, then we must respond
to it immediately and act it out completely in cooperation with each other for
all our sakes. When we all work hand in hand together, then the development of
our country is possible to happen.
There were many events that happened during the timeline of our country
with its rich and complex history when our ancestors worked together and gave
their successful contribution for the sake of the improvement, development, and
freedom of our country. Three of these were: the Philippine Revolution during
the Spanish Colonization; the Philippine triumph with the aid of the American
allies during the Second World War; and the most famous of all, the first
People Power Revolution to abolish dictatorship in our country and to give
freedom to all oppressed Filipinos. All these historical events made us proud
to be Filipinos because they all were in favor for the development of our country.
These events were made possible by the courage and nobility of the Filipino
people who humbly and proudly participated in it. These are all famous examples
of when and how the development of our country can possibly happen.
In my personal opinion, there are three stages that could contribute for
our country’s development. With these three stages, people can easily attain
our country’s improvement and fulfill the Filipino Dream. These are the stages
of realization, cooperation, and maintenance. All these stages can create a
fruitful and fulfilling effect to our country and to its citizens. These stages
can even change the way people think, the way they act, and the way they give
concern to our country and our fellow countrymen. These stages could even give
the possibility to enhance our way of lives, manage our economic stability,
alter our social situation, preserve and improve our cultural values and norms,
give proper education to the less fortunate and illiterate citizens, and even
break the poverty cycle and stop it from its ongoing flow.
Realization
Realization is one main thought that most people could acquire.
Realization is important for our country’s progress because it involves
critical thinking that would give wisdom to all who think about it. The people
need to realize the current state of our country. They also need to realize
what are the major problems that we have and what we are ought to contribute in
order to solve it and to improve it towards its betterment. Through
realization, the people will become more vigilant in the current affairs of our
country and will obtain the tendency to become more observant in the country’s
situation. The people will also become more involved to participate in activities
that could lead our country towards its best progress and development. When
people begin to realize what our country needs and what is the best way for us
to improve it with our contributing efforts, our country will succeed.
Realization isn’t all about critical thinking either. It encourages
people to think properly and comprehensively. It helps people understand what
our country’s current state is. It makes the people more intelligent in their
ways. It even helps to further our lifestyle by thinking more than the
ordinary. All the problems of our country have a common root and a common cause
that lead to numerous devastating effects. As citizens of our country, we must
feel obligated to realize what are the problems accumulating in our country,
what is their ultimate cause, what is the proper way to solve the problems, and
what are some acts or doings that could improve our country for the better.
Realization is the way for us to start the change in our country. The
realization among the people could pave the way to the rise of our country’s
better development.
Cooperation
In order for our country to grow, the citizens must actively cooperate
with each other to lead it towards its greater development. How can our country
achieve its greater glory and receive its fulfilling triumph when people do not
cooperate with one another? Most of the time, we complain about our country’s
economy, political affairs, situation under the poverty line, social and
cultural views, and traditional ways. But are we contributing anything for its
change? Should we just ignore our country’s problems and indulge in a
comfortable lifestyle with ourselves? Should we just rely too much on the
government for our country to reach its highest extent? If our country suffers
terribly and will somehow become incurable and hopeless, should we just blame
other people for their personal nonchalance, indecisions and undoing? If that’s
what we choose to do and are currently doing, then it is sheer folly and
completely devastating for our country. Our country will never develop properly
when we do not cooperate with one another to start the change. When we have a
full realization of the present and realistic situation of our country, then we
can start to cooperate with one another in full participation for the
development and for the betterment of our country. We may start with subtle
things, and when we keep on cooperating with each other for the improvement of
our country, chances are, our country will grow progressively and fruitfully.
All we need is cooperation with our fellow Filipinos.
As a student of Development Communication, how can I cooperate with my
fellow countrymen for the development of my country? I can communicate with
them properly. Communication is also part of cooperation. Furthermore, it is an
act of cooperation to lead our country to its development. In order for one
group to cooperate properly, they must engage into appropriate and good
communication to achieve their work’s fulfillment. In my course, we have
numerous activities that could enhance our communication skills. Writing is one
form of communication. A writer can communicate well to its reader by writing
about descriptive and persuasive essays that describe the current situation of
our country and persuade the reader that people can make a change with hope and
determination. Photography can also be an instrument of communication. One
compelling view captured by a bright flash of the camera which would eventually
result into a magnificent picture could be captioned with more than a thousand
words. One stunning and realistic photo that is taken in one of the many places
where the problems of our country is incredibly and overwhelmingly evident,
could tell a factual story about the deteriorating situation on some parts of
our country and could be understood by the one looking keenly at the picture. One
photo could change its viewers’ perception about our country. One photo could
lead people to a belief that our country is worthy to be changed. One photo
could encourage people to change their lifestyle and cooperate in making our
country, our society, and our community a better place to live in. The evidence
of our country’s situation could be seen and is apparent through one stellar
picture.
If there is one activity in my course which excites me the most, it is
the immersion. In the immersion, the students of Development Communication will
receive the opportunity to experience what it is like living below the poverty
line. In order for us to cooperate with one another for our country’s progress,
Development Communicators must first internalize the lifestyle of the
impoverished people - becoming one with them and experiencing what they are
currently living. It is in this activity that one can realize the basic
problems of the poor and the less fortunate and how their situation can affect
our country. It is also an opportunity for us to communicate well with them,
teaching them that, we, the people of the Philippines, are all equal regardless
of our social status; that they too can cooperate along with our fellow
countrymen for the development of our country; and that all of us must work together
for good in order to attain our country’s highest extent of improvement.
Maintenance
People are usually at their best during the start of an activity and
would eventually get tired of doing it afterwards. In the same case in our
country, when people start to realize and cooperate somehow to make a better
change for our country, and when they have started doing compassionate acts for
our country’s development, they are just good at first and then they would
eventually give it all up and end what they are doing because of sheer frustration
and laziness. Conclusively, our country will never go forward to its success if
people are doing this cycle over and again and all the time. Our country will
never grow and progress if we do not finish what we are doing for it.
In order for us to break the cycle of frustration and laziness, we must
maintain what we are compassionately doing in full commitment and high determination
for our country. Maintenance is also one
factor and is the last stage for our country’s development. If we keep on maintaining
what we do for the sake of our country and for the sake of ourselves and for
our fellow countrymen, then our country will certainly grow further. Commitment
can also be used for maintaining what we do best for our country. We must all
be committed to maintain our righteous and virtuous acts in full realization
and cooperation with each other that could eventually lead to a fruitful effect
to the future of our nation.
In conclusion, it is possible for our country to start and further its
development at any time and in any place if we all still obtain a thread of
hope for it. When does development in the Philippines happen or occur? It can
happen and occur at the same time when people start to comprehensively realize
what our country is presently experiencing and what we should do to develop it
further; when people start to actively cooperate with each other and to
anticipate for the progression of our country; and when people maintain in full
commitment and infallible determination the compassionate acts that must be
done to further the development of our country. And when the development of our
country is still in process, there is a high possibility that we could somehow
manage to solve the common problems of our country and finally earn a way to
end them. I know that one day, with our hopes high and our deeds evidently
productive, our country will certainly rise to its full extent, earning worthy
exultation from all its humble and proud citizens. Any time is freely available
for us to start the change. We could even start the change now.
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