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The speeches of Jose Ma. Sison and Felixberto Olalia (Kabataang Makabayan Founding Speech and Message on the Fifth Day of the Hunger Strike for the Freedom of all Detained Labor Leaders and other Political Prisoners, respectively) are both reflective of the status quo the time the speeches were delivered.

All throughout the speech of Jose Ma. Sison, he was mentioning the downsides and negative aspects of US imperialism. After establishing the perils of inter-relating with the US, Sison then pointed out explicitly that at that time, the Philippines is in fact under a semicolonial and semifeudal society. Thus with that, he illustrated the very reflection of the country that time – that we are not in the truest sense freed from US domination. As Sison said, the imperialism of America is one new type of colonialism that will control the nation by destroying its industries and swinging it back to plantation economy dominated by US agro-corporations.

In Olalia’s speech, on the other hand, the very title suggests the conflict present that time. The title tells of freeing detained labor leaders and political prisoners, and one major indication how tumultuous and chaotic the situation really was since people were resorting into a hunger strike. Moreover, the speech vividly describes the pains and torments caused by abuse of power by the authorities.

In extracting the status of the democracy that time, everything boils down to the discussion of the Marcos regime, and a few years prior to the dictatorship. Sison’s speech was delivered in November 1964, and that was approximately a year before Marcos was elected president (Marcos assumed office December the next year). And prior to his presidency, the Philippines that time was characterized by US intrusion in the country’s political and economic affairs. This is primarily reflected in Sison’s speech as he was pin-pointing the drawbacks of US imperialism. On the other hand, Olalia’s speech was delivered December 1983 – a time when the Philippines was under Martial Law. Democracy then was an elusive concept, and this was reflected in the way Olalia described the sufferings of the political and labor leaders who have been charged without fair trial. Given the context (Martial Law/Marcos dictatorship) and the speaker himself (Olalia being a known labor activist), one could conclude, through the gravity of his arguments, that the country that time was under massive repression.

Introduction

This analysis covers the following materials: Homage to Luna and Hidalgo by Jose Rizal, Exhortation Before the Battle at Imus by Emilio Aguinaldo, and Women of the Philippines by Clemencia Lopez. This paper will thoroughly examine the rhetorical elements and variables that are evident in the three aforementioned speeches. Examining the rhetorical elements would mean analyzing situations, ideas, and form and structure.

The three speeches also exhibit similarity with regard to their subject matter. Thus, this analysis also aims to extract a theme that, in one way or another, binds them. Though the three speeches were delivered by different speakers in different occasions and contexts, they possess thematic commonality.

At the latter part of this paper will be the evaluation and assessment of the three speeches – whether the three speeches are effective or not. In addition to that, the principles of the art of a good speech will also be applied in evaluating the speeches.

Overview and Discussion

Upon evaluating the three speeches, it can then be observed that the encompassing theme is the Filipino struggle for freedom and independence from the colonizers. In the speeches of Rizal and Aguinaldo, the colonizers then were the Spaniards, while in the case of Lopez’s speech, the tyrants were the Americans. Though Rizal, Aguinaldo, and Lopez respectively have different ways of advocating their perceived most effective line of attack (Rizal preferred diplomatic revolution, Aguinaldo himself led the armed revolution, while Lopez made use of her affiliations with Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association to appeal for the liberation of her country), still it all boils down to one common purpose: to free their country from the domination of foreign forces.

Moreover, a sub-theme is also evident throughout the three speeches. Aside from the emphasis on the clamor for independence, the speakers also cited the plights experienced by majority of the Filipinos as consequences of the war. Rizal incorporated the said sub-theme through his interpretation of the artworks by Hidalgo and Luna. The following citations are reflective of the torment experienced by the Filipinos under the Spanish regime:

…One “hears” coming from the canvas of “El Expolarium” the tumult of the throng, the cry of slaves, the metallic rattle of the armor on the corpses…

…On the other hand, in Hidalgo’s work, there beats an emotion of the purest kind, ideal expression of melancholy, beauty and frailty, victims of brutal force…

On the other hand, the said sub-theme is implied in Aguinaldo’s speech. The entirety of his speech suggested a grave oppression on the part of the Filipinos, and such tyranny pushed them to war against their oppressors.

In Lopez’s speech, such sub-theme is depicted through describing and comparing the status of Filipino women with American women. Furthermore, she elaborated that the plights of Filipinas are consequences of the colonization by the Americans.

…Thousands have been widowed, orphaned, left alone and homeless, exposed and in the greatest misery. It is, then not a surprising fact that the diseases born of hunger are increasing and that today immorality prevails in the Philippines to an extent never before known.

Analysis of the Speeches

1. The Theme

The three speakers made use of different approaches in presenting the theme. Rizal, in his speech, disguised his political motives by applying metaphors as his rhetorical conventions. These metaphors aided in making the speech appear as a toast instead of a political stunt. The following passage illustrates how Rizal effectively made use of metaphors that have deeper meanings and analogies other than being mere praises for the success of Luna and Hidalgo:

I drink then to the health of our artists Luna and Hidalgo, legitimate and pure glories of two peoples! I drink to the health of the persons who have lent them a helping hand on the dolorous path of art! I drink to the health of the Filipino youth, sacred hope of my homeland, that they may imitate such precious examples…and I drink finally for the happiness of those parents who, deprived of the tenderness of their children, follow them from those distant regions with moist eyes and palpitating hearts…

In the case of Aguinaldo, the theme is explicitly said and is reflected by the brevity of the speech. The speaker’s directness also aided in emphasizing the theme. Moreover, as shown below, the speaker employed the intervention of a supernatural being that can then be seen as the deus ex machina:

I do believe that God is with us in this fight against Spain. Although our first attempt was a failure, God spared my life so that I can be with you to continue the fight. God knows that we have only one purpose: to free our country from bondage…

Lopez’s approach, on the other hand, is similar to Rizal’s as both speakers took advantage of the occasion to deliver their intended message. Also, their speeches exhibit duality in their meanings as the speeches themselves suggest underlying connotations that are political in nature. In addition, Lopez slightly twisted her approach so to fit in with the setting and occasion:

…I pray the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage Association to do what it can to remedy all these misery and misfortune in my unhappy country. You can do much to bring about the cessation of these horrors and cruelties which are today taking place in the Philippines…After all, you ought to understand that we are only contending for the liberty of our country just as you once fought for the same liberty for yours.

2. The Rhetorical Elements

In the speech Homage to Luna and Hidalgo, the social milieu that time greatly influenced the content of the speech. The speech was delivered at a time when the Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards, and the Filipinos themselves are divided as to what is best for the country. The Ilustrados in Spain had a different view of achieving freedom compared to the Katipuneros in the Philippines. They wanted a diplomatic change through education – that is, educating the Filipinos first for the country to stand on its own – over armed struggle for independence. This is primarily reflected in the way Rizal, an Ilustrado, conveyed his message to his fellow Ilustrados.

With regard to form and structure, Rizal applied illustrations and analogies as his rhetorical moves. It is also evident that Rizal’s language use is reflective of the kind of audience he had. The same holds true in Aguinaldo’s speech – originally delivered in Tagalog – since context-wise, it is more appropriate to use the vernacular. He also employed a brief narration and flashbacks to provide backgrounder of the setting. The brevity of the speech also shows urgency in their part since the situation that time calls for an immediate action. Moreover, Aguinaldo used his authority and credibility as their leader to impose the said urgency.

On the other hand, Lopez made use primarily of compare and contrast as a rhetorical move in presenting her message. Since the occasion encompasses different cultures, making use of comparisons and contrasts was more effective for the audience to grasp the discrepancies that the speaker wanted to express. Moreover, Lopez applied logos in presenting her arguments. She cited a passage from a document to further certify the acceptability and validity of her claims.

As regards to the topic variable of the three speeches, it can be observed that the subject matters discussed were very timely. Moreover, all speeches exhibit social responsiveness as they are reactions to the pressing societal issues that time.

Conclusion

Upon evaluating the rhetorical elements and identifying the common theme of the three speeches, it can then be concluded that all have been effective in extending its message and purpose to the audience. The effectiveness of the speeches also relies to the character of the speaker (ethos), the manner the speech was delivered, relevance of the matter discussed, and the soundness of arguments presented. It can also be concluded that setting variables greatly influence the make-up of a speech in terms of its structure and form.

Finally, speech, being a form of rhetorical communication, is a powerful tool in influencing the conviction of the audience. This holds true in the case of the speeches of Rizal, Aguinaldo, and Lopez, since the speeches triggered patriotism and nationalism that in one way or another, aided in achieving their country’s ultimate goal of freeing itself from foreign bondage.

INTRODUCTION

This paper will make use of the second inaugural address of Former President Ferdinand Marcos which was delivered December 30, 1969 at Rizal Park., Manila. The second material is the inaugural speech of Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada delivered also at Rizal Park, Manila last June 30, 1998.

This paper is subdivided into three parts: the analysis of Marcos’ speech, Estrada’s speech, and the comparing and contrasting of the speech contents and rhetorical elements applied. Generating conclusions then follows.

Looking into the second inaugural address of Former President Ferdinand Marcos, he started with a brief backgrounder by looking to a significant event in history that is very much related to the context the speech was delivered. In his opening paragraph, he said:

…On that year and hour when I first assumed the presidency, we found a government at the brink of disaster and collapse, a government that prompted fear before it inspired hope; plagued by indecision, scorned by self-doubt, its economy despoiled, its treasury plundered…

Upon presenting the situationer, the speaker then presented a counter action to such statements, and that was done through presenting the other side of it. Though at first he was mentioning of a country with political and economic plights, he ended up illustrating how the nation “kept faith” which eventually led the country to “pass that terrible cloud”. Emphasizing the role of the countrymen, he further stated that the “task of nation building never ends”, thus compelling a continuing pursuit for national development.

One very striking concept embedded in Marcos’ speech is his emphasis on discipline. It is interesting to note that the speech was delivered in December 1969 and approximately 2 ½ years after that (September 1972), Marcos declared Martial Law. His emphasis on discipline was very much apparent as he was explaining what it takes for a country to progress:

For discipline is the other face of achievement.

…In government I pledge the severest leadership in integrity as well as discipline. Public officials shall set the vision for simplicity within the bounds of civility…[emphasis added]

…We must now pledge, my countrymen, that in homage to the vision of race…a people…practicing self-discipline and self reliance without ostentation…[emphasis added]

In relation to that, the speaker also showed his perception about protests and demonstrations. His point was that protesting and blaming the plights of this nation to other people can do us no good. For the speaker, these “whiners”, as what Marcos called them, are plainly complaining things, not changing them. This is reflected in the following passages:

…Too long have we blamed on one another the ills of this nation. Too long have we wasted our opportunities by finding fault with each other, as if this would cure our ills and rectify our errors. Let us now banish recrimination.

There are too many of us who see things as they are and complain. Let us rather see things as they should be and aspire…

…Let us not just mourn them. Let us change them. [emphasis added]

Martial Law was declared more than two years after this speech with Marcos reasoning out that it was intended “to save the Republic” and “reform society”. The growing violence in the nation had come to certain magnitude that needed martial law. It was believed that the true reason why Marcos declared martial law was to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines, and the 1935 Constitution limited the term of the President to no more than eight consecutive years in office. The Constitution, however did not say how long martial law should last, only that it is left to the President’s own judgment. The following citation from the speech further shows that even in a speech delivered more than two years before the declaration, it is already reflected that Marcos is in accord with the idea of altering constitutional policies:

The next few years will lay the basis for a reformation – a revolutionary reformation of our international and domestic policies – of our political, social, legal and economic systems.

At the latter part of the speech, Marcos made use of optimism as he was emphasizing the role of the countrymen in creating a significant change in the society. He further uses the third person approach (i.e. using we) therefore involving the listeners and acknowledging their function as catalysts of national development.

In the inaugural speech of Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, on the other hand, the speaker’s use of the emotional approach can already be observed in the first part of the speech, and is then maintained as the speech progresses. At the very start of the speech, the speaker also established his image as pro-masa. He said that explicitly in the speech, and is also reflected with his prominent use of the Filipino language – the language of the common people – over the English language:

Sa wakas, mamumuno na sa ating masa ang isang kagaya nila, isang kaibigan at kapatid, isang kapwa – na alam kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng maging maka-masa.

Moreover, the speaker also established that in his past political career, he has done something very significant, thus making him worthy of the trust delegated to a president by the people. Before being elected as President, Ejercito Estrada served in the Senate. And as reflected in the following citation, he talked of his important contribution in fighting for democracy:

Noong huling tumindig ako dito sa Quirino Grandstand, kasama ko sina Pangulong Cory Aquino at Cardinal Sin, at napakarami ng nanindigan para sa demokrasya. Nakapiling ko rin kayo, at tayong lahat ay napabilang sa mga tunay na kaibigan ng demokrasya. Kaya papaano masasabi na ako raw ay mala-diktador? Noong huli akong tumindig doon sa lumang gusali ng Senado, labindalawa lamang kami. Ngunit labindalawa –

Labindalawa na lumalaban sa mala-higante at makapangyarihang bansa; labindalawa na lumalaban sa pamahalaang patuloy na nagpapaalila sa banyagang kapangyarihan; labindalawa na lumalaban sa public opinion.

