Speaking of spokespersons — what do they 'show-and-tell'?

Spokespersons are the mouthpieces of their organizations, and by speaking for their institutions, their words — for good and for ill — bind their bosses, sometimes clearing up controversies while other times creating new ones. And when institutions clash, so do their spokespersons.

 

Palace spokesman Edwin Larcierda has crossed swords with former President and incumbent Pamapanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s spokesperson, Elena Bautista-Horn, as well as Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, the lawyer of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

 

“Ang unang lesson po namin dun, wala na kayong personal na opinyon. Kahit bilang isang abogado wala na kaming personal opinion kasi lahat ng pwedeng sabihin pwede magkaroon ng national importance,” said Lacierda. [See related article: Lacierda draws flak over transport strike tweets]

 

Palace spokesman vs. Arroyo spokesperson

 

Not merely the words of spokespersons have captured the public’s attention, but also the unusual behavior of a few. Topacio’s unconventional wager — involving the Arroyo couple’s intent to return and not escape after going abroad — had caught the Twitterverse by storm.

 

“Ferdie Topacio is my classmate and he's a very good friend of mine. And I’m sure if we see each other we would laugh it all out,” Lacierda said about the Arroyo’s attorney-at-law.

 

On television, Lacierdia has occasion to bare tooth and claw when faced with Bautista-Horn’s dulcet tones which sugarcoated pointed arguments for the beleaguered former President she defends.

 

“Sana hindi mangyari sa kanila itong nangyayari sa kanya [Mrs. Arroyo]. At kung mangyari naman ito sa kanila, sana hindi nila pagdaanan ang pinagdadaanan nya. At sana hindi ninyo maranansan ang mapagkaitan kayo ng karapatan na pinoprotektahan ng Saligang Batas. Napakasakit po yun sa isang tao,” said Bautista-Horn.

 

Palace spokesman vs. SC spokesman vs SC justice?

 

Lacierda has also crossed swords with Court Administrator Midas Marquez, the spokesman of the Supreme Court. Just last March, Lacierda described as “reckless” Marquez's statement on the “loyalty” of President Benigno Aquino III's appointees to the high tribunal.

But Marquez does not have to go far to clash with critics — in the very high court he speaks for, one SC associate justice keeps calling him to task. Most recently, SC Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno warned Marquez against “interpreting" court rulings when he said that the temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of Mrs. Arroyo was already “in full force and effect.” Earlier in March, Sereno said Marquez had misinformed the public by saying that the SC justices received copies of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez’s petition before voting to suspend a congressional panel's impeachment proceedings against her in September 2010.

 

“I really welcome all these criticisms. Kasi para sa akin, eto ay isang reminder para sa kin na to improve,” said Marquez.

 

Even though he takes it all in stride as being all in a day’s work, sometimes the SC spokesman has to speak in his own defense, as Marquez had done last weekend.

 

Erap’s spokesman reminisces

 

The challenges of spokesmanship are old saw for lawyer Mike Toledo, who had served as the Palace spokesman for former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada for two years. After handling various controversies left and right, things came to a head when Estrada’s impeachment trial began and the burden of the responsibility of being Palace spokesman weighed heavily on Toledo’s shoulders.

 

“Nakakatuwa nung panahon ni Pres. Estrada hindi niya ako tinuruan. Ni hindi nya ako sinabihan kung ano ang sasabihin ko. Pinayagan nya akong sabihin kung anong nararapat sabihin. In other words, he never asked me to lie,” said Toledo.  "Pag sinasabi mo ang katotohanan lalabas at lalabas iyon sa salita at mukha mo.”

 

Toledo thanked his training as a lawyer and a news anchor, because when censure comes flying in from all quarters, it is best to keep one’s cool.

 

“Ako naman po masasabi ko na never ako napikon. In fact, medyo ngumingiti lang ako. Ngayon kung napapansin ko medyo mali na o out of line na yung nagtatanong, dinederetso ko in a nice and diplomatic manner,” said Toledo. “Talo ang pikon, sagutin lang ang tanong.” 

 

Public relations and the spokesperson

 

Prof. Ronald Henson is a lecturer on advertising and public relations, and he compared the function of the spokesperson with that of a salesman selling a product. In particular, he stressed the five C’s of public relations.

 

Henson stressed the importance of credibility so that the public can rely on what the spokesperson says. He said the spokesperson’s statements should be also be consistent and congenial. He said the spokesperson need not have good looks but possessing charisma is definitely a must.

 

“Kasi ang mga publiko ay sabik sa impormasyon. At minsan sa likod ng mga kontrobersiya, kailangan nilang malaman ang katotohanan,” said Henson in an interview with reporter Steve Dailisan on GMA News TV’s “SONA” on Thursday evening.

 

“Kritikal ang layunin ng isang spokesperson, at ito ay dapat maibsan yung pagdududa, yung di nila alam ang katotohanan,” he said.

 

Henson pointed out that the modern audience has become less passive and more critical about what is said to them, that people are now better at ferreting out the truth. He explained that it has become necessary not only to be articulate in speech but also to be aware about what the spokesperson’s body language is saying.

 

“Ang komunikasyon ay dalawang bahagi: ang isang verbal at isang non-verbal,” he said. “You can appeal to the emotions by language but not facial [expressions].”

 

“Galit ka sa isang politiko, hindi mo ipapapakita na galit ka. Naiirita ka sa politiko, di mo ipapakita na naiirita ka. Kasi kapag ginawa mo yun, you are putting the statement with a touch of emotion — na ang kailangan mo lang gawin ay i-advocate mo lang ang position ng iyong organization,” he said.

 

In the end, it is up to the spokesperson to make the public accept them as representing the institutions they are actually speaking for. It is their job to deliver their message in the clearest and most sincere ways possible. This is why it should be born in mind that whatever a spokesperson says or does regarding his or her institution, that is all part of the job. — With a report by Steve Dailisan and Marlon Anthony Tonson/RSJ, GMA News