Complete Guest Speaker Speech of Bern Orpiano in Talisayan ES Recognition Day 2023

Throughout mid-July of this year, multiple instances of graduation, leveling up, and recognition rites took place in schools across the country, and different students and pupils of varying attitudes and backgrounds successfully made it through the entire school year 2022-2023.

For full disclosure, here is a speech made by your very own in his alma mater, where he graduated with highest honors (school valedictorian) belonging to the batch 2008. So, without further ado, here is the speech made throughout the ceremony that took place on 10th of July, 2023.

The Entire Speech

Good afternoon to each and everyone, especially the Elementary School Principal II Joseph Luania, and the faculty of Talisayan Elementary School, first and foremost I would like to say, ‘thank you’ for inviting me to be the Guest Speaker for this memorable event, especially for our little pupils who are now attending this memorable event of your lives, which is your Recognition Day.

I can still see and recognize my other teachers and former advisers when I was still in grade school. These people were my mother’s colleagues when she was still alive, teaching within the corners of this very institution. It’s been a great honor to be here and once again, thank you for having me at this event.

Sa ating mga estudyanteng na nandito ngayon sa Recognition rites na ito, gusto kong sabihin sa inyo na “congratulations”, for a job well done, lalo na’t nakapag-proceed kayo sa mas mataas na baitang. Congratulations on  your recently-gained achievements regarding on your studies. You really made your parents proud in this day’s event, At deserve niyong mag-celebrate at mai-treat nang inyong mga magulang.

It means that another step has just unlocked for you to take a step higher, and it also means that you are up to the next phase of getting tougher lessons as you enter a higher grade level at the turn of a new school year. 

Pwede na nating sabihin na “finally, another school year has ended”. Natapos na rin yung natungtong niyong grade level at makapag-relax muna pagkatapos makinig sa lessons ni teacher at makapagkuha ng passing mark sa periodic tests and other different quizzes that they provided to you, taking a source of strength and motivation to study more for the next school year. 

This is good na may oras kayong makapag-handa sa ikinaharap ninyo once humantong tayo sa mas mataas na baitang. Just keep on studying untilyour  dreams are fulfilled, eventually.

But it does not mean that things will go easy from here. As I said, there will be more challenges for you, little pupils, to see what’s ahead of you. Itong napag-aralan na nakuha dito sa mga guro natin ang siyang makakatulong sa atin para makuha ang ating mga pangarap, at ang pangarap ng mga magulang niyo sa inyo.

So, let me seize this opportunity to inspire you who are part of this fully memorable Recognition ceremony, for everyone who made it this far regardless of varying achievements. 

Speaking of achievements, pwede kong masabi na itong ceremony na to, ang pagkuha ng mga awards, ay isang bagay na nagbibigay saya sa mga nakapag-achieve ng mataas na marka sa isang o iilang ‘subject’, subalit napag-daanan ko rin to. 

Opo, nakatatak pa rin yung masayang alaala na umakyat sa stage and get pinned. It shows that studying hard enough bears fruitful results na siguradong ikatutuwa ng ating mga guro at mga magulang, that you did very well with what you are doing, na ipinakita niyo ang kahusayan bilang isang mag-aaral, the potential to become a productive citizen in the future, kapag naabot niyo na edad namin. 

You will really appreciate the hardwork that your teachers spend time in bringing out the best in you. Yung may nadiscover na talent na magaling pala siya sa Mathematics, sa Science, sa English, or sa ibang aspeto na masasabi nating ‘sulit’ yung pasensya ng mga guro niyo. 

Gawa lesson plan, crafting the exam types, paano to ituro sa inyo while getting your full attention, or pag may instances, going creative sa pagtuturo para maging interesting yung pag-aaral. 

Being in this institution brings a lot of memories back to me. I remember the things such as participating in recitations pag lesson time, then here are some activities that a pupil is interested in, pa-contest between grade levels, and other extra-curricular activities that go hand in hand with the usual classroom academics. 

But, of course, not everything is sunshines and rainbows. May oras talaga na hindi talaga makuha ng lessons nang maigi, medyo nahihirapan sa concept or kung paano to siya nakuha o naisagot. Naalala ko nga, umiiyak ako pag mababa ang grado ko eh, saying that I might be a disappointment to my mother, who was a teacher, or my grandmother who was a district supervisor (may they all rest in peace). 

From that point, there was a realization na, not everything is perfect. Sa iilan, makapasa lang ok na ok na. So, it is nice to see if almost lahat, if not lahat talaga nakapag-recognition to get on a higher grade level. Masaya talaga kapag kasama pa rin si classmate sa next school year. No one should be left behind.

Let me instill to you the idea of what it means to be ‘inspired’. To be inspired more to do your studies, to be active in academics with your friends, and of course, to make friends. Iba ang motivation kapag meron tayong pinang-huhugutan ng lakas, a source of inspiration for us to do our very best, or get the best version of ourselves. Yung makinig sa mga gabay ng magulang at mga guro ay isang bagay lamang. Ang isa-puso ito at pag-iisip kung anong tama at mali ay nagbibigay-timbang sa kanilang gabay, sapagkat ito ay sa ikabubuti nating lahat.

There are many ways to stay inspired. First, are your parents and close relatives within your family. Sila ang nagbibigay-motivation to bring out the best in you. Gusto nila na, paglaki ninyo bilang isang tapat na mamamayan ng ating bansa, nakuha niyo na rin ang mga pangarap niyo sa buhay, at para sa mga magulang at sa ibang miyembro ng pamilya tulad ni lolo at lola na nandyan parati para makasuporta sa efforts na ginagawa sa loob at labas ng silid-aralan, at nandyan din si tito at tita na nagbibigay gabay sa anong kailangang gawin ng isa’t isa sa buhay.

Sa mga parents natin diyan at guardians na nagbabantay sa mga bata na nandito ngayon at nakikinig, be always inspired to see your kids doing ang being the best version of themselves. Let them be guided always, magbigay gabay tayo sa ating mga anak na maging mas masunurin, yung magiging mabait, at siyempre, maging masayahin sa magagandang gawain sa loob at labas ng paaralan. A good-performing student or pupil gives us a full peace of mind and full inspiration to strive more.

Second, there are your classmates and friends that you’ve made in school. Yung lahat na may interest sa pag-aaral, ha? Kasi masayang pakinggan na lahat kayo nakapag-proceed sa mas mataas na baitang na walang naiiwan. All the way, until you’ve grown up, it is nice to see you, little pupils, getting your respective dreams while your friends and closest of peers are doing the same. Nakakagaan ng feeling. Pagsikapan at kumuha ng inspiration sa kapwa mag-aaral para maging mas mabuting tao.

Kung merong di pagkakaunawaan, mas mainam na ring i-settle down na yan and instill the idea of team work. Parang naglalaro ng sports like soccer or basketball, lahat nagtutulungan para maging mas mabuting estudyante na walang mag-iiwanan. While things get competitive with awards, it is a better idea to help one another kasi at the end of the day, iisa lang din ang objective ng isa’t isa, which is para makaproceed to higher grade level, and to finish studies. Let this be the way, and stay inspired with one another.

And finally, there are your teachers and school advisors na nagtuturo sa inyo, gumagabay sa inyo. Kapag nagagalit sila, they do it because they want to see the best in you. Mas lalong inspired sila mag-turo kapag nakita nila kayong may interest, at the same time you have the full inspiration to participate in classroom discussions. For example, kapag may nag-report, you may ask curiosity-based questions, that at the end of the day the teacher explains it all and all of you fully understands the lesson. Lahat may natutunan at the end of the day.

Sa ating faculty, keep up your good work. Always make yourselves the source of inspiration for your pupils to be the best version of themselves. Kung anong pagkukulang ang meron sa kanila, help them fill it out. If there are some issues with their studies or kapag may problema sa pag-uugali, please help them out. I can bet that you will be more ‘inspired’ to do the teaching if your students, or pupils for that matter, showed their full interest to engage in a classroom discussion.

I also want to say that always remember, “Education is the best investment to success.” In my story, I know some of the teachers also know this because they were my mother’s good friend. I remember na nung nagkaroon siya ng sakit, hindi ko alam kung saan ako huhugot ng lakas. Kayo mga mag-aaral, always keep your parents, your teachers, at kahit yung mga classmates na naging kaibigan niyo as a source of strength para makapag-tapos ng pag-aaral, and eventually, to graduate from this institution.

Kami ng kapatid ko. Nag-aaral pa kami nun pero parang ang bigat. Ayaw naming iwan nanay namin sa bahay, in general, ayaw na naming mag-aral knowing na malala yung sakit niya at may possibility na anytime, iiwan niya na kami. Pero knowing her, grabe yung disiplina na binibigay niya sa amin lalong-lalo na sa pag-aaral. This is just one of main fundamental things sa pagiging estudyante. Ang disiplina na pinapayo sa inyo, it should not be ignored, as they really give this advice para sa ikabubuti niyo, at sa kinabukasan niyo.

At gaya ng sabi ko kanina, ayaw namin siyang madismaya since grabe yung effort at support na binigay nila samin ng papa ko para makapagtapos lang kami. In other words, I just want to say that kahit nahihirapan man tayo sa buhay, patuloy pa rin ang pangarap. Mga mag-aaral, you still have many years to go to fulfill your maximum potential and who knows may maka-discover sa mga skills and talents na meron kayo that will make you succeed along the way. Only time can tell.

Mahirap man ang buhay, mahirap man tayo, madami man tayong problema na hinaharap, pero always remember that God will not give us problems we cannot handle. He will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing, he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. Isa rin itong fundamental thing sa isang estudyante, ang madasalin. Kahit anong relihiyon o paniniwala pa ito, we always pray to our Lord Almighty na maipasa at makaproceed sa mas mataas na baitang as you get closer into fulfilling your dreams. We keep on praying for strength and motivation to get things done.

To end my speech, let me quote the South African anti-apartheid activist and former president Nelson Mandela, who said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” You, little pupils, have a bright future ahead of you. Let it not be a waste for you or for your parent’s efforts. Show them your worth and make them proud. Always remember to stay inspired more.

Once again, thank you for listening. Maraming salamat, y buenas tardes con a todos.

==END==

(c) 2023 Bern Orpiano, The Pitzviews.

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Reacting to Dr. Danny DLR Reyes’s Public Administration Lecture

We will discuss a commentary related to a public administration lecture, in which it helps factor in the dynamics of learning and understanding the theory and practice of this field of expertise, along with the knowledge surrounding the inner machinations of governance that may go applicable to real-life scenarios of bureaucratic functions.

Note: The video reference for this content can be accessed here.

The Background

The main basis for this reaction paper will be based on the PA-201 Lecture of Dr. Danny DLR. Reyes as presented to his audience emphasizing the studies which goes in line with the primary objectives of this course which is in Theory and Practice in Public Administration, emphasizing more on the former and the Governance that revolves along this line of study. 

This serves as a source of the author’s primary thoughts and reactions based on the lecture that lasted an hour and ten minutes as a requirement of this course, and the lessons that have learned along the whole discussion on the lectures about the theorems that has provided in its duration. 

Historical Hit Points

At first glance, it is easier to see and say about the current bureaucratic structures that define the government functions per agency and the underlying mechanisms that make it operational especially on the points of the speaker about the lapses and weaknesses that are found in the system. And with those observations also came with an important knowledge dealing with the origins of the study of public administration in its entirety.

It is in the lecture of Dr. Danny Reyes that I learned about the history of this whole study matter or discipline like the current government qualifications and also the course currently taken wherein it all originated during the American Colonial Period starting with their introduction of the discipline as a practice through the foundation of the Civil Service system in country through the Public Law No. 5 established by the U.S.-led Second Philippine Commission, with its attributes still keeps on playing a significant role for the current Philippine Public Administration System although it was altered a bit along the time as discussed.

While the Civil Service system was established at the start of the American Period, the systems are already affirmed in place since the Spanish Era although it is just merely a practice that the academic study and theories involving the government and public administration came just half a century later in the year 1952, during the time that the Philippines was a newly-independent nation from the United States and with all of its government structure, public administration and enacted laws patterned to the latter wherein the Institute of Public Administration was established in the University of the Philippines.

It is from these established systems that bureaucracy in itself was formed, wherein there is a step-by-step processing of any related documents or certifications that validates or makes eligible of a business to operate or for an individual to get pertinent papers that are needed for whatever purpose their documents are to use such as using it for the submission of requirements needed in the workplace or for the processing of travel documents like passport in order to get into another country with the purpose of either visiting a place as a tourist or as an overseas worker.

This shows that the intricate systems of public administration and governance was already established long through the practices introduced in both Spanish and American periods with the discipline or study about this field of interest just came in later on, enhancing the way governance and public administration works in the country for the benefit of the Filipino people as a whole, with constant change of ideas and definitions keep on moulding the concepts and ideas in this field that determines the factor on the way the government pushes its policies, improving its systemic processes and provides deeper understanding that may give ideas to the people of bureaucracy to utilize its knowledge for the best interest of the country and its people.

Ever-changing definitions of Public Administration

From the establishment of Public Administration study and discipline in the early 1950s, many definitions, principles and concepts have changed or added as the complexities of this field intensify which covers different areas of governance and public service in its entirety, aiming to determine, understand and improve services for the betterment of this country’s management of its current implementing policies, rules and regulations as well as laws passed.

Being a discipline, public administration studies aim to establish of effectiveness and efficiency within the government especially amongst civil servants or also known as government employees of different appointments and positions as the practice of this discipline are usually done by these career service personnel who accomplished their eligibility requirements such as passing either a professional or sub-professional examinations in order to be part and contribute for the country’s betterment.

Being a country whose government and public administration inspired from those in the United States, the idealisms that define our form of discipline can be seen from the scholars that help shaped the way government functions and how public administration performed by the Americans whose civil service system improved in 1883.

One definition shown by the presenter was made by Woodrow Wilson; the 28th President of the United States who ruled from 1913 to 1921 with the Philippines at that time is well within his administration. According to him, “Public administration is the detailed and systematic execution of public law” which means that its practice defines the effectiveness of laws enacted of which its effect and implementation shows the determination of a functioning government in keeping things at order, with different civil servants playing a key role in making an effective public administration happen.

Another definition is from Herbert A. Simon, a renowned American economist and political scientist of his time, explicates that and quote that Public Administration in itself “refers to the activities of the executive branches of national, state and local governments; independent boards and commissions; and certain other agencies of a specialized character. Specifically excluded are judicial and legislative agencies within the government”. 

Take note that the Public Administration at that time emphasizes more on Executive Branch itself, aligned with what Woodrow Wilson said about the detailed and systemic execution of public law in which the discipline tackles more on the government practices and implementation of passed legislature that clearly affects directly to a country’s societal way of living and the economic performance that came along with it.

     Emphasizing further about the discipline of Public Administration revolving into the executive branch is from Fritz Morstein Marx, himself a German-American political and administrative scientist that contributed a lot in the study through one of his publication the Elements of Public Administration which was first published in the mid-1940s. It is quoted there in his publication, highlighted that “by established by usage, however, it has come to signify primarily the organization, personnel, practices, and procedures, essential to effective performance of the civilian functions entrusted to the Executive Branch of the government”.

Also on the definition of public administration sticking into the executive branch of the government is the American historian who specialized in public administration whose name is Leonard D. White. His definition went as follows: “the composite of all the laws, regulations, practices, relationships, codes, and customs that prevail at any time in any jurisdiction for the fulfilment and execution of public policy.” Just like Wilson, Simon and Marx, White further affirms about the emphasis of implementing public policy which in itself is a feature of the executive branch and the way it instils order and development of the country and its citizenry.

Since then, the definitions of public administration started to diversify a bit although it still sticks to the primary understanding of catering the needs of the citizenry, specifically the systems implemented to cater their needs in ways that are direct or indirect. First is on how public administration caters the citizenry that defines a nation as a whole. Authors Marshall and Gladys Dimock, as well as Douglas Fox, define Public Administration as “the production of goods and services designed to serve the needs of citizen-consumers”. 

Basically it means that by its definition, Public Administration is now came with the purpose of dealing with the public or say, the citizens of the republic and to provide them the services and goods in a way that a business does in dealing with its customers with the aims that the necessities of the citizenry are to be satisfied from what the government provides, ranging from faster processing times of documents to faster implementation of public nature like infrastructure and social work projects. 

This change in perspective further implied by McSuite in 2002, defining Public Administration as “public service is service, and as such always be seen in personal terms…the only path along which personal human development can proceed”. 

Lastly, David Rosenbloom define Public Administration in terms that it is limited from what Wilson, Simon, Marx and White described as it covers the all branches of the government as a whole. He defined the discipline as “is the use of managerial, political, and legal theories and processes to fulfil legislative, executive, and judicial governmental mandates for the provision of regulatory and service functions for the society as a whole or for some segments of it”.

The Theories

The foundation of Public Administration as a whole in the United States lies with Woodrow Wilson, the father who eventually became the 28th President of the United States which, in his 1887 publication shown the departure of this discipline from what was once known as a sub-branch of the study of Political Science, giving distinction between political and administrative matters. 

