Eastern Star Academy, Inc. Senior High School Department: Pre-Test
Eastern Star Academy, Inc. Senior High School Department: Pre-Test
Eastern Star Academy, Inc. Senior High School Department: Pre-Test
Pre-test
Directions: Read and analyze the sentences and identify the kind of community where they belong. Use the
given choices.
____1. There is only one basic source of income for the people in the community.
____2. Presence of elaborate road systems, traffic lights, underground roads and elevated platforms or
highways to and from the central business district.
____3. The large communities of La Trinidad and Sayangan, Atok
____4. People have to ride horses or walk for hours to reach their relatives in the next town. Lots of natural
parks and undeveloped natural resources.
____5. Houses are built close to each other; there are some parks around for the people to visit; there are
many people but after 7:00 pm, they are at home
____6. Sky-rise buildings, lot of banks and people are still working even at night.
____7. One common language, one common culture, few people
____8. Mixed culture, Mixed language, Very specialized jobs, busy streets 24/7
In the previous module, you have learned about the definitions of community using various perspectives
which include the following: social science, institutions, civil society, and local/grassroots level. The social
sciences are viewed as the study Of people and societies while institutions are social structures composed
of Individuals exhibiting patterns of behavior forming conventions and norms in the Society. More so, civic
society refers to the people and groups bounded by their Fundamental belief structures. Lastly, local
organizations are directly appointed by the government headed by either an appointment personnel or a
career official from their own rank.
Being a Cordilleran and a resident of this region, let us study first our indigenous villages or “ili”. How are
these villages formed and what are the structures and functions that contributed to its development? What
are the basic needs and characteristics of an indigenous community then? Is it the same as the present
communities? Did these structures change?
Based from the images and activities presented in this module, most of our answers will be focused on the
physical structures that we see around us, like hospitals or clinics, schools, houses, and establishments for
especial purposes like factories, government buildings and economic structures like market, roads, banks,
farms.
Again, let us recall how we defined “community” - it is a group of people bounded by place or location,
identity, values and influence, norms, culture and goals. This is our initial understanding of community. A
basic ingredient in a community is the structure which refers to the physical and geographical elements.
This is likened to a territory as an element of a state where boundaries have to be established to clarify
which community one belongs. Aside from this, the lines or the boundaries also marked the extent of
resources one village owns or protects. These are the sources from which the needs of the people in that
community are satisfied. The geographical and physical elements of a community are some categories
from which we can classify communities
Let us take a look at some indigenous communities in our region especially in Mountain Province.
Here, the photo of Sadanga village is a very good example of a community structure based on
function and purpose. Agricultural activities have been sustained by practicing an Indigenous
system of setting areas in the community purposely for residence; a portion of land is for planting,
and forest reservation aside from giving a natural protection and defense against possible attacks
from outsiders. Along the Halsema Highway too, many communities along this road are agricultural
because of the rich and fertile soil the environment offers. Aside from having a source of food,
people can make a living here by supplying the vegetable needs of the nearby regions as far as
Metro Manila. They can satisfy their basic and essential needs by farming.
In parts of Itogon where the land is rich in mineral deposits like gold, the communities are formed
because of a common livelihood and a shared experience of struggle and success. Where
economic structures sustain the satisfaction of physical needs, other needs like social
(belongingness) and cultural (values and identity) can be satisfied.
Where the physical structure and resources satisfy the needs of the people, the socio-cultural structures
also come into place. When goals and needs are fulfilled, the people become rooted in that place and
develop relations with those near them. Shared experiences are more than enough language to make
people understand each person’s joys and pains.
In these types of simple homogenous communities, the political structures, leadership values and a
concept of society / government are formed because of the need to relate to other communities.
Cooperatives and organizations are formed to have a stronger one voice for the community’s welfare and
the need to regulate the entry of people from other places.
Leadership concepts may vary from an indigenous community to the urbanized neighborhoods. A very
good element of leadership among the IP communities is name or lineage. Reputations of families play
very significant roles in community decisions which are decided usually by respected council of elders.
These leaders are there for life unless removed by reasonable grounds determined by the council. In the
traditional indigenous communities, these physical boundaries are not as clear as in the present-day
urbanized communities.
