UP Speech Communication Association
The University of the Philippines Speech Communication Association (UP SPECA) is a non-sectarian, non-partisan, socio-academic organization that aims to promote and increase the significance and power of Speech Communication as a vital discipline in the academe. It also aims to foster the spirit of camaraderie among Speech majors. It also enhances the confidence and communication skills of its members and creates credible projects that help the campus and the community.
UP SPECA is based in the College of Arts and Letters and its official domicile is located at the Kubo #1, Tambayan Complex, Faculty Center Hill.
History
The University of the Philippines Speech Communication Association (UP SPECA) was founded by Kenneth Jose Bajar with the help of his batchmates during AY 2000-2001. It was officially recognized by the College of Arts and Letters and the University the year after. It has been one of the most active student organizations ever since.
The organization’s main objective is to boost, promote, and increase the significance and power of speech communication using the unified mobilization of Speech majors and enthusiasts towards a better academe and community. In the spirit of camaraderie, the members of the organization work hand in hand, not only to cope with the challenges of being speech communication students, but also to foster a relevant and honorable organization that uplifts the legacy of knowledge, excellence, and leadership that bounds every “Iskolar ng Bayan” to the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
The Members and Committees
The Executive Committee is composed of the officers of the organization, the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary General, the heads of the standing committees, and their assistant.
The Executive Committee (AY 13-14)
Chairperson: Nelda Gutierrez
Vice- Chairperson: Anna Frias
Secretary General: Mary Jodie Bibat
Academics Committee
Head: Mark Joseph Cancino
Asst: Tricia Trinidad
Finance and Marketing Committee
Head: Jeronimo Ascue
Asst: Charmaine Paz
Internal Affairs Committee
Head: Valyn Baluyot
Asst: Angelina Limpin
Performance Committee
Head: James Paul Calonge
Asst: Jeanne Cayanan
Public Relations Committee
Head: Marie Chanel Abelo
Asst: Allan George Tongol
Recruitment Committee
Head: Kaylene Fernandez
Asst: Abby Javier
Projects and Activities
• ACLEs
UP SPECA holds an Alternative Classroom Learning Experience every semester. Some notable speakers from previous ACLEs include
• KALiksihan
KALiksihan is an inter-organizational activity conceptualized by UP SPECA in 2010 to encourage interaction and collaboration between the organizations of the College of Arts and Letters.
• Oral Interpretation Night
"OI Night" is a project spearheaded by the Performance Committee in order to showcase the talents of the members of SPECA and to promote Oral Interpretation as a performance medium.
The show has an overarching theme, and every single member of SPECA performs one oral interpretation piece connected to it.
• Outreach Activities
As a socio-civic organization, SPECA has regular outreach activities.
SPECA Drive
In the aftermath of the Habagat storm and floods in AY 2012-2013, the annual SPECA alumni dinner was cancelled in order for the organization to enact a relief operation in it's stead. The event was done with the coordination of the alumni and the money that was supposedly for the alumni dinner was used for the operation.
Following that incident, SPECA informally dubs every effort for the organization to mobilize manpower and donations is dubbed "SPECA Drive"
• Retorika
Retorika is an annual show, traditionally held around February. Every year, the members write an original show and act it out.
Every year, Retorika strives to embody a different theme. Previous themes include: different kinds of comedy, murder mystery and musical.
• SPECA Month/Week
Every year, UP SPECA celebrates the anniversary of it's establishment through the SPECA Week which features different events and activities.
SPECA Exhibit
The week opens with the SPECA Exhibit at the Gallery 1 of the Faculty Center. The Exhibit contains general information about the organization, including its mission, vision, objectives and its standing committees and the executive committee; pictures and documentation of the events this past semester and activities that will be accomplished by the organization in the final months of the semester and the year itself; and a brief discussion of the history of the organization.
Due to the stormy weather that week, the exhibit was not successfully pushed through. Another exhibit on the last week of September is scheduled to be done by UP SPECA.
ANSAVEH?! The Ultimate Pronunciation Competition
ANSAVEH?! was originally an Inter-org Impromptu Public Speaking Competition. During it's seventh year anniversary back in 2008, the competition was opened to all bona fide UP students. By 2011, ANSAVEH?! changed its mechanics and became an articulation competition open to all bona fide UP students.
Alumni Dinner
The Alumni Dinner serves as the culminating activity of the SPECA week. It is a get together of the alumni and current members of the organization. The first ever alumni dinner was held during the organization's 7th anniversary in 2008 at the University Hotel. It featured a set of performances by the current members of the organization then. Last year's alumni dinner, however, was held at Tramway Buffet Restaurant. This event served as a venue for the current members to meet and socialize with the people who have been part of this family.
Speech Cup
The UP SPECA Speech Cup is one of SPECA's biggest and most prestigious annual events.
It is a speech competition open to all high schools and colleges in Metro Manila and Mega Manila. Aside from being aligned with the values of UP SPECA, the competition also aims to foster youth involvement in the pursuits of performance art and rhetoric, to provide a venue for self expression and social responsiveness and to propel the Filipinization of speech communication.
The UP SPECA Speech Cup officialy started in February 2006. Originally entitled "Talastasan", it was a seminar-workshop made open to high school students about the areas of speech communication. In September of the same year, the event opened it's first ever speech choir competition. The following year, an individual oral interpretation category was added. In 2008, an additional public speaking competition was introduced; open to all colleges and universities.
• Previous Themes and Pieces
— 2006:
— 2007:
— 2008:
— 2009:
— 2010: Speechcraft: Reinventing the Image of Public Service
— 2011: Now Hiring: Post-Modern Heroes
— 2012:
— 2013: The Supremo's Legacy: Echoes of Balintawak in the 21st Century
• Previous Winners
— 2006:
— 2007:
— 2008:
— 2009:
— 2010:
— 2011:
— 2012:
— 2013:
• Competition format
— Speech Choir
One group per High School performs one (1) literary piece: the official contest piece provided by UP SPECA, integrated into another theme-aligned piece of the school's own choosing.
— Individual Oral Interpretation
The contest piece is pre-selected by UP SPECA upon advisement of the Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts (DSCTA).
Each school is allowed to have only one representative for this category.
Internal Initiatives
InterReach and UBEs
As camaraderie among it's members is core to its' existence, the organization goes of its' way to make sure the members are bonded.
Lovapaloco and A Very PERFect Love
UP SPECA's annual Valentines Day celebration manifests in Lovapaloco and PERFectly In Love (formerly A Very PERFect Love). The two events are headed by the Internal Affairs Committee and the Performance Committee.
Lovapaloco is a SPECA event wherein the organization is separated into two groups by gender. The SPECA Girls and SPECA Boys spend a day trying to "out-sweet" each other through any means possible (whether giving gifts, surprises, etc.) It is an event where the members of the organization show how much they cherish each other. The 'Kilig' factor usually decides who wins the contest.
PERFectly in Love is when members nominate couples, love teams and even love triangles who they want to see perform together. The couple/trios with the highest votes get to perform during the event. The performers then randomly pick one performance from a list prepared by the Performance Committee.
The other half of PERFectly in Love is the Individual Performance. Aside from nominating couples, the members are also asked to nominate people who they want to see perform. But this time, the members are asked to indicate what kind of performance shall the individual do (e.g. Perform Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal and Pole Dance). People who are usually nominated in this part of the event are those who barely perform in SPECA activities.
Aside from the performance part of the event, 'kilig' and 'couple' games are also played by the members.
Workshops
Every committee in UP SPECA holds at least one workshop a semester for the sake of improving and diversifying the skills of it's members.
Awards and Recognitions
Best CAL Org
One of UP SPECA's crowning achievements as an organization is having garnered the "BEST CAL ORGANIZATION" award for four years.
• Pinakamahusay na Organisasyong Pang-estudyante sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UP DILIMAN AY 2008-2009 (April 25, 2009)
• Pinakamahusay na Organisasyong Pang-estudyante sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UP DILIMAN AY 2009-2010 (April 22, 2010)
• Pinakamahusay na Organisasyong Pang-estudyante sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UP DILIMAN AY 2010-2011 (April 16, 2011)
• Pinakamahusay na Organisasyong Pang-estudyante sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura, UP DILIMAN AY 2012-2013 (April, 2013)
SPECA is proud of it's legacy as being one of the most active organizations in the entire University, and one of the go-to organizations of the College of Arts and Letters. UP SPECA is highly supportive of the College of Arts and Letters Student Councils' initiatives, and are especially active in all events to do with the Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts. They take every opportunity to promote themselves.
UP SPECA also goes of it's way to fulfill it's social-civic duties to the college and community, whilst remaining unaffiliated to any political party.
It is these traits and values that annually drive the organization to succeed and garner the prestigious Best CAL org award.
Other Recognition
• Certificate of University Recognition for AY 2010-2011
• Certificate of College Recognition for AY 2010-2011
• 2nd Runner-up, iSING: UP Sigma Delta Phi’s Inter-Org Singing Contest (March 6, 2009)
• Champion, iSING for Kids: UP Sigma Delta Phi’s Inter-Org Singing Contest (March 5, 2010)
• Finalist, Pi Sigma Debate Tournament (July 2008)
• Most Number of Attendees in the Alternative Classroom Learning Experience during the 2nd Semester AY 2009-2010 with their ACLE Hataw Na!: Expressing the Youth's Standpoint through Movement and Communication
• Certificate of Participation from the College of Arts and Letters for UP SPECA’s participation in the Pambansang Komperensya sa Sarsuwela
• Certificate of Participation from the College of Arts and Letters for UP SPECA’s participation in the National Speech Communication Conference (October 21 – 23, 2009)
See also:
• SPEAKERBOX; UP SPECA's online newsletter: https://upspeca.wordpress.com/
• The UP SPECA Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/up.speca
• The Official Twitter Account of UP SPECA: https://twitter.com/UPSpeca
• The UP SPECA Instagram account: