By Gel Santos Relos
Papaano nga ba ang pinaka-swak na style para mahuli ang "kiliti" ng Pinoy?
Filipinos want this election to be different. Conventional wisdom says if we can only make each and every Filipino actively participate and vote wisely, then perhaps the Philippines will be on its way to realize the “change for the good” we have been clamoring for! But how do we do that?
We Filipinos are so diverse. We come from different geographical location, social, economic, and educational background. Some have traveled or lived outside the Philippines and have been exposed to other cultures and social political systems. This is why we have different perspectives on how we look at the same situation in the Philippines and the Filipinos. But then again, how do we reach out to empower Pinoys and motivate them to vote wisely?
Several communication theories say that the “sender” and the “medium” by which the “message” will be sent to the “receiver” should be “packaged” according to the receiver’s needs, interest, language, background. It is therefore more about the intended “receiver”, and not so much about what works for the “sender”, for the “message” to get through---that is, of course, if the overriding objective is to really communicate to the “receiver” and move him toward the desired action .
I have had the privilege of communicating with Filipinos from different walks of life, especially in my job as radio and television anchor, and as a former instructor in Communication at the University of the Philippines. I was also raised by middle class parents, went to public schools, and had the opportunity to rub elbows with the rich and famous only when I was already on radio and television. I have also been exposed to other cultures, having had the opportunity to travel and live in another country.
Having said this, please allow me to share with you some “Do’s and Don’ts” that I learned from experience in communicating with the Pinoys, particularly the “masa” who may not have been exposed to information as much as the others. This is just my own perspective, which is but one in a million of other perspectives and so I encourage you to share your own thoughts, guided by our collective goal to communicate with our kababayans more effectively to encourage them to vote wisely.
DO speak to the Pinoy using their language—Filipino, or whatever dialect they are comfortable with. If and when we have to speak or write in English, try to use the simplest terms possible.
DO NOT use “professorial” English. You may just end up impressing your audience with your English speaking or writing skills, getting perhaps courteous smiles but deep inside they say to themselves, “Ano daw yon?”…Missed opportunity to truly communicate!
DO use attention grabbing media that they have access to and are comfortable with. Pinoys love to be entertained and to be engaged, that is why soaps and teleseryes, comedy, musical, variety shows, interactive talk and visuals-rich documentary are very popular in disseminating information. Short texts, more colorful pictures and words, with good story line capture attention and sustain interest.
Remember how successful the Nora Aunor-Christopher de Leon movie “Bato Bato sa Langit” was in the 70s to jumpstart awareness about family planning? Do you notice the empowerment of the Filipinas through the “palaban” heroines in today’s teleseryes? The new interactive format in issue-oriented talk has likewise lead to a more engaged citizenry about what is happening in society. Even news documentaries now use “popular art” principles to convey message and espouse a different mindset among the audience.
DO NOT use a cold lecture format, or a philosophical discourse, nor compose your written material like it is a thesis or dissertation. You will realize your audience has just tuned out, or has just used your flyers as “pamabalot ng tuyo sa palengke”.
DO frame your message guided by the values the Pinoys hold dear, or try using their day to day basic concern as your spring board for discussion. They will appreciate what you are talking about if they think it is something that matters to them, something that truly affects their present day survival and opportunities in the future.This is how you help them analyze and connect the dots.
DO NOT talk in abstract terms about things not within their realm of experience or understanding. Remember Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of needs when you explain how a certain prescription or policy to move toward change will address their very concerns. Basic physiological needs to survive top their priority, followed by the need for safety and then the need for love, affection and belongingness, especially from among their own kababayans, will have to be satisfied before esteem, self-respect and the respect of the world. When all of these are satisfied, then they will be ready to do what they are ‘born to do” for the world and humanity or self-actualization. Therefore—
DO talk to the Pinoys with respect. Make them feel you acknowledge their strengths, validate the beauty of their uniqueness, and celebrate their victories. This is very important for the Pinoys to even listen to you, trust you, believe you and consider your point of view and prescription for change. Then we can all help them elect the best qualified people to office, whose paramount objectives, hopefully, will include providing quality education to Filipinos. Better education will empower the masa, and will be the key to their making informed decisions in the future! Then they will be our active partners in implementation of laws and execution of programs that will move the Philippines forward! Then, we will have more and more mature electorate and productive citizens of this country!
DO NOT berate the Filipino, pound on his weaknesses without acknowledging his strength. Do not downplay his victories, marginalize his concerns, and make him feel embarrassed and sorry for what makes him different from others. You will not even get through his front door, let alone his heart or his mind. You will just ignite his defense mechanisms, and he will be more resistant to work with you---simply because he feels he cannot trust you! You may have proven you are superior, and far better, more enlightened Filipinos, but you have left our kababayans in the dark!
I hear dissenting opinions. I hear some of our kababayans say this is pandering to our countrymen's weakness, condoning what ails Pinoys, and not really helping the Filipinos. Some will insist on their usual ways of speaking to or talking down to Filipinos because to their knowledge, theirs is the classy and the only right thing to do. But will this battle help us achieve our bigger overriding goal? We might have the best message, the best policy, the best candidate---but if our intended receiver/audience did not even hear us, or listen to us, or understand us, what good would that be? We might end up winning the battle but losing the war. At the end of this political exercise, when the election is done and we're back doing our old ways, have we achieved the change that we want? Or have we just reverted back to the same old system—a divided society between the elite and the masa?
What is your perspective? How can we help our kababayans who need information the most? Please share your own thoughts on how we can better communicate with our kababayans who do not have much access to information and education. Papaano ba natin mahuhuli ang kiliti ng masang Pinoy?
Let us listen to one another. Let us work with one another. Let us reach out to all our kababayans. This process may be frustrating, exasperating, and truly humbling, but it is worth the effort. We all have great and noble aspirations for our beloved Philippines, but only when we are truly united can our dreams for the motherland be realized.
(Reminder: Profanity, obscene language is not allowed in this blog. Thank you for your cooperation.)