This is not the same in the highly urbanized communities where there is so much diversities in culture,
norms of behavior and concept of property. Leadership also varies as well as following of ordinary people.
In the modern and urbanized communities, the structures are different. People have varied and very
diverse values and concepts of leadership since more than majority of them are migrants. Of these, many
come to city or urban areas for their education and employment. Hence, their membership in the
community is temporary.
Their relations with the inhabitants are very formal, loose, business-like relations. Unlike in the village
community, leadership in the urban community is very different. The top-to-bottom decisions are not always
favorable to all because of the diverse views on issues and their own personal goals. Influence which is
often a given condition in the Indigenous People’s (IP) communities is not automatic.
Furthermore, several small communities seek for recognition and support for their own goals, but tend to
see other groups battling for limited resources. To be brief, there is more on competition than sharing.
Likewise, Informal and formal groups tend to promote their own welfare yet habitual conflicts are inevitable.
The photo of Stobosa is a very good example of sharing space and being involved in community activities.
Local tourist are amazed by the ability of people to maximize space and share resources – this is one
character of the indigenous mind frame of the Cordillerans.
This diversity has also changed the community in terms of the socio-cultural and economic structures. Now,
young people are more aware of the new possibilities and vast opportunities the urban communities offer.
Hence, many of them tend to leave the countryside and stay in the cities for education and employment.
Family affairs like weddings and funerals and special occasions like Christmas and All Souls’ Day
are the times when families come together. So, the socio-cultural structures have been dynamically
changed.
But with the advancement of technology in communication, we can already communicate with our loved
ones even if they are in different places and time zones. Communities that are established from
geographical foundations can still sustain connectivity to fill in the gaps when some members are no longer
residing in the same place. With virtual communities being possible and the relations are real, the
members’ needs are met and satisfied to a certain extent. Subsequently, there are schools or educational
institutions that may help the community educate the children while some can work in the fields or in the
factories.
These educational institutions are also guided by the goals of the community which are based on the larger
community, the nation and the league of nations. Going back to the agricultural communities of Halsema
highway, many members of the community are not university graduates so their knowledge on the political
economy is limited. Many of them are also relying on a single source of income which is unstable due to
oversupply, low quality of vegetables, natural calamities or typhoon and extreme cold weather. With these
other needs and issues they have, organizations are formed like cooperatives and leaders seek
government help in the form of laws and infrastructure projects.
When these things do not sustain the very source of income of many community members, there are at
least two possibilities: change in leadership or change in livelihood. Moreover, in the last decade, many of
the farmers’ children have finished a degree in agriculture, education and criminology. Many of these young
people have worked abroad especially in the East and Southeast Asian countries and were able to send
remittances to their families. Clearly, the function of the physical community to provide livelihood for its
members has been redefined. Members who are not physically living in community are still providing for
their families. Connectivity and family obligations are still intact.
Lastly, there are four possible leadership styles based on how a leader relates to his/her subordinates or
colleagues.
WORKSHEETS
Name:_______________________________ Module #______________________
Grade and Section:_______________________ Date:_________________________
Identify Me!
Directions: Identify what is being asked for by writing SC for Socio-Cultural, PO for
Political, E for Economic, and PH for Physical and Health on the spaces given.
____1. Hospitals and clinics
____2. Barangay Ordinances on Waste Disposal
____3. Sanguniang Kabataan
____4. Foot bridges and paved footpaths
____5. Dances and rituals prior to harvest
____6. Infrastructures like roads, gymnasium for community gatherings
____7. Organization of Parents and Teacher / PTA
____8. Value of close family ties, reunions, attending wakes / lamay
____9. The community is located near a big river and a dead volcano
____10. The community leaders are members of a federation of leaders
____11. Municipal Government from the Mayor to the Councilmen
____12. Cooperatives, Banks and other Financial Institutions
____13. Markets and local factories
____14. Ecotourism as a sustainable source of income
____15. Philippine Military Academy, an elite school for soldiers
Directions: In 3-5 sentences, briefly answer the following questions in your answer
sheets.
1. What is community?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. What are the functions of communities in terms of structures, dynamics, and
processes?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Directions: In 3-5 sentences, briefly answer the following questions: