THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAM

Dr. Edberto M. Villegas

The Development Studies Program was established in 1982 by the Division of the Social Sciences
(which became a Department in 1986) in response to the pressing problems and needs of Philippine society
which was then locked in the vise of a dictatorship whose so-called new society only further exacerbated the
impoverishment of the majority of Filipinos. Development as espoused by NEDA and other such government
institutions was being measured (as it is now) by the growing wealth of the whole nation but not how it is able
to uplift the economic conditions and political influence of the general masses.

Thus, the Dev Studies Programs objective, when it was instituted during this crucial period, was
primarily to study the situation and needs of the masses, specifically the marginalized sectors of Philippine
society the workers, peasants, fishers, the urban and rural poor, which comprise 85% of the people, but
who are merely subsisting in life or even starving without any economic, political nor cultural power in society.

Dev Stud Program, eschewing the mythical value-free orientation of the social sciences as expounded
by the West, takes as its primary direction the study of the problems and how to hurdle these of the
marginalized sectors of our society. It is committed to a democratic (majority people) and nationalist goal for
the Philippines, the latter to confront the urgent task of utilizing the rich resources of the country for the people
welfare, wresting its control from the hands of foreign corporations who partner with some local bourgeoisie.

With this responsibility comes also the emergence into political dominance of the deprived majority
classes of Philippine society, particularly the working class, comprising production and service workers
(including engineers and scientists), since this class is at the forefront of the present development of
technology and science in the world which must be used for the advancement of the general good and not for
personal profit, and worse to destroy our planet earth for the sake of colossal profit.

With these set goals, the Dev Stud Program, in some of its subjects, offers alternative economic,
political and cultural systems for Philippine society. The usual tool of analysis adopted by the faculty of Dev
Stud is the method of political economy, which dissects the dialectical interactions (how one affects the other
and which is primary and secondary) of the socio-economic and political factors of society.

CURRICULUM
The Dev Stud curriculum is currently described thus: The Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies
offered by the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Manila, is a multi-disciplinal social science course, combining
economics, political science and cultural studies. Its objective is to provide the students with the theories and
skills in the social, economic, political and cultural development of peoples. The program places emphasis on
the Philippine situation, though it has subjects on the problems of development of other countries, particularly
in the Third World.

The graduates of Development Studies easily find careers in the undertaking and supervision of socio-
economic projects both in the local and international scenes, in government institutions, in the foreign services,
non-government organizations and in the academe. The course also offers opportunities in business,
particularly in the fields of economic and financial analysis and managerial work. It could also serve as a
preparatory course for taking up law studies. The Dev Stud Program has been graduating an average of 20
students every year since 2001 from its original 5 to 10 a year when it started in 1982.

The Development Studies curriculum has a total of 144 units, consisting of 45 units of General
Education subjects, 17 units in economics, 36 units of required development studies subjects, 9 units of
electives (taken from other Philippine development and community development subjects) and 18 units other
required courses.

CURRICULUM CHANGES
From the previous 132 units, the Dev Stud has evolved into its present 144 total number of units with
the additions of new subjects, considered relevant to the needs of Philippine society and to sharpen the
theoretical and practical skills of its majors. In 1985, was added the required subject of Econ 131 (Quantitative
Analysis in Economics) and Math 101 (Elementary Statistics) and in 1998 a new subject was introduced, Dev
Stud 127 (Study of the Environment) as the danger of destroying the earth eco-system, including that of the
Philippines, was seen as very serious even by the capitalist -controlled UN. In 2003, Econ 131 was replaced
by Econ 115 (History of the Philippine Economy) and Math 101 by Soc Sci 192. It was seen that Econ 131 was
so esoteric and abstract which does not even consider that there are classes in society because it is supposed
to be mathematically neutral. And the taking of this course was at the expense of knowing the actual
development of the Philippine socio-economic history from its colonial time to the present. However, with the
addition of Econ 115, Econ 102 was also included as a required course, since it is a pre-requisite for the
former. Math 101(Elementary Statistics) was replaced in its turn by Soc Sci 192 (Research Methods for the
Social Sciences) as the students must develop the skills to apply in case studies the tools of statistics to the
actual conditions of Philippine society. (See Appendix 1 for the 2003 revision, which is the latest of the Dev
Stud program).

THE PRACTICUM PROGRAM OF THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

The practicum program of Development Studies is a required 6-units subject (Development Studies
190) in the third-year level offered during summer. The thrust of the practicum is towards integrating the
students with the marginalized sectors of Philippine society in the rural areas, which comprise the majority of
the Filipino people. Since 70% of Filipinos live in the rural areas, who are mostly peasants, agricultural
workers, fishers and other poor, the students immersed in the communities of these peoples for a period of one
month. The students conduct surveys regarding the conditions and problems of the rural poor and help the
latter to be self-reliant in organizing themselves to confront their problems.

The practicumers aim to imbibe their skills in research to their respondents, while at the same time
learning from the latter about the roots of the poverty in the countryside. To be truly accepted in the community,
the students may voluntarily participate in the every-day activities of the poor folks they interact with as in
joining community discussions, engaging in production work, threshing and harvesting crops, household
works, and if they are capable, going out to the sea with the fishers. The students are divided into teams of 3 to
5 members each, with a leader, and these teams stay with a foster parent or parents during the duration of the
practicum. The practicum program seeks to bring to the people in the rural sectors an awareness of their
conditions in relation to the problems of the whole Philippine society and their role in social transformations for
a better life for Filipinos (A more detailed presentation of the Practicum Program is presented as Appendix 2).

THE PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES FORUM

When the Dev Studies Program was founded in 1982 it had a journal called The Philippine
Development Studies Forum which came out every semester but which ceased publication after ten years due
to lack of financial support from the UP Manila administration. The focus of the journal was on Third World
problems, particularly in the Philippine setting. An issue of the journal would adopt a particular theme, for
instance, on problems of development in East Asia, and articles would revolve around this theme. Topics that
have been covered in past issues, among others, included studies on Latin America, the political programs of
Philippine political parties and theories on social science research. The Board of Editors of the journal
consisted of the faculty of the Department of the Social Sciences.

In 2003, it was proposed that the journal be revived to once again provide an outlet for the faculty of the
DSS for their researches and theoretical studies on development problems and issues as well as on the social
science in general. It was likewise proposed that the Philippine Development Forum be classified as a refereed
journal. The response of the UP Manila administration to this proposal is still forthcoming up to the present.

(APPENDIX I)
 College of Arts & Sciences
University of the Philippines Manila

PROPOSED CURRICULAR CHANGES in the BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Rationale:

The degree of Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies covers the theoretical and applied aspects of
development in the socio-economic, political and cultural domains of society. It seeks to balance the qualitative
and quantitative methods in confronting development problems, with particular emphasis on the Philippine
conditions.
A. Curricular Changes
1. Adoption of Courses
a) Economics 115. PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC HISTORY: Economic changes in
in the Philippines with emphasis on conditions since 1900.
Credit: 3 units
Pre-requisite: Econ 101 or Econ 102
Justification: Econ 115 is to replace Econ 131(Introduction to Quantitative Economics) since students
in Development Studies should know the issues and problems of the Philippine economy, especially those of
contemporary society. Moreover, this curricular change would also result in the balance of the total 15 units
economic subjects for Development Studies students two quantitative courses [Economics
101(Macroeconomics) and Economics 102 (Microeconomics); two qualitative courses, Economics 109 (History
of Economic Thought) and Economics 115(History of the Philippine Economy); and Economics 11 (Introduction
to Economics), which is both qualitative and quantitative.
b) Economics 102. MICROECONOMICS: Behavior of the consumer, the firm, the industry and allocation of
resources.
Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: Econ 11 or consent of instructor
Justification: This is a pre-requisite of Econ 115. With the inclusion of Econ 102, which is a
quantitative economics course in the curriculum of Development Studies majors, the balance in their economic
subjects which was mentioned in the justification of Econ 115 can be achieved.
c) Social Research 192. RESEARCH METHODS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES:
The study of basic and applied statistics as used in the various social sciences.
Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: Math1 and Math 11.
Justification: Soc Res 192 will replace Mathematics 101 (Elementary Statistics), the latter a pre-requisite of
Econ 131. Soc Res 192 has a social science orientation appropriate for Development Studies students instead
of being taught purely as a Math subject as is true with Math 101.

2. Deletion of Courses
a) Economics 131, INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE ECONOMICS:
Representation of economic phenomena in terms of elementary
mathematics and statistics..
Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: Econ 11, Math 100, Math 101
Justification: Econ 131 is to be replaced by Econ 115 since the latter better
provides Development Studies majors with a deeper acquaintance with
the nature of the Philippine economy. Dev Stud students need also to be
introduced to the empirical basis of the Philippine economy which Econ
115 fulfills unlike Econ 131 which is a highly theoretical subject.

b) Math 14. PLANE TRIGONOMETRY: Logarithms, graphs of the trigonometric

functions, the general triangle, solutions of trigonometric functions, inverse
trigonometric function, exponential and logarithmic equations, complex
numbers.
 Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: One year of high school algebra and one year of plane
Geometry
Justification: Since this is a pre-requisite of Econ 131, which is to be
deleted from the curriculum, Dev Stud majors need not to take it
anymore.