Digging deeper into the speaker’s use of emotional approach, one can take notice of his use of victimage In Burkean Dramatism, victimage is one of the ways of purging guilt, and it is said to be applied in a speech when the speaker shows that he/she is the victim, the injured party. The following shows of the speaker showing himself as a victim of public mockery and this is to generate sympathy from the audience:

Tanong ko ngayon: mayroon pa ba kayang sinaktan at nilait nang higit pa sa akin? Mayroon pa ba kayang binastos sa peryodiko o sa radyo o sa telebisyon ng higit? Huwag na lang ako: kahit ang aking ina ay lubhang nasaktan dahil sa mga insultong ipinukol sa kanyang anak.

Ako ay tao lamang, at hindi po madaling magsabi – forgive and forget, kalimutan na lang. Ngunit kailangan kong tapusin ang yugtong ito; at sa akin ay tapos na, nasa likod na natin, at hindi na dapat pag-usapan.

Optimism is also evident in the speech. Ejercito Estrada showed all throughout the speech that there is still hope amidst all the problems the country has been facing for years. He further put emphasis on the role of the people in nation building.

It is also noteworthy that the speaker greatly employed the use of the first person approach. He lengthily used “I”, and in the following passages, he portrays a certain kind of authority and power as the President:

There will be no excuses, and there will be no exceptions. I have sent friends to jail before, and I can send them again. [emphasis added]

…Ginawa ko ang magagawa ko noong ako ang tagapangulo ng PACC. Gagawin ko ngayon ang lahat, ngayong Pangulo na ako. At walang sinumang makapipigil sa akin. [emphasis added]

Nais kong isaayos ang gulo sa ating mga lansangan…

Nais kong bigyan ng bagong lakas an gating ekonomiya…

Nais kong isipin ng bawat Pilipino, mahirap man o mayaman, na ang pinakaligtas na lugar sa buong mundo, ay ang kanyang kupang tinubuan. [emphasis added]

Moreover, the speaker also repeated his name all throughout and it further accentuated his image being a pro-masa. He is thus creating a picture that he is everybody’s friend, and a person whom the citizenry can rely on:

Kaya sa ating mga maliliit at mahihirap, narito ang pangako ni Erap: kayo nag unang makikibahagi sa mga biyaya mula sa ekonomiya, at mula sa pamahalaan…[emphasis added]

Samahan ninyo si Erap, upang bigyan natin ng kakaibang ningning ang kalayaan sa buhay ng masang Pilipino. [emphasis added]

The speech ended with the speaker leaving the audience a challenge – the challenge of national development.

Basing on the above analyses of the two speeches, we can then conclude that optimism is very typical in inaugural addresses. Since the inauguration marks off the start of their office, of course the speakers need to show confidence that they can do their job, of course with the help of the people. This inter-involvement can also be seen a factor why the speakers would generally employ the audience/listeners as part of the change they have been wanting. This thus creates a very moving and optimistic attitude.

The speeches are all reflective of the ethos – the character of the speakers. The speech of Marcos tells of the speaker as a firm and authoritative public official. It also tells of the personality of Marcos. The same holds true in the case of Ejercito Estrada. His speech shows his character and disposition, and the pro-masa image that he wanted to portray.

Though the addresses all fall in the same type of speech, it does not necessarily follow that a certain kind of pattern and structuring should be strictly followed for inaugural speeches. As reflected in the speeches used as materials in this analysis, both speakers applied different approaches. Marcos was more direct, and was generally discussing what it takes to rebuild a nation. Ejercito Estrada, on the other hand, made use of the emotional approach, and was into details rather than being general. While Marcos was into the broad discussion of changing the mindset and frame of thinking of the Filipinos, Ejercito Estrada was into the presentation of issues (eg. corruption, crimes, etc). Ejercito Estrada also reiterated his programs/projects for his term, while Marcos had done away with that. Thus, different approaches could be applied as long as the general features of an inaugural address is still evident – its optimism and enthusiasm.

