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Quebral-Flor Pan Theory in Development Communication By Ruth G. Mercado

Development Communication has found Filipino theoretic presence in a Quebral-Flor Pan Theory. The versatility of the Filipino Development Communication Pan Theory is its applicability in sub-disciplines like health, risk communication, environment communication, Gospel communication and even the communication phenomenon of music. This has made significant inroads of Filipino theoretic presence in an era of post modernism.

In 2012, UP Professor Emeritus Nora Quebral revised and rewrote her own definition of Development Communication. She then authored the definition that Development Communication is the science of human communication linked to the transitioning of communities from poverty in all its forms to a dynamic, overall growth that fosters equity and the unfolding of individual potential. This is perhaps the first time that Development Communication is taken as a discipline of the science of human communication. The other components of the science of human communication are the transitioning of communities from poverty in all its forms such that it would bring an unfolding of individual potential. Here poverty in all its forms includes all forms of cultural decades including political corruption, cultural decadence, impoverished social values and spiritual regression, among others. What kinds of messages must be communicated so it would bring about a “transitioning.”

Dr. Alexander Flor in his Fifth Theory of the Press described the Development Communication model as one that addresses the relationship of Man to his entire Environment. The soundness of this theory was traced to its profound appreciation of the role of communication in all walks of life. A significant knowledge increment that Flor contributed is the three major values that guide the practice of Development Communication. Flor posited that Development Communication is purposive because the purpose of communication is to influence the behavior of the receiver with a desired outcome. Development Communication is pragmatic because communication is results oriented as it checks the factors that contribute to the success or failure of communication. Development Communication is values laden because it assumes that there is an attached value that every message communicates. People assume certain biases on how development is achieved. Because of this bias of communication, Flor also takes authorial control of the social dynamics triad of communication, culture and social policy. The three dimensions exist in a three-way continuum where the conscious dimension is communication, the intuitive dimension is culture and the rationale dimension is policy. “One cannot study communication without culture. Similarly the study of culture becomes an attempt to study communication patterns. Social transformation is determined by communication. Policy makes it possible for transitioning to continue even after transformation.

It is because the Quebral-Flor Development Communication theory is built on the framework as the science of human communication that all other communication stalwarts now come under this meta and pan theory. Among the theories that may be considered to have come under the Quebral-Flor Pan Theory are Lasswell’s policy science, Robert Craig’s seven traditions and even Harold Adams Innis time and space-based media and communication bias. In this milestone, the Los Banos school of thought where Quebral and Flor both belong have found theoretic presence in post modernism paradigm.

refrences:

Nora Quebral, Development Communication Primer, 2012

Ongkiko, Ila Virginia and Flor, Alexander. Introduction to Development Communication.