c) Math 100: INTRODUCTION TO CALCULUS: Limits, derivatives, integrals,

applicators
Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: Math 17 or consent of instructor
Justification: Since this is a pre-requisite of Econ 131, which is to be
deleted from the curriculum, Dev Stud majors need not to take it
anymore.

d) Math 101: ELEMENTARY STATISTICS: Presentation of data, frequency

distribution, central tendencies, index numbers, dispersion, normal curve,
Poisson curve, correlations, sampling distributions, elements of statistical
inference.
Credit: 3 Units
Pre-requisite: Math 11 or Math 17
Justification: Soc Res 192 which is basic and applied statistics as used
in the social sciences will replace Math 101. The former subject can
offer a more relevant approach to the study of statistics for the social
sciences.
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APPENDIX II

THE PRACTICUM PROGRAM OF THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

DETAILED SCOPE OF PRACTICUM PROGRAM:

The practicum program of Development Studies is a required 6-units subject (Development Studies
190) in the third-year level offered during summer. The thrust of the practicum is towards integrating the
students with the marginalized sectors of Philippine society in the rural areas, which comprise the majority of
the Filipino people. Since 70% of Filipinos live in the rural areas, who are mostly peasants, agricultural
workers, fishers and other poor, the students immersed in the communities of these peoples for a period of one
month. The students conduct surveys regarding the conditions and problems of the rural poor and help the
latter to be self-reliant in organizing themselves to confront their problems. The practicumers aim to imbibe
their skills in research to their respondents, while at the same time learning from the latter about the roots of
the poverty in the countryside. To be truly accepted in the community, the students may voluntarily participate
in the every-day activities of the poor folks they interact with as in joining community discussions, engaging in
production work, threshing and harvesting crops, household works, and if they are capable, going out to the
sea with the fishers. The students are divided into teams of 3 to 5 members each, with a leader, and these
teams stay with a foster parent or parents during the duration of the practicum. The practicum program seeks
to bring to the people in the rural sectors an awareness of their conditions in relation to the problems of the
whole Philippine society and their role in social transformations for a better life for Filipinos.

PLACES/AREAS WHERE PRACTICUM IS USUALLY CONDUCTED OR WILL BE CONDUCTED:

The practicum program covers a wide span of the Philippine territory in Luzon and the Visayas. Though
most of the areas are in Luzon, some practicumers were assigned to Panay during one summer. Islands of
Luzon are also reached like Palawan, Marinduque and Mindoro. The usual Luzon provinces covered are Rizal,
Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Pampanga, Quezon, Bicol, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan and Northern Luzon. The
students are assigned to certain barangays and sitios within these provinces since most of the marginalized
peoples live in the countrysides of these territories and not in the urban areas.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING THE SITES:
Before the start of the practicum program, there is a one-week orientation program for the students and
their parents/relatives conducted at the College of Arts and Sciences. The parents and relatives are informed
where their wards will be assigned and they asked questions regarding the conditions, peace and order,
accessibility, etc. of the designated sites. Parents and relatives can accompany their wards during departure
time to the sites.

The basic criteria in choosing a site is first that the people there are willing to take in practicumers and
second, the place is safe, that is it is not militarized nor is it a haven of rebels. To insure double safety of the
students, each of them carries a letter of introduction signed by the Department of the Social Science that they
are doing practicum work in the area. They are also required to make a courtesy call with the highest official in
the place, be it the barrio captain or the town mayor comprising a barrio or a sitio. When the students go to the
municipal hall to gather data, they always identify themselves as UP student researchers.

Another condition for selecting a site is that there are organizations of poor folks, peasants, fishers,
indigenous people, agricultural workers, or families with contacts with such organizations which can help the
students in their work and watch over their welfare. The experience of our practicumers is that poor folks in the
provinces are overly protective compared to urban dwellers concerning their safety and welfare, treating them
like their own children. Many of our students after the practicum period undergo emotional, even tearful, parting
from their foster parents. Many of the sites lack the ordinary amenities enjoyed by urban people like electricity,
accessible schools and health centers. It is by knowing that the majority of the barangays and sitios in the
Philippines suffer from such depressed conditions can our Development Studies students be truly enlightened
and moved to help their countrymen in development.

Since most of the sites are in Luzon, the faculty handling practicum subjects can easily reach the
students and visit them at regular intervals. Faculty and the practicumers have to defray their own
transportation costs. The practicumers and faculty have also to contribute to the fares of facilitators and guides
who are volunteers from the non-government organizations (to be discussed below) that the Development
Studies Program networks with. When the students are in the area, they share the same food of the family they
stay with. The foster parents are instructed not to prepare anything special for the practicumers since the
purpose of the program is for the students to experience the actual conditions of the poor in the provinces.
However, because of the added mouths to be fed by the foster parents, economic burden on them must be
borne in mind. The students may supplement the food of their foster parents with simple fares, like canned
goods.

Because of such problems mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Development Studies Committee
of the Department of the Social Sciences have attempted to request from the UP Manila administration for a
regular budget to support its practicum program. Way back in 1997, it submitted a budget proposal to the UP
Manila admin outlining the costs to be incurred for a summer practicum, but to no avail. We hope that if we
proffer a new budget proposal for the practicum, the present administration will be more sympathetic.

Parents and other relatives of the practicumers can visit their wards at designated time like during the
middle of the practicum, when the students make an assessment of their experiences so far in the site itself or
in the office of the organization that is supervising them in the province. During such visitations, the parents
can bring food to their children. At other times, parents and relatives can communicate at set schedules with
their wards through the cellphones if there are signals reaching the site. Such communications are scheduled
by the organization assisting the students since the practicum activities of the students must not be unduly
interrupted if it is allowed for them to call up their relatives anytime.

At those periods when they cannot get in touch with the students, relatives can call up the office of the
non-government organization supervising the practicum or the office of the Department of the Social Science
to inquire about the status of their wards. Some parents even call up the private cellphones of the head of the
Development Studies Program to ask about how their children are doing.
 The Development Studies Program, specifically the Development Studies Practicum Committee,
partners with the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates (NNARA), a non-government organization
which affiliates with organizations of peasants, fishers and indigenous peoples, like the Kilusang Mangbubukid
ng Pilipinas, Pamalakaya (an organization of fishers), KasmaTK (peasant organization in Southern Tagalog,
and Sentra (peasant organization in Central and Northern Luzon). The youth arm of NNARA provides
facilitators and guides to the practicum program who accompany the students at certain times during the
practicum. The UP administration has an existing five-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with NNARA
and each student is required to have a waiver signed by their parents or guardians based on the regulations of
UP before the start of the practicum.

PROJECTED STUDENT OUTPUT AND FACULTY EXPECTATIONS:

The grading system of the practicum is as follows: 75% is given by a field coordinator in consultation
with the faculty handling the practicum based on community participation, attitude, and organizing ability; and
25% given solely by the faculty based on the written outputs of the student, comprising a practicum journal
narrating the experiences, particularly the development of awareness about social problems, and a group
report on the conditions and problems of the site the team of the students are assigned to. The team gives
recommendations on how to confront, even solve the problems of the community where it underwent the
practicum. The team is given a group grade for their written output. They are required to submit a copy of their
group report to the organization which assisted them in the practicum so that their research on the place as
well as their recommendations may be of use to the rural poor they interacted with. The practicum program
above all avoids using the poor as experimental guinea pigs who are just something for urban dwellers to be
curious about and to be studied. The practicum program aims to empower the marginalized or underprivileged
sectors of our society and provide them with knowledge to better analyze their lot. Many of our students, after
the enlightening episode with the rural poor, have joined NGOs helping the latter after they graduated from
college.

After the practicum, the Development Studies Program conducts a general practicum conference in UP
Manila, sometimes at the Social Hall of PGH, where each team narrates their experiences and lessons learned
so that the other teams from other provinces may also know the travails and development of consciousness of
their fellow students. The practicum conference is open to all DevStud students, even those who are still to
take the practicum. The practicumers also invite their parents, foster parents from their sites, facilitators and
guides, and other relatives and friends to attend the general conference held sometime in June. It is the
students themselves who organize the conference, breaking themselves into committees to handle the
program of the activities, documentation of the proceedings and food for the participants since the conference
is a one-day affair.

QUALIFICATION OF FACULTY HANDLING THE PRACTICUM:

The faculty handling the practicum program must have some experience in community immersion and
organizing. He must be ready to travel to remote places in the Philippines, sleep in peasants huts and eat the
food of the rural poor like fried salagubang and adobong dagang palay. In short, he must not be squeamish
and love to live outdoor (the practicumers have often to walk miles if there is no transportation available, even
climbing mountains, to reach a place).

ANNUAL SCHEDULE OF PRACTICUM:

As already mentioned the practicum is conducted every summer, with the mode of travel including
riding in buses, jeepneys, trucks, tricycles, boats and ferries, carabaos, and by foot. The usual number of
students who take DS 190 range from 40 to 60 and the number of faculty from two to three.

Submitted by:
The Development Studies Practicum Committee
Members: Prof. Roland Simbulan
Prof. John Ponsaran
Dr. Edberto M. Villegas
Prof. Karol Baguilat