Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Lesson 1.1
The Concept of Community
Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Objective 2

Let’s Connect 2

Discover 3
The Concept of Community 3
Characteristics of a Community 4
Group of People 4
Definite Locality 5
Sense of Common Sentiments 5
Sense of Naturality 5
Sense of Common Shared Likeness 6
Fulfillment of Wider Ends 6
Particular Name 6
No Legal Status 6
Dimensions of a Community 7
Types of Community 9
Urban Community 9
Rural Community 10
Suburban Community 10

Wrap-Up 12

Try This! 13

Challenge Yourself 15

Reflect on This 18

Photo Credits 18

Bibliography 19

Lesson 1.1
Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

The Concept of Community

Introduction
Ride a jeepney and observe the people inside. The people riding a jeepney are a mix of
males and females, and children, teenagers, and adults. Some ride the jeepney to go home
while some use it to go to work. Riding a jeepney is an integral part of the Filipino
community that reflects a tiny part of our society. While traversing the road, have you
observed people riding on different modes of transportation—from jeepneys to trains,
taxis, public utility vehicles, buses, and private cars? What you have seen is a reflection of
the diverse, multicultural microcosm of the Filipino community.

All of us belong to a community, but most of us have taken for granted its concept and
relevance to our daily living, which leads to a lack of participation in a shared goal in the
locality. The term community has always been associated with human connections that bind

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them together. But not all networks of human relationships can be considered as a
community. It has its own characteristics that set it apart from other kinds of human
groupings.

Prior to immersing in community action and dynamics, basic concepts about the
community are essential as a learning foundation. By engaging yourself in this lesson, you
will explore the fundamentals of community and its characteristics.

Learning Objective DepEd Learning Competency

This serves as a prerequisite lesson for the
At the end of this lesson, you should be following DepEd competency:
able to identify the characteristics, Explain the importance of studying community
dynamics and community action in relation to
dimensions, and types of communities.
applied social sciences and the learners’ future
career options (HUMSS_CSC12- IIIa-c-1).

Let’s Connect

Think-Pair-Share 10 minutes

Instruction
1. Get a partner and discuss what comes to
mind when you hear the word community.
The following questions can serve as a
conversation guide.

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Guide Questions
1. What is your idea of a community? Describe it in one word and explain it.
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2. How do you think communities are formed?

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3. Do you consider yourself a member of several communities? Why or why not?

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Discover
The Concept of Community
A community is a network of human relationships connected either by norms, religion,
values, or identity. It came from the Latin word communitas, meaning “the same” that was
derived from communis, meaning “public or being shared by everyone.”

What does it take for a group of people to be called a

community?

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Traditionally, the term community

has been used to describe people
living in a particular geographical
area where a defined social
organization is present and
observed by its members. Through
time, the concept of community
evolved beyond spatial or
geographical boundaries. Instead,
the focus is on the quality of
existing human relationships Fig. 1. Ethnic groups, for example, in the Cordilleras
among its members, with the are a community of people with a shared identity
complete absence of spatial or existing within a geographical boundary.
geographical factors.

Characteristics of a Community
Every community is different, but it usually shares common characteristics that qualify it to
be a community. For purposes of studying community in this subject’s context, the following
are the main characteristics of a community.

Group of People
A community is composed of people who collectively share and experience similar
conditions in life. These groups of people also can pursue a collective action toward a
common goal in an organized manner. Having a group of people as members is the
fundamental characteristic of a community. Community members are the first prerequisite
for a community since a community cannot be conceived without people.

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Definite Locality
A community formed by people always
resides in a definite locality or territory.
This locality does not need to be
permanent as they can move to
another place as needed, such as in
the case of nomads. Recently,
communities have usually kept their
territory in a definite geographic
location.
Fig. 2. A community is a group of people residing
in a definite locality.

Sense of Common Sentiments

Community sentiments refer to the state of its members having a feeling of belongingness,
which may vary in each community. A common sentiment of a particular community is what
makes it unique from other existing communities around it.

Sense of Naturality
A community is naturally conceived by people who become its members at the moment of
their existence. It is not created or founded by people or governments but instead starts
naturally and evolves spontaneously.

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Sense of Common Shared

Likeness
Members of a community
share a common likeness in
the common conditions of
their living. Besides living
together in a definite portion
of territory, they also live an
ordinary life and share
common goals. They also
share the same language, Fig. 3. A community near a body of water usually
culture, and traditions. engages in fishing as a way to earn money.

Fulfillment of Wider Ends

A community does not exist only for a single goal; it does not vanish after its attainment. It
must have wider ends, meaning multiple and continued shared goals and fulfillment of
various ends.

Particular Name
Each community possesses a name that makes it unique and known to other communities.
The members usually identify themselves in accordance with the name of the community to
which they belong.

No Legal Status
A community has no legal rights to claim in the eyes of the law and has no legal obligations
to fulfill because it has no legal status at all. Due to its naturality, a community is not created
by law and remains a social construct. This characteristic differentiates communities from
associations and organizations.

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Dimensions of a Community
Every community can be viewed in different dimensions. A community may manifest itself in
one, a few, or all of the dimensions indicated below, depending on the nature of the
community.

Table 1. The five dimensions of a community

Dimension Scope Defining Features and Attributes

Political Governing body, authority, law, Community rules, policies, rights, and
and order obligations to fulfill among the
community

Social Human interactions, common Community practices, interests, and

sentiments, and activities social participation

Economic Fiscal and monetary policies, the Community resources, skills,

sustainability of resources, facilities, and services
livelihood, employment and
labor market, and other
economic activities

Geographical Location boundaries and Community territorial limits and

physical features of the boundaries, including the landforms
community and waterforms within its
jurisdictions

Cultural People’s common identity as a Community ethnicity, heritage,

group language, religion, and history

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Let us take for example Makati

City. It is a highly urbanized city
within Metro Manila and is
considered one of the central
business districts of the
country. We will assess Makati
City in terms of the five
dimensions of a community.
Explanations will be provided
on how each dimension is
manifested in the city.

Fig. 4. The skyline of Makati City

Table 2. Assessing Makati City based on the five dimensions of a community

Dimension Assessment of Attributes

Political Makati City is governed by an organized local government unit that

implements national and local laws and ordinances to protect its
citizens' rights and assures that they are fulfilling their obligations
like paying taxes.

Social Most of them have common practices and interests like spending
the weekend in shopping malls and being dependent on takeout
food for their daily living due to their busy work week.

Economic Makati City, being a business center of the country, has a high
employment rate of 90.2%, according to the Bureau of Local
Employment of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
People are used to the high cost of living and the high-end
infrastructure, facilities, and services found in Makati City.

Geographical Makati City is a community located in the middle of Metro Manila

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surrounded by the cities of Manila, Pasay, Mandaluyong, Taguig,

and Pasig and the municipality of Pateros. The Pasig River is found
at the northern boundary of the city.

Cultural Makati City, being a cultural community, utilizes both English and
Filipino languages as mediums of communication. Most are
members of religious denominations such as Roman Catholicism,
Islam, and Protestantism. Its history traces back to the pre-Hispanic
Kingdom of Namayan and the establishment of the visita of Santa
Ana de Sapa during the Spanish occupation.

Check Your Progress

How would you describe the community you reside in? Justify your
answer using the five dimensions of a community.
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Types of Community
Communities can be divided based on different perspectives. For example, from a
sociological perspective, a community can be classified as urban, rural, or suburban. Other
types of communities based on other perspectives will be discussed in the succeeding
lessons.

Urban Community
An urban community typically comprises less personal relationships among its members
due to its locational vastness and large population. The people in this community are
usually engaged in various occupations due to the numerous business establishments and
institutions accessible. It also possesses advanced infrastructure, accessible facilities, and
high-quality services for its members. Examples of these are commercial and industrial
areas in the country like Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Davao City.

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Rural Community
A rural community is typically found in agricultural areas and is able to produce its own
food for subsistence. Members of this type of community demonstrate greater personal
interaction and are into deep, long-term relationships. They usually lack the infrastructure
to provide social services like schools and hospitals, which necessitates them to travel to
urban areas to avail of such services. Examples of these are the small municipalities and
far-flung areas in the country like Batanes, Masbate, and Sulu.

Makati City, Metro Manila Banaue, Ifugao

Fig. 5. Metro Manila is an urban community, while the mountainous area of Ifugao in the
Cordillera region is a rural community.

Suburban Community
Suburban communities are communities whose status or condition sits between rural and
urban communities. They are more populous than rural communities but not as big and
modern as urban communities. They have more infrastructure, facilities, and services than
rural communities but still lack the advancement found in urban communities. Examples of
these areas in the country are those communities adjacent to urban areas like Bulacan
(north of Metro Manila), Bohol (near Cebu City), and Tarlac (neighboring Clark, Pampanga).

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

In Philippine Context
The smallest political unit in the country is called a barangay (also village). The Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2017 classified a barangay as urban if it satisfies any of the
following criteria:
1. It has a population size of at least 5,000.
2. It has at least one business establishment with a minimum of 100 employees.
3. It has five or more establishments with 10 to 99 employees and five or more
facilities within a two-kilometer radius from the barangay hall. These facilities
include the municipal/city hall or provincial capitol; religious establishments like
churches, chapels, or mosques; recreational centers like public/town plaza or
parks, cemeteries; commercial hubs like marketplaces or shopping centers; public
school buildings; hospitals, puericulture, or barangay health stations; fire stations;
operational seaports; community waterworks systems; post offices; landline or
telephone system stations; and cellular signal towers.

If the barangay does not satisfy any of the three criteria above, it is classified as a rural
barangay.

Based on the 2015 census, 51.2% of the population resides in urban barangays. Besides
the wholly urban National Capital Region, Cabuyao City and Santa Rosa City in Laguna,
Antipolo City in Rizal (among component cities), Marilao in Bulacan, Kalayaan in Laguna,
Taytay in Rizal, Talaingod in Davao del Norte, and Jolo in Sulu (among municipalities) are
also entirely urban.

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Wrap-Up
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● A community is a network of human relationships that are connected to one
another either by norms, religion, values, or identity.
● Every community can be viewed in different dimensions. A community may
manifest itself in one, a few, or all of the following dimensions: political, social,
economic, geographical, and cultural.
● The three types of communities are rural, urban, and suburban.

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Try This!
A. Modified True or False. Write true if the statement is correct. If the statement is false,
change the underlined word to make the statement correct.

________________ 1. In the shared likeness characteristic of the community, the

members of a community share common conditions in their
way of living.

________________ 2. Techno-urban communities are more populous than rural

communities but not as big and modern as urban
communities.

________________ 3. Geographical dimension refers to a community's location and

boundaries.

________________ 4. In the sense of naturality characteristic, a community has no

legal rights to claim in the eyes of the law and has no legal
obligations to fulfill.

________________ 5. The definite locality characteristic of a community pertains to

the feeling of belongingness among its members.

________________ 6. Having a group of people is the fundamental requirement of

being a community.

________________ 7. Having a definite locality, a community is composed of people

residing in an exact and identifiable territory.

________________ 8. In the no legal status characteristic, communities are not

something created or founded by people or governments, but
rather start naturally.

________________ 9. Communities, to be considered as such, should possess a

particular name.

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________________ 10. Communities are expected to have shared goals that are
referred to as locality.

B. Short-Response Essay. Answer the following questions briefly and coherently.

1. What is a community?
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2. How would you describe the term community sentiments?

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3. Why must communities have a name?

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4. Why do communities lack legal status?

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5. How would you describe suburban communities?

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Challenge Yourself
Short-Response Essay. Answer the following questions briefly and coherently.
1. Assess the community where you currently live. Identify if it is a rural or an urban
community and provide five justifications on why you consider your community as
such.

Name of Community: ____________________________________________

Type of Community: _____________________________________________

Justifications

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2. If you are living in an urban community, use it as a reference for this activity;
otherwise, you may refer to the nearest urban community where you reside.

Research on the local history of the community where you live when it reached the
three stages/types of a community. Identify the distinctive features of the
community for each stage.

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Name of Community: ____________________________________________

Stage/Type of Year/Decade when it Features found in the

community reached the identified community
stage/type

Rural

Suburban

Urban

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Suggested Rubric for Grading

The rubric below is a suggested one. Your teacher may modify the rubric based on your
needs. Consult your teacher for the final rubric.

Performance Levels

1 2 3 Suggested
Criteria Score
Beginning Proficient Advanced Weight

Proficiency Proficiency

Content Less than half of the More than half of All of the answers
answers are logical the answers are are logical and ×3
and plausible. logical and plausible. plausible.

Completeness Less than 50% of Less than 75% of All the required
the items are the items are items are present. ×2
present. present.

Language Less than half of the More than half of All answers were
answers were the answers were grammatically
grammatically grammatically correct correct and free ×1
correct and free from and free from spelling from spelling errors.
spelling errors. errors.

Total Possible Score 18

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Reflect on This

Short-Response Essay. Write a short essay that expresses your insights on the given
questions. Choose only one item.

1. In which type of community would you prefer to live? Why?

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2. Do you agree that people in a group lose their sense of being in a community when
they no longer have a definite locality? Provide arguments to support your answer.
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Photo Credits
Jeepney Philippines.jpg by danny O. is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

PHIL2770a.jpg by Yves Picq is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Barangay by Brian Evans (User: Beegee49) is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 via Flickr.

Fishermen Hauling ashore their boat by Bernard Spragg is licensed under CC0 1.0 via Flickr.

Ayala by click-the-shutter is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr.

Batad Rice Terraces by D-Stanley is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr.

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Unit 1: Concepts and Perspectives of Community

Bibliography
Fellin, Phillip. Community and the Social Worker, 3rd Edition. Brooks Cole Publishing, 2000.

Mondal, Puja. “13 Most Important Characteristics or Elements of Community.” Your Article
Library. February 24, 2014. Accessed May 5, 2020.
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/society/13-most-important-characteristics-or-ele
ments-of-community/6231.

———. “Community: Definitions, Bases and Changing Concept of Community.” Your Article
Library. April 14, 2014. Accessed May 5, 2020.
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/community-definitions-bases-and-chan
ging-concept-of-community/35065.

Omas-as, Roberta, et.al. General Sociology: Society, Culture, Population Dynamics, and Gender
Development. Quezon City: Trinitas Publishing, 2003.

Palispis, Epitacio. Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology. Manila: Rex Book Store, 2007.

Philippine Statistics Authority. “Urban Population in the Philippines (Results of the 2015
Census of Population).” March 21, 2019.
https://psa.gov.ph/content/urban-population-philippines-results-2015-census-popul
ation

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