Transforming B’laan Communities Through Communication: The Case of the UP Manila Community Health and Development Program

Abstract

Twenty four B'Iaan residents of Barangay Kalkam in Tupi, South Cotabato were surveyed to détermine how UP Manila Community Heaith and Development Program (CHDP) attempted to transform them by exploring normative changes.

Anchored on transformational communication framework inspired by Flor and Smith (1997), the study identified the communication approaches employed in transforming B'iaan's responses to CHDP using KAP study; and elicit findings on normative changes through videography.

Results showed that heaith communication interventions are limited to printed média and face-to-face communication; Heaith Development Education is moderately understandable, readable, and accessible (mean = 2.75); and social mobilization efforts involved little participation (mean = 2.4). It was aiso revealed that Systems approach to communication is open and participatory, but not feedback-driven. Respondents believed that CHDP is not difficult to follow, convincing, ethical and can improve healthy lifestyle (mean = 3.24).

Using videographic codes, normative changes on issues pertaining to malnutrition, dengue campaign and teenage pregnancy were not évident.

Although CHDP is currently not operationalizing the idéal development communication intervention which triggers societal transformation among B'Iaan entities, the rich use of interpersonal verbal messages, fréquent personal interaction and the use of indigenous média can be improved to transform them.