It was in his belief that public administrative policies shall not be intervened by political patronage and the way it operates shall be akin to how businesses operates or as he quote it “The field of administration is a field of business.  It is removed from the hurry and strife of politics”. This line of principle became one of the bases on his advocacy at his time about civil service reforms, influencing public administration in the Philippines and the way its civil service is currently structured. 

From this, it has clarified further by Frank Goodnow who is a Wilson supporter that politics shall be limited from the implementation of policies whereas administration will be the one who will implement it which is usually instilled to the executive branch.

Knowing POSDCORB

One significant contribution made in Public Administration goes with the acronym POSDCORB. Coined by American political scientist Luther Halsey Gulick, it stands for Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting, and Budgeting.

Standing as a managerial principle, POSDCORB came as framework gives objective that is also applicable in multiple business or corporate settings wherein an organization distributes work processes to each employees of different job description while considering the number of employees needed for the process, while determining the plans of streamlining the processes which goes in synchronization that attempts to achieve overall efficiency and effectiveness which are two fundamental principles of management. 

With this framework, it will help organizations especially government agencies to achieve the primary objectives at work while evenly distributing the workloads among government employees in the aims that they deliver the goods and services that the citizenry deserves to have for the nation’s societal and economic development.

Theory of Bureaucracy by Max Weber, German Sociologist

The viewpoint of a known German sociologist and also an economist Max Weber was presented as a world view that addressed the issue of power and authority, and the legitimacy of those who rule in society. His ideas on bureaucracy is fully idealistic, sticking on the strictest of rules and the evenly, affirmed distribution of power which connotes to the legitimacy of the government to rule as there is the effectiveness in an organizational management, sticking to its rationality and efficiency in achieving an objective such as maximizing output that a government office makes in processing papers, or in awarding of projects after thorough checks and finalizations.

Influences From Other Known Scholars of Public Administration

Aside from Gulick and Weber, there are also other notable scholars of public administration with their own respective contributions which helps influence the current discipline of Public Administration especially in the case of the Republic of the Philippines which primarily derived its practices and theories from the ideals set by its former colonial overlord the United States of America.

One idea of thought is Taylorism which was coined from a major Public Administration theory made by the Frederick Winslow Taylor who was an American Mechanical Engineer wherein he provided the scientific management theory which basically focuses on work efficiency in a similar manner Weber emphasize it in his theory of Bureaucracy although it went into an approach that more productive employees deserve to be rewarded usually by higher compensation, a practice which goes with the employee performances within the Philippine Government awarded with a Performance-Based Bonus or PBB.

Another is from Elton Mayo with his well-known Hawthorne Experiments in which he set observations to the employees with regards to their productivity and create a number of conclusions that surrounds the reasons for employee motivation, as well as understanding the problems regarding the turn-over of workers in the Hawthorne Plant in Chicago which was the place where the experiment took place. 

Checking the human side of the business enterprise, it was determined that by special attention by a Supervisor further motivates workers at this study to further enhance, boost or increase the overall productivity of the nature of their work. 

Another factor regarding the increase in productivity is with regards to the work environment which promotes a sense of positivity by providing a sense of good treatment to the employees on their job performance, giving the needed inspiration as well as the motivation to do better in their respective work which simply turns into a more effective turnout of their performance that greatly benefits any organizations at play, both government and private institutions or businesses.

Wrapping It Up

Learning from the video, the discipline of Public Administration has undertaken multiple transformations regarding to its definition and concepts taken as the spectrum of its discussion changes from covering a single branch of the government down to having the entire system involved as the studies changes from the internal, systems-based study into a business-like external treatment of citizen-consumers and providing them the best services and goods they deserve to have as expected by the citizenry from a good government.

Moreover, it came to the realization about the studies covering the theories, contributions of influences to the current discipline and the scholars that define it as they helped transform the discipline of public administration into what it is currently, enhancing the understanding that actually involves dealing with the people and the overall societal way of living as it is with this study that policies are implemented or executed.

To sum it up, the understanding and learning about the theories of public administration is just as important as actually practicing it, as it gives further ideas about an inner workings of a systems such as the ones that are within the bureaucracy like a government service, giving more definition on what it means to serve the country by seeing aspects of this discipline secretly playing at the everyday duties and responsibilities of every employee, spanning various agencies with an aim of developing the nation for the further, aside from aspirations of improving his or her family and community.

(c) 2023 The Pitzviews.

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