Abstract:
The ability of a leader to communicate compelling visions that can rally the masses is a
fundamental aspect of effective leadership, an ability identified among charismatic leaders who
skillfully employ rhetoric. In the Philippines, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) council serves as
a platform for youth leadership and representation. However, despite recent reforms, issues
persist in their communication and alignment with youth needs, limiting youth engagement in
their communities. To provide SK councils insights into how they can communicate effective
visions, this study investigates the rhetorical strategies used by recognized SK leaders from the
2018-2023 cohort, who were recognized for their outstanding leadership by credible awarding
bodies, utilizing Seyranian and Bligh’s (2008) social identity framing theory as a framework.
This interpretive qualitative research employed a textual analysis to classify their social identity
framing tactics in speeches, followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews with each leader.
Findings reveal insights with cross-cultural implications on charismatic leadership, such as these
Filipino youth leaders' collectivistic and charismatic nature, demonstrated in their use of
inclusive language and similarity to followers across all framing phases. The study also
underscores the effectiveness of SK leaders' vision communication through proficient use of
social identity framing, which enhances credibility, engagement, and youth commitment to
action. This research contributes to the cross-cultural understanding of charismatic rhetoric in
collectivistic societies and underscores the need for further studies to validate these findings.
