SOCIAL, MORAL, and ECONOMIC ISSUES

In this module, you will learn about determining various social, moral, and economic
issues in the text listened to. It is important to know about this topic to help you scrutinize
ideas that suggest this kind of issues to enable you to think of possible solutions for these
problems.

What's In
In your previous lesson, you learned about facts and opinions. Let us recall what you have
learned about that lesson by answering the activity below. Write the word FACT if it is true
and proven, and OPINION if it involves your feelings or how someone else feels about a
particular topic. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. There are 447,039 confirmed CoVid-19 cases in the Philippines as of December 11,
2020.
2. I think his skin color is not pleasant to the eyes.
3. The senator was arrested because of graft and corruption.
4. I don't think it is okay for him to marry that woman.
5. The woman who left the hospital a while ago has committed an abortion.

If you have noticed, in this activity, you came across these phrases:
1. "CoVid-19 cases."
 A pandemic is considered one of the biggest health crises in the
Philippines.

2. "Skin color is not pleasant to the eyes."

 This phrase conveys the sense of being racist, which is a form of
discrimination because of skin color.

1
 3. "Graft and corruption."
 This case is one of the problems that a certain country or organization
faces – having dishonest employees and officials in a certain organization,
just like in the government.

4. "Not okay for him to marry that woman."

 In this phrase, we can sense the woman's dislike – a common problem
faced by everyone due to the differences in beliefs.

5. "Committed abortion."
 Abortion is immoral in some cultural beliefs.

All these phrases are common problems or issues that a certain society is facing.
These problems are examples of social, moral, and economic issues. But what do you
understand when we say social, moral, and economic issues? How do we determine various
social, moral, and economic issues in a text?

What's New
This part of the module will lead you to an initial understanding of the different
social, moral, and economic issues. To help you identify and classify issues depicted in a text,
let's look at the short text.

“The government has intensified its fight against national problems such as
illegal drugs, gender inequality, corruption, and poverty. These are leeches
that made the country bleeds.

Processing Questions:
1. What do you think the author meant with the term "leech"?
2. What kind of issue do you think illegal drugs, gender inequality, corruption, and
poverty are?

What Is It

If we try to dig deeper, the quote above points out three of the most prevalent issues in
society nowadays, which the speaker has compared to "leech," which made the country
bleeds. On the other hand, if we are to classify these issues, illegal drugs and gender
inequality fall under social issues, corruption belongs to the moral issue. At the same time,
poverty is an example of an economic issue.
 These issues may be interpreted differently by different people, but in general, they all
contribute to one complex web of interrelated points of concern that every country is
experiencing. For you to understand more, read the definition and examples of the three
issues.

A. Social Issues
Social issues are problems that influence many citizens within a society. It is a
common problem in present-day society and one that many people strive to solve. It is
often the consequence of factors extending beyond an individual's control. Social
issues are the source of a conflicting opinion on what is perceived as morally correct
or incorrect personal life or interpersonal social life decisions. In other words, social
issues are issues affecting the human relationship.

Examples of social issues are the different forms of discrimination, broken

family, sabotage, bullying, peace & order, drug abuse, etc.

B. Moral Issues
Moral issues involve the difference of belief and not a matter of preference,
the experience of a special kind of feeling, a specific kind of situation where actions
affect other people, and actions that have the potential to help or harm others
ourselves. In other words, moral issues are issues relating to principles of right
and wrong.

Examples of moral issues are gay marriage, stealing, abortion, teenage

pregnancy, illicit affairs, gambling, graft & corruption, prostitution, etc.

C. Economic Issues
The economic issues assert that there is a scarcity or that the finite resources
available are insufficient to satisfy all human wants and needs. The problem then
becomes how to determine what is to be produced and how the production factors are
to be allocated. Economics revolves around methods and possibilities of solving the
economic problem. This problem arises mainly due to the fact that human wants are
unlimited means to satisfy human wants are scarce. In other words, economic issues
are issues involving the country's economic resources.

Examples of economic issues are poverty, inflation, environmental issues,

health issues, etc.

In locating these issues in the text, such as literary pieces, you must understand how
the plotline is affected by aspects of the world depicted in the story. Determine which aspects
of societal problems in the fictional world change the characters' actions and the outcome of
the narrative. Consider the contemporary social issues operating in the world of the author.
 What's More
To solidify your understanding and skills of the topic, below are a series of activities
that will enrich your mastery of the lesson in analyzing the ideas that suggest social, moral,
and economic issues.

Activity 1. Look Out

Directions: Encircle the different examples of social, moral, and economic issues in the
puzzle below. Do this on a separate sheet of paper.

B T U L M C D R S L M F G C D A
A U V K S T E A L I N G H B E B
B S L J N B E Q T K N E I A F O
C R W L O A F P U J O D J Z G R
D Q X I Y Z G O V I P C K Y H T
E P R A C I S M W H Q B Y X I I
F O Y H P Y N N X G R T L W J O
G A M B L I N G Y F R A M V K N
G N Z G Q X H M Z E S Z N U L S
H M A F R W I L V E T Y O T M R
I L B E S V J O A D U X P S N Q
J K C D T U P K B C V W Q R O P

Assessment 1. True or False

Directions: Read the statements carefully, and then write the word TRUE if the statement is
true, FALSE if otherwise. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Various problems that society faces are generally called social issues.
2. The three types of issues prevalent in society include economic, moral, and social
issues.
3. Problems that place the person's belief of right and wrong in question are termed as
social issues.
4. Racism is an example of economic issues.
5. The social issue is an issue that affects the human relationship in society.

Activity 2. Read and Analyze

Directions: Read the statements carefully, and then choose the letter of the correct answer.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following can be categorized as a social issue?

A. Teens using a beach to build a bonfire.
B. A boy throwing rocks into a pond.
C. A high school learner who becomes pregnant.
D. A mother who takes away her daughter's gadget for not listening to her.
2. Which of the following does not belong to the group?
A. He got arrested in the drug buy-bust operation.
B. The Pageant organizer disqualified Candidate A because she is transgender.
C. The illegal settlers were forced to evacuate the area.
D. The value of peso and dollar exchange has decreased in the last seven months.

3. Which of the following can be categorized as a moral issue?

A. Nena was left in tears after her wallet got stolen.
B. Nena did not eat the food prepared by her mother.
C. Nena failed in the summative test.
D. Nena got engaged after earning her bachelor's degree.

4. Which of the following does not belong to the group?

A. Inflation c. Poverty
B. Unemployment d. Homelessness

5. Which of the following can be classified as an economic issue?

A. 85% of the province's population is virus-infected.
B. The siege in Zamboanga City will never be forgotten.
C. Men are better than women.
D. She caught her husband cheating on her.

Assessment 2. Picture Analysis

Directions: Tell whether the picture suggests a SOCIAL, MORAL, or ECONOMIC issue.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. 2. 3.

(Source:https:/. photo/slum-house-near-river-goa-india- (Source: https:/. vector/gay-marriage-icons-set- (Source: https:/. photo/internet-bullying-

146030789) 110026151) cyber- 1085259374)

4. 5.

(Source: https:/. vector/inflation-vector-illustration-

(Source: goods-prices- money-1276337977)
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-
vector/corruption-bribe-people-hand-
over-money-366900584)
Activity 3. Read and Analyze
Directions: Read the poem carefully and answer the questions. Write only the letter of your
choice on a separate sheet of paper.

Africa’s Plea You meddle, interfere in my affairs

Roland Tombekai As if they were yours
Dempster And you were me
You are unfair, unwise, foolish to think
I am not you... That I can be you
But you will not Talk, act and think like you
Give me a chance God made me, he made you, you for god
Will not let me be me sake let me be.
“If I were you”
But you know (Source
: https://caffeineinmybrain.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/africas-plea-
I am not you poem-reflection/)
Yet you will not let be me.

1. What is the meaning of the word "plea" in the poem?

A. unite C. remind
B. request D. desire

2. What characteristic of an African is revealed in the

poem?
A. courageous C. pessimistic
B. submissive D. kind

3. What does the poem's persona try to imply in this line, "God made me, he made you,
you for God's sake, let me be"?
A. equality of treatment C. discrimination
B. individual differences D. all of the above

4. What does the persona in the poem emphasize in this line, "You meddle, interfere in
my affairs as if they were yours…"?
A. abuse of power C. exploitation
B. white supremacy D. all of the above

5. What issue/s in society is/are depicted in the poem?

A. economic issues C. moral issues
B. social issues D. Both b & c

Assessment 3. Reading Comprehension

Directions: Read the excerpt below from one of Nelson Mandela's famous speeches before
his 1964 Rivonia trial, which led to his imprisonment. To gain a more elaborated
understanding of his text, you may listen to the full version of this speech, which can be
accessed at this link https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-10529498.
 Afterwards, answer the questions that follow. Write only the letter of the correct answer
on a separate paper.

“The complaint of Africans, however, is not only that they are poor, and the whites
are rich, but that the laws which are made by the whites are designed to preserve this
situation. Pass laws, which to the Africans are among the most hated bits of legislation in
South Africa, render any African liable to police surveillance at any time. I doubt whether
there is a single African male in South Africa who has not at some stage had a brush with
the police over his pass. Hundreds and thousands of Africans are thrown into jail each year
under pass laws. Even worse than this is the fact that passes laws keep husband and wife
apart and lead to the breakdown of family life.” This leads to a breakdown in moral
standards, to an alarming rise in illegitimacy, and to growing violence which erupts not
only politically, but everywhere. Life in the townships is dangerous.’

Source: “Nelson Mandela death: Excerpts of his Rivonia speech”, BBC News, last modified December 07, 2013,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10529498

1. What is the complaint of the Africans, according to the speaker?

2. What is the situation between the Africans and Americans pointed out by the speaker
as a fact?

3. Considering the said fact, that is being pointed out by the speaker, what type of issues
are revealed in the text?

4. What issue is associated with a broken family problem, social, moral, or economic?
Explain your answer.

What I Have Learned

What have you realized as you journey through this lesson? Before moving forward,
reflect on the important points you found helpful and challenging by completing the
sentences. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
Write Your Reflection

After reading the lesson and accomplishing all the activities in this module, I learned
that in determining various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text,

I realized that I need to improve my

For me, the most difficult part of the lesson is

I believe that knowing the different propaganda techniques is important because

Remember, dear Grade 8 learners, that social issues involve the problems that may
affect the human relationship; moral issues are those problems in our individual beliefs
and principles. In contrast, economic issues are issues relating to the financial resources of
a specific place. If you know these issues, it would be easier for you to locate them in a text
or relate the author's intention to these issues in society when you are asked to interpret a
certain text. Moreover, as a responsible citizen, you need to step up by helping our country
find the best solutions to these problems.

What I Can Do

In this part of the module, you will be applying your new knowledge or skill acquired
in the discussion above to real-life situations. This will help your teacher determine your
learning success.

Let's Practice
Directions: Read the following situations carefully, and then identify what issues they are
suggesting (social, moral, or economic), and give your possible solutions to these problems.
Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Immature parents abuse their children.

Kind of
issue:
Solution:
 2. Our fellowmen living in Luzon suffered from the flood caused by typhoon Rolly.
Kind of issue:
Solution:

3. Women are selling themselves for survival.

Kind of issue:
Solution:

Assessment
At this part, let's now evaluate your level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency by answering the assessment.

Directions: Read all the items carefully, and then write the letter of the correct answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. A survey reveals that 53% of the country's population is unemployed. This is an

example of .
A. Social issues C. Moral issues
B. Economic issues D. None of the above

2. The sentence "Regina refused to go to school because her classmates always

tease her skin color" is an example of?
A. Social issues C. Moral issues
B. Economic issues D. None of the above

3. "We live in a troubled time. A pandemic virulent virus suddenly snapped our dream of
prosperity for our country," President Duterte said. What economic issue is being
emphasized in this line?
A. Peace and order concerns C. Inflation
B. Health concerns D. Stealing

4. What kind of issue do you think this line suggests "The amount of shabu valued at
millions of pesos seized during police operations speaks volume of enormity and the
weight of the problem that we bear"?
A. Moral C. Social
B. Economic D. both a and c

5. What issue in the society does this line "he asked for solidarity and unity in the march
towards the light at the end of the tunnel" suggest?
A. Economic C. Social
B. Moral D. both a and b
 6. Which among the following is not a social issue?
A. Drug abuse C. Child abuse
B. Human rights D. None of the above

7. What issue does this line "You're not meant for her because she's not rich" suggests?
A. Social C. Moral
B. Economic D. All of the above

8. This problem is related to the principles of what is wrong and right.

A. Social C. Moral
B. Economic D. All of the above

9. Gambling is an example of issue.

A. Moral C. Economic
B. Social D. All of the above

10. This problem affects the harmonious relationship among individuals.

A. Moral C. Economic
B. Social D. All of the above

Additional Activities
The following additional task shall give you more practice to enrich your knowledge
about the different social issues, moral issues, and economic issues.

Task:
Create a slogan that suggests solutions to any relevant issue in the country today. Use a
separate paper for your answer. Below is the rubric in rating your work.

Category 5 3 1
Ideas used on the
One or two of the
slogan reflect an
slogan's ideas reflect No ideas used made
Originality exceptional degree of
student creativity in by the student are
of ideas student creativity in
their creation and/or included.
their creation and/or
display. display.
The output includes
All but 1 of the Several required
Required all required elements
required elements are elements were
Elements as well as additional
included in the output. missing.
information.
The output is The output is
The output is
exceptionally distractingly messy
acceptably attractive
Attractiveness attractive in terms of or very poorly
though it may be a bit
design, layout, and designed. It is not
messy.
neatness. attractive.