Verbal and Nonverbal Channels Used by Selected Fresh Graduates of the University of the Philippines Manila-College of Arts and Sciences To Promote Filipino Values in the Workplace

Abstract

Globalization, the increasing interconnection around the world, has pervaded the Philippines’ local industries and institutions, bringing to the fore the issue of maintaining one’s cultural identity, or the need to promote and protect one’s culturally-shared values in the midst of a world that is becoming one united society. Values that reflect Filipino culture, which are mainly developed and preserved through promotion, include high regard for the dignity and welfare of others, joy and humor, flexibility, ability to survive, creativity, resourcefulness, sensitivity, team harmony, hospitality, respect for elders, generosity, and nationalism (Shead, 2001). Previous researches on Filipino values and values in general delved on the content and effects of values to government and business organizations; however, none has focused on the means or channels used in promoting Filipino values in the workplace to promote Filipino culture. Likewise, no study has been done yet on the role that state-subsidized universities play in promoting these Filipino values to its students who will eventually become professionals. Therefore, there was a gap in knowledge as to how Filipino graduates of state-owned universities promote Filipino values in the workplace to cultivate the Filipino culture and identity. For this reason, this study sought to fill in this gap in knowledge, by providing answers to the question: "What verbal and nonverbal channels do selected fresh graduates of the University of the Philippines Manila-College of Arts and Sciences use to promote Filipino values in the workplace?’’ Using Laswell’s model of communication and Berio’s SMCR model of communication as its theoretical base, and Filipino values as its conceptual base, the study investigated this newly-touched concept through an exploratory research design, employing survey, research, interview and case study techniques, and using interview schedule and survey questionnaire as tools for data gathering. The population of the study include BA OrCom and BA PolSci fresh graduates and teachers, since their courses primarily tackle communication and nationalism, respectively. It employed purposive sampling for the teachers of UPM-CAS, and proportionate sampling for the selected fresh graduates. Data was analyzed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative means. This research ascertained that the Filipino values primarily promoted by BA OrCom and BA PolSci fresh graduates are high regard for the dignity and welfare of others, flexibility, and resourcefulness, which are likewise all promoted by UPM-CAS. Flexibility draws on interrogative sentences as its verbal channels and uses space and vocalics as its nonverbal channels. High regard for the welfare of others is demonstrated through the use of interrogative sentences as its verbal channels and employs space, vocalics, touch, gestures, eye behavior, head movements, and facial expressions as its nonverbal channels. Likewise, resourcefulness uses interrogative sentences as its verbal channels but does not use any nonverbal channel. Verbal and nonverbal channels used in promoting all Filipino values in the workplace are several and diverse in form. Verbal channels used by selected fresh graduates take on two linguistic forms: sentences (declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences) and words (honorific words unique to the Filipino language, titles of persons and group, and pronouns in plural first person). Interrogative and declarative sentences are verbal channels used mostly in promoting Filipino values. The nonverbal channels used by fresh graduates are touch, gestures, eye behavior, facial expressions, vocalics, head movements, space, and artifacts. Among these nonverbal channels, the most used is vocalics.