How Does a Maharlika Meeting Look Like?























A typical Maharlika weekly meeting follows the standard Toastmasters format. There's a meeting host called the "Toastmaster of the Evening" to run the entire show. There is an impromptu speaking session (called "Table Topics") where three to four people from the audience are called upon to briefly answer a question. There are prepared speeches. Afterwards, an evaluation session follows where other members give their opinion and feedback about the performance of the previous speakers.

However, Maharlika differs from most clubs because Maharlika meetings revolve around physical themes. The Toastmaster of the Evening is in charge of selecting his/her own theme and executing it. Most of these themes require members to dress up according to the theme or bring paraphernalia related to it. That's why the assigned Toastmaster of the Evening has to advertise and market the theme one week in advance to elicit participation. At Maharlika, every meeting is an event.

Here is a brief account of the some of the most recent themes used in Maharlika meetings (click on the photo to view the meeting album):

Sept 9, 2009, Magic Charms and Crystal Balls

DTM Aida enchanted everyone as the Toastmaster of the Evening. She chose the theme “Magic Charