The communication umbrella: On the days when the rain ends and steps begin

No matter how the Philippines progresses, the fact remains that millions of Filipinos are still beyond the reach of development. This is evident in the simplest of problems: barangays still relying on the flow of water from old wells, youth paddling through mud to get to school, and rural communities experiencing traffic that was once a problem only in cities. Despite the proliferation of malls, roads, and high-rises, the average Filipino is increasingly mired in misery.

As an associate professor, DevCom practitioner, and communication scholar, I do not just claim the profession and stare; I feel the weight of the privilege that has brought me to a level that most Filipinos cannot reach. In Dr. Nora C. Quebral’s (1971) view, development communication is not just a field but a commitment to using it to free people from poverty. The academia’s role revolves around this stance.

Matagal nang nagsimula kung bakit hindi matapos-tapos ang panahong mapalaya sa kahirapan ang marami nating kababayan, at kung bakit nananatiling developed countries ang marami maliban sa atin na matagal nang “developing.” (Parating gamit ang katagang“free the people from poverty” sa mga pambansang layunin at napatingkad ng Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas, at naging pandaigdigang inisyatiba na merong mga solusyong “specific” at talagang magagawa o “actionable” gaya ng sa SDGs.)

Why Development Is Not Inclusive

The lack of water and heavy traffic in rural areas, especially in urban areas, are not simple inconveniences. They are symptoms of deep structural inequalities. Through the lens of DevCom, these problems are not just technical. They are communication problems: lack of participatory governance, transparency (including that of people’s debt but supposedly “confidential” funds for those who are not in positions of defense force leadership and security), and proper planning based on real needs (except the ones needed by politicians as they milk the public treasury with ghost flood control and other ghost projects).

Poverty communication is also at the center of academics like Dr. John Ponsaran, who argues that poverty should not be portrayed as an individual failure, but rather as a product of systems that create unequal opportunities such as the “equal access to opportunities for public service” provided for in the 1987 Constitution. Through poverty communication, we expose gaps in public services, the uneven distribution of resources, and policies that favor the rich over the poor.

This is also where governance communication comes in like that of Dr. Benjamina Paula Flor, who promotes communication as a tool for responsible governance. In governance comm, government programs are not only announced; it encourages citizens to participate, ask questions, observe, and stand up against corruption and neglect.

Without governance comm, people will remain asleep in the face of fund misuse. Without poverty comm, the voice of the oppressed will be kept silent. Without DevCom, true development will remain a dream.

Political Problems: Dynastic Clans, Nepo Babies, and Poor Governance

Why the people remain poor cannot be separated from politics. This is where the importance of political communication comes in. It’s not propaganda but a medium for raising awareness, explaining policies, and empowering the people to understand how power works. It’s borrowed or hiram na kapangyarihan on the part of government authorities.

Many decisions of a few families affect the fate of millions of Filipinos. Despite the clear prohibition of political dynasties in the Constitution, the dominance of a few clans continues. Behind the flashy campaigns, many of them are “nepo babies” of parents who abuse their position. If the people do not intervene and remain unaware of the use and abuse of power, the cycle of the poor suffering and the powerful ruling will continue. Maybe in 2028, we will still be chanting, “Ikulong na ‘yan, mga kurakot.”

Education’s Role and The Invisible Teacher

That is why political communication is so important as a subdiscipline. It serves as: a bridge to understand public policies; a light against disinformation; an instrument to open public discussion; and a weapon for the periodic needs of the masses for good governance.

Without an informed citizenry, there is no true democracy. Without democracy, there is no development, and without development, the poor will continue to bear the burden of a country that only favors the few.

In a situation where limitations are increasingly severe—traffic, distance, calamities, and plagues (who can say that these won’t happen again?)—the country needs more than interpersonal communication. It needs alternative methods of education that are more flexible and accessible. This is where Dr. Alexander G. Flor’s important concept in The Invisible Teacher (2017) comes in.

In distance education, the teacher may not be physically present, but his or her presence is felt in every material, module, video, and interaction. The teacher acts as an invisible facilitator, an invisible guide who facilitates learning even if the student is in a distant town, overseas, or has difficulty traveling due to traffic or lack of money.

It’s a timely assessment. If accessibility is a problem, the invisible teacher is the answer. If distance is a barrier, distance education is the bridge.

If students are left behind, communication is the provider of opportunities.

My duty is not only to teach within the four corners of the classroom, but also to be a visible and invisible teacher, a promoter of dreams for young people who have talent but lack opportunities.

A Single Umbrella for Communication Branches

For Dr. Felix Librero (2018), regardless of the discipline—MassCom, Crisis Communication, Development Communication, or Strategic Communication—they must come together for a single goal: the goodness, progress, and power of the people.

The fields are not separate.

Not enemies.

Not competition.

My fellow communicators and professors and I serve as the connecting link between these arms. Through teaching, students are shown that communication is not just about speaking or creating media output.

Communication can also raise awareness, connect, mobilize, transform, and liberate.

Social Justice Goals

We believe in DevCom, poverty communication, political communication, governance communication, and distance education that the same principle applies: people are at the center of our efforts.

If communication does not serve the people, it is empty. If education does not empower the poor, it is deficient or even smacks of stupidity. If politics does not promote goodness, it is abuse. If progress is not felt, it is an illusion.

To the aging disciples of their respective professions in communication and journalism, answer the calls to awaken the youth, shape critical thinking, and show that under the great umbrella of communication, there is room for every Filipino to dream and rise.

With every lesson shared, there’s a Filipino who is gradually freed, there’s a student who doesn’t rely on artificial intelligence and instead gives the right space and time to human relationships, there’s a family hoping for a better future, and society gradually stepping towards justice and inclusive development.