BACKGROUND

“Personal Leadership grows out of trustworthiness. To lead other effectively, individuals must first be able to lead themselves effectively. In other words, before you can empower other people, you must first know who you are, your strengths, weaknesses. Once you can build on yourself, you can empower others. With these characters, the pursuit of excellence in relation to work will be easy and productivity will increase as well as its quality.”

-From the Rationale on the seminar “Empowerment: A Challenge to Excellence”

Organized by the Society of the State Personnel of the Philippines, the seminar aims to provide avenue for self-awareness and sharing of insights by the participants regarding empowering themselves and empowering the people.

The seminar is a three-day activity with lecture discussion and structured learning activities. Topics include Self Awareness, Public Service Values, Empowerment, Ten Steps in Empowering People, and Team Building – Interpersonal Behavior and Processes for an Effective Team.

Supposedly, the invited guest speaker for the seminar’s opening program is City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who declined due to conflict in schedule. City Administrator Wendel Avisado was selected to represent the Mayor and the city government, but regret to come due to conflict in schedule as well. Mr. Marcelino Escalante, head of the Human Resource Management Office, graced the occasion on behalf of the two government officials.

Speech Analysis

Analyzing Mr. Escalante’s speech would mean going into a thorough discussion of the different variables that are very influential to the entirety of the speech. These aspects include setting variables, speaker variables, audience variables, topic variables, and media variables. Moreover, this analysis will also examine the rhetorical elements prevalent in the speech, as well as the rhetorical proofs and rhetorical moves.

Looking at the setting variables, the physical setting of the actual speech greatly affects the approach the speaker employed, and at the same, influences the attitude of the audience toward the speaker and the subject. The speech was delivered inside an intimate conference room (with a capacity of at most 50 persons) in a well-known hotel, and this created a more intimate ambience and suggests a certain level of formality. The said space also aided in sustaining the attention span of the listeners, thus making the audience very attentive in the entire delivery of the speech. The closed space also influenced the speaker’s voice modulation; had it been delivered in an open space, the speaker would have used a different approach.

With regard to the speaker variables, Mr. Escalante’s effectiveness as a speaker is very reflective of his expertise in dealing with organization and people from different walks of life, as expected from a Human Resource Management Head. In addition to that, the physical appearance of the speaker (the attire, posture, bearing, etc.) implies that he is a person of authority and should be regarded with respect. Thus, this speaks of the speaker’s credibility as the guest speaker of a Mindanao-wide formal gathering of LGU officials.

Considering the audience, we can extract some socio-demographic information that may have influenced in the way the speech was structured by the speaker. The audience (approximately 25 in number) includes both sexes belonging to 30-50 age bracket. All the participants in the seminar are LGU officials. Thus, public administration serves as the common ground of the organizers, speaker and audience.

One important consideration under topic variables is the question “why the topic?”. In the case of Mr. Escalante’s speech, the subject matter is relevant to the theme of the seminar, which revolves around empowering the people in public service. The topic is indeed significant since it intends to give insights in improving job performance in the context of public administration.

During the speech, the speaker was aided by certain media to effectively deliver his speech. He made use of technological gadgets (microphone, complete sound system)) to enhance the clarity and audibility of his speech—a major consideration in assessing an actual speech.

Moving on to the examination of the rhetorical elements present in Mr. Escalante’s speech, it can be noted that the speaker employed test of evidence to support his claims. As shown in the following citation, the speaker made mention of a book as a means of supporting the validity of his statements. Aside from that, it also shows the speaker’s application of logos in tailoring his speech:

I can recall and we are all aware of… The Book man siguro ang title about atong Re-engineering Government by Dave Healer and David Osbourne. In one of the series of insights there, which they find a guiding force to be for empowerment is there is the affirmation of the four-way test of the Rotary Club.

Looking into its form and structure, the speech did not strictly follow the conventions of Monroe’s motivated sequence as a guide in organizing the content of his speech. This is maybe due to the fact that it is an impromptu speech. With regard to language use, the diction is simple and easy to comprehend. Moreover, the speaker employed code-switching using the Visayan, Filipino and English language. This, again, may be due to the fact that the speaker did not come up with a manuscript for his speech. The following passages show how the speaker made use of code-switching:

He had given me earlier the prepared speech for this morning, hand it over and I told him “Sir, murag kuan man ni siya, murag seminar man ni siya sa empowerment and challenge to excellence, probably the context would be on empowerment, empowering the people to strive more and perform more bias to excellence ”, and sabi niya, “sige lang Jun ibigay mo lang dyan ang input mo” because I went over, and when I went over medyo economic empowerment ang kanyang, ang kanyang context.

