Grade /

Subject: Grade 7-English Page 1 of 6

Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

SELECTION READING. Read and follow the instructions below.

Read the following selections here: English Communication Arts and Skills through
Philippine Literature (ECAS 7)
Electing Class Officers pages 12–15
Folk Dances in the Philippines pages 17–19

Electing Class Officers

At the beginning of the school year, each class holds a meeting to elect the class officers for the
year. This is an important event for the students as they decide on who among then can best lead
the class. In the selection that follows, you will read about how Section B elected their class
officers. Note the special vocabulary used for elections. This is an opportunity to speak good
English, use polite social expressions, and cultivate correct attitudes for elections. Later as a
citizen of our country you will be called upon to vote, which is both a right and a duty.

It was Saturday morning. There was a downpour from the lowering clouds. The first year
students, Section B, were excited, eager, and anxious as they were going to elect their class
officers.

Miss Loria, their teacher, stood in front of the class explaining how they were going to
proceed with the election. “We shall now elect your officers,” she said. “You will elect a president,
a vice president, a secretary, a treasurer, a PRO, and a sergeant at arms.”

“Please, ma’am, what is a PRO?” someone at the back asked.

“A PRO is a public relations officer,” Miss Loria answered. “He or she will take care of
writing about your class activities. So now I will turn over the meeting to Arturo who will act as
your temporary presiding officer. Arturo, please take over.”

Arturo got up and walked to the front of the room.

“The meeting will please come to order,” he said. “We are going to elect six officers–the
president, the vice president, the secretary, the treasurer, the PRO, and the sergeant at arms.”
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Subject: English 7-English Page 2 of 6
Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

The room buzzed with speculations and last-minute whispered suggestions for
candidates.

But first, let us find out if the members are all present,” Arturo said.

A check was made and the members, with the exception of two students, were all present.

“We have a quorum,” Arturo said. “The majority of the members are present. Shall we vote
by secret ballot or viva voce?”

There was loud cries of secret ballot and viva voce from all over the room.

“We’ll put the matter to vote,” Arturo continued. “All those in favor of voting by ballot, please
raise your right hand. Manuel and Josie, will you please count the hands?” Manuel and Josie
stood up to do what the presiding officer has requested them to do.

“All those in favor of voting viva voce, please raise your right hand,” Arturo went on.

After the number of hands raised for each mode of voting had been counted, Arturo
announced: “According to the count taken, we shall vote by secret ballot. I want to inform you
again that six officers are to be elected: the president, the vice president, the secretary, the
treasurer, the press relations officer, and the sergeant at arms. I would like to know how you would
like to have the election conducted. We can do either of two things. We can have only one
balloting. The one who gets the largest number of votes will be the president; thee one who gets
the next highest number of votes will be the vice president, and so on. Or we can vote separately
for each candidate.
“Mr. Chairman, I suggest that we nominate and vote separately for each.” This suggestion
came from Edgardo.

“That would take too much time,” Norma protested. “We should nominate all the
candidates and take only one vote.”

“I would like to clarify the second suggestion,” Manuel remarked as he stood up. “The
advantage of voting separately for each officer is that a candidate who loses can be nominated
for another position.”

“There are two suggestions before this body,” Arturo said. “The first is to nominate the
candidates for all the positions and proceed to vote. The second is to nominate candidates for
each position and take a vote separately for each. Shall we discuss the matter further or is anyone
willing to put it to a motion?”

Manuel stood up and said, “I move that we nominate our candidates and vote separately
for each position.”

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 Grade /
Subject: English 7-English Page 3 of 6
Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

“I second the motion,” several voices cried. The students were eager to proceed with the
election. A count was taken, and Manuel’s motion was carried.

“The table is now open for the nomination of the president,” Arturo proclaimed.

“I nominate Manuel Paredes for the position of president,” Norma said in a clear voice.

Josie, who was acting as secretary, wrote Manuel’s name on the board.

Three candidates were presented for the position of president. The students grew more
excited as the names were written on the board.

“I move that the nominations be closed,” someone said. Another stood up at the back.

“I second the motion!” the room rang out with the cry from many.

The class proceeded to elect the president. The students were tense with excitement as
the ballots were counted. When the result was known, Manuel was proclaimed the president.
Arturo turned the meeting over to Manuel, who now presided over the rest of the election.

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Grade /
Subject: English 7-English Page 4 of 6
Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

Folk Dances in the Philippines

Folk dancing and singing were very popular among the ancient Filipinos. History
relates that when Magellan reached the Philippines on March 17, 1521, he was entertained
by dancing native girls while young men played on what were thought to be “crude” musical
instruments. These ancient musical instruments probably appeared crude to the Spaniards
who were not familiar with them.

Through the centuries, Filipinos have shown a great fondness for and a great ability
in dancing and singing. They dance practically in every occasion––birth, thanksgiving, love,
war, victory, marriage, and even death. They dance to patron saints and likewise to the birds
found in the rice fields. Ceremonial dances are performed during town fiestas honoring patron
saints and religious events like Ash Wednesday, Easter, and Christmas.

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Grade /
Subject: English 7-English Page 5 of 6
Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

Differences in Dance

Because there are numerous islands in the Philippines, there is a wide difference
in the dances and songs found among Filipinos.

How Dance Reflects Life

In places where life is easy, the dances are generally happy and carefree. On the
other hand, where life is hard and money is scarce, dances are sad, slow, and even
mournful. Dances from the Ilocos region are of the latter type.

Occasions for Dancing

Dances and songs performed for traditional occasions also differ from place to
place. For example, a dance celebrating a wedding might be different in the North, in the
Central Plains, and in the South.

Foreign Impact on Local Dances

Our folk dances and songs have been influenced by other Southeast Asian
countries, Spain, France, England, Germany, and the United States, Malayan influence
is seen in the Daling-Daling and the Mag-bangka dances, while Spanish influence may
be seen in the Jota, Pandanggo, and Habanera.

Dancing and the Filipinos

Filipino folk dances are interesting in that many of them reveal traditional Filipino
qualities. For example, the customary concept is that Filipino women must be modest,
shy, and reserved. Consequently, the majority of the dance movements of women are
slow and graceful, whereas the movements of the men are more energetic and dynamic.
This is clearly shown in the Pandanggo, Jota, and Curacha, which are generally courtship
and wedding dances.

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Grade /
Subject: English 7-English Page 6 of 6
Module Title: G7ENGQ101-ELECTING CLASS OFFICERS

Filipinos are traditionally reserved and sensitive in their relationships, whether in

love or in ordinary social gatherings. Dances like the Hele Hele Bago Quiere express the
traditional coyness of the typical Filipina whose relatives would be shocked if she were
to accept a suitor immediately. Love in the traditional Filipino way is expressed at arm’s
length. This explains why Filipino folk dances are performed with very little, or almost no,
bodily contact. In dances of the earlier times, if the dance called for partners to hold
hands, the men held handkerchiefs to avoid touching the lady’s hands directly. In some
dances, the women held fans that they extended to partners as a substitute for their
hands.

Copyright © 2021-2022 by Corpus Christi School. All rights reserved.