Pag here’s the decision now, wala na, kasi the incident already passed. Ang uban pud nga mga pilosopo they would say, nga aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? Sa kambing na lang.

Narrating, defining and the use of flashbacks are the rhetorical moves dominant in the speech. One approach that the speaker employed is narration, which is evident in the entire speech:

We had just finished our meeting with Attorney Avisado, he told me “Jun, the schedule is in conflict. I have to proceed to another equally-important activity” so I had to come over and say something about the seminar on Empowerment and challenge to empowerment.

And you know what? The policemen in that particular district, in that particular station, was very pro-active in responding to cases and complaints because if there are cases filed or complaints filed, normally, they ask, “ Boss, what is your instruction?”

The speaker relates significant stories and experiences in the past that are related to the subject matter, thus, aiding in the structuring of his message. The following excerpts show the speaker’s application of definition as one rhetorical move. Here, the speaker lengthily defines loyalty and empowerment the important keywords in his speech:

What we are here are people like us who are really concerned and doesn’t mind and don’t mind at all the pain. Yan ang sinasabi kong loyalty…you know, loyalty in public service is not counted by the number of years in public service but it is counted when there is an opportunity whether to stay or leave but you decided to stay, that is loyalty. You can be in public service for the last 30-35 years and no opportunity to self-own, you are stuck into it and therefore you are given the most loyal, loyalty award for having served the government for so long a time, to me that is not loyalty. Loyalty is when there is an opportunity for you to leave public service but you decided to stay, that is loyalty.

Making a decision at our own level without necessarily waiting for our bosses to make instructions consonant to the problem of the issue that makes us a more empowered employee or official in public service.

Moreover, the speaker used flashbacks all through out the speech. These flashbacks serve as the speaker’s tool in delivering the speech as shown below:

I can recall when we had a meeting with the chair of the Civil Service Commission, that…

I can recall and we are all aware of…

With regard to the Rhetorical Proofs it can be noted that all three are applied at different degrees. As stated earlier, the speaker applied logos when he cited a book as a reference to his statement. He also used the Rotary Club’s Four Way Test in conveying his opinions in what should an empowered public servant be.

Considering the speaker’s character (ethos), the speaker being a public official and the head of the Human Resource Management Office is enough to build his character and support his credibility. It is also noteworthy that before the speaker started with his speech, he first mentioned his office and his position thus generating a good reputation. This was necessary as he needs to introduce himself as a credible speaker considering that the audience was expecting a different guest speaker, and he was not even introduced during the program. Expecting that Atty. Avisado will be gracing the occasion, the organizers prepared an introductory speech for him. As shown below, the speaker introduced himself at the very beginning of the speech:

I’m Marcelino “Jun” Escalante, the Head of the Human Resource Management Office of the City Government of Davao, and we have just finished out meeting with Atty. Avisado…

Furthermore, prior to the given communicative task, there’s this perceived source credibility by the listeners. Though the audience had not seen the speaker yet, they have this notion that the speaker is of authority and that the speaker is credible having been invited to speak for the occasion (initial ethos).

Looking into the emotional aspect of the speech (pathos), the speaker presented his message in such a way that appeals to the emotion of the audience. Here, the speaker delved into the discussion of the economic aspect of being a public employee. Moreover, he moves the listeners through uplifting the nature of their job, and emphasizing the honor of being a public servant:

I can recall when we had a meeting with the chair of the Civil Service Commission, that the problem really with public governance especially in hiring people in government is the economic aspect of it. How can we economically empower also our employees…of public service and so she told me very clearly that, “Mr. Escalante, if you want to get rich, get out from public service.” I told her, “Ma’am, I don’t want to be rich, but I simply want to have a decent kind of life.”

Evaluation

Overall, the speech was effective considering that it was an impromptu speech. The delivery was very spontaneous, which was helpful in sustaining the audience attention.

By and large, Mr. Escalante’s speech was effective and qualifies as a good speech. Using the principles of the art of good speech, Mr. Escalante’s speech is socially responsible; reveals the speaker’s credibility; serves a specific purpose; deals with worthwhile subject matter that is fitted to the occasion; claims the attention and interest of the audience; uses effective bodily actions, good diction and style.

BACKGROUND

“Personal Leadership grows out of trustworthiness. To lead other effectively, individuals must first be able to lead themselves effectively. In other words, before you can empower other people, you must first know who you are, your strengths, weaknesses. Once you can build on yourself, you can empower others. With these characters, the pursuit of excellence in relation to work will be easy and productivity will increase as well as its quality.”

-From the Rationale on the seminar “Empowerment: A Challenge to Excellence”

Organized by the Society of the State Personnel of the Philippines, the seminar aims to provide avenue for self-awareness and sharing of insights by the participants regarding empowering themselves and empowering the people.

The seminar is a three-day activity with lecture discussion and structured learning activities. Topics include Self Awareness, Public Service Values, Empowerment, Ten Steps in Empowering People, and Team Building – Interpersonal Behavior and Processes for an Effective Team.

Supposedly, the invited guest speaker for the seminar’s opening program is City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who declined due to conflict in schedule. City Administrator Wendel Avisado was selected to represent the Mayor and the city government, but regret to come due to conflict in schedule as well. Mr. Marcelino Escalante, head of the Human Resource Management Office, graced the occasion on behalf of the two government officials.

Speech Analysis

Analyzing Mr. Escalante’s speech would mean going into a thorough discussion of the different variables that are very influential to the entirety of the speech. These aspects include setting variables, speaker variables, audience variables, topic variables, and media variables. Moreover, this analysis will also examine the rhetorical elements prevalent in the speech, as well as the rhetorical proofs and rhetorical moves.

Looking at the setting variables, the physical setting of the actual speech greatly affects the approach the speaker employed, and at the same, influences the attitude of the audience toward the speaker and the subject. The speech was delivered inside an intimate conference room (with a capacity of at most 50 persons) in a well-known hotel, and this created a more intimate ambience and suggests a certain level of formality. The said space also aided in sustaining the attention span of the listeners, thus making the audience very attentive in the entire delivery of the speech. The closed space also influenced the speaker’s voice modulation; had it been delivered in an open space, the speaker would have used a different approach.

With regard to the speaker variables, Mr. Escalante’s effectiveness as a speaker is very reflective of his expertise in dealing with organization and people from different walks of life, as expected from a Human Resource Management Head. In addition to that, the physical appearance of the speaker (the attire, posture, bearing, etc.) implies that he is a person of authority and should be regarded with respect. Thus, this speaks of the speaker’s credibility as the guest speaker of a Mindanao-wide formal gathering of LGU officials.

Considering the audience, we can extract some socio-demographic information that may have influenced in the way the speech was structured by the speaker. The audience (approximately 25 in number) includes both sexes belonging to 30-50 age bracket. All the participants in the seminar are LGU officials. Thus, public administration serves as the common ground of the organizers, speaker and audience.

One important consideration under topic variables is the question “why the topic?”. In the case of Mr. Escalante’s speech, the subject matter is relevant to the theme of the seminar, which revolves around empowering the people in public service. The topic is indeed significant since it intends to give insights in improving job performance in the context of public administration.

During the speech, the speaker was aided by certain media to effectively deliver his speech. He made use of technological gadgets (microphone, complete sound system)) to enhance the clarity and audibility of his speech—a major consideration in assessing an actual speech.

Moving on to the examination of the rhetorical elements present in Mr. Escalante’s speech, it can be noted that the speaker employed test of evidence to support his claims. As shown in the following citation, the speaker made mention of a book as a means of supporting the validity of his statements. Aside from that, it also shows the speaker’s application of logos in tailoring his speech:

I can recall and we are all aware of… The Book man siguro ang title about atong Re-engineering Government by Dave Healer and David Osbourne. In one of the series of insights there, which they find a guiding force to be for empowerment is there is the affirmation of the four-way test of the Rotary Club.

Looking into its form and structure, the speech did not strictly follow the conventions of Monroe’s motivated sequence as a guide in organizing the content of his speech. This is maybe due to the fact that it is an impromptu speech. With regard to language use, the diction is simple and easy to comprehend. Moreover, the speaker employed code-switching using the Visayan, Filipino and English language. This, again, may be due to the fact that the speaker did not come up with a manuscript for his speech. The following passages show how the speaker made use of code-switching:

He had given me earlier the prepared speech for this morning, hand it over and I told him “Sir, murag kuan man ni siya, murag seminar man ni siya sa empowerment and challenge to excellence, probably the context would be on empowerment, empowering the people to strive more and perform more bias to excellence ”, and sabi niya, “sige lang Jun ibigay mo lang dyan ang input mo” because I went over, and when I went over medyo economic empowerment ang kanyang, ang kanyang context.

Pag here’s the decision now, wala na, kasi the incident already passed. Ang uban pud nga mga pilosopo they would say, nga aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? Sa kambing na lang.

Narrating, defining and the use of flashbacks are the rhetorical moves dominant in the speech. One approach that the speaker employed is narration, which is evident in the entire speech:

We had just finished our meeting with Attorney Avisado, he told me “Jun, the schedule is in conflict. I have to proceed to another equally-important activity” so I had to come over and say something about the seminar on Empowerment and challenge to empowerment.

And you know what? The policemen in that particular district, in that particular station, was very pro-active in responding to cases and complaints because if there are cases filed or complaints filed, normally, they ask, “ Boss, what is your instruction?”

The speaker relates significant stories and experiences in the past that are related to the subject matter, thus, aiding in the structuring of his message. The following excerpts show the speaker’s application of definition as one rhetorical move. Here, the speaker lengthily defines loyalty and empowerment the important keywords in his speech:

What we are here are people like us who are really concerned and doesn’t mind and don’t mind at all the pain. Yan ang sinasabi kong loyalty…you know, loyalty in public service is not counted by the number of years in public service but it is counted when there is an opportunity whether to stay or leave but you decided to stay, that is loyalty. You can be in public service for the last 30-35 years and no opportunity to self-own, you are stuck into it and therefore you are given the most loyal, loyalty award for having served the government for so long a time, to me that is not loyalty. Loyalty is when there is an opportunity for you to leave public service but you decided to stay, that is loyalty.

Making a decision at our own level without necessarily waiting for our bosses to make instructions consonant to the problem of the issue that makes us a more empowered employee or official in public service.

Moreover, the speaker used flashbacks all through out the speech. These flashbacks serve as the speaker’s tool in delivering the speech as shown below:

I can recall when we had a meeting with the chair of the Civil Service Commission, that…

I can recall and we are all aware of…

With regard to the Rhetorical Proofs it can be noted that all three are applied at different degrees. As stated earlier, the speaker applied logos when he cited a book as a reference to his statement. He also used the Rotary Club’s Four Way Test in conveying his opinions in what should an empowered public servant be.

Considering the speaker’s character (ethos), the speaker being a public official and the head of the Human Resource Management Office is enough to build his character and support his credibility. It is also noteworthy that before the speaker started with his speech, he first mentioned his office and his position thus generating a good reputation. This was necessary as he needs to introduce himself as a credible speaker considering that the audience was expecting a different guest speaker, and he was not even introduced during the program. Expecting that Atty. Avisado will be gracing the occasion, the organizers prepared an introductory speech for him. As shown below, the speaker introduced himself at the very beginning of the speech:

I’m Marcelino “Jun” Escalante, the Head of the Human Resource Management Office of the City Government of Davao, and we have just finished out meeting with Atty. Avisado…

Furthermore, prior to the given communicative task, there’s this perceived source credibility by the listeners. Though the audience had not seen the speaker yet, they have this notion that the speaker is of authority and that the speaker is credible having been invited to speak for the occasion (initial ethos).

Looking into the emotional aspect of the speech (pathos), the speaker presented his message in such a way that appeals to the emotion of the audience. Here, the speaker delved into the discussion of the economic aspect of being a public employee. Moreover, he moves the listeners through uplifting the nature of their job, and emphasizing the honor of being a public servant:

I can recall when we had a meeting with the chair of the Civil Service Commission, that the problem really with public governance especially in hiring people in government is the economic aspect of it. How can we economically empower also our employees…of public service and so she told me very clearly that, “Mr. Escalante, if you want to get rich, get out from public service.” I told her, “Ma’am, I don’t want to be rich, but I simply want to have a decent kind of life.”

Evaluation

Overall, the speech was effective considering that it was an impromptu speech. The delivery was very spontaneous, which was helpful in sustaining the audience attention.

By and large, Mr. Escalante’s speech was effective and qualifies as a good speech. Using the principles of the art of good speech, Mr. Escalante’s speech is socially responsible; reveals the speaker’s credibility; serves a specific purpose; deals with worthwhile subject matter that is fitted to the occasion; claims the attention and interest of the audience; uses effective bodily actions, good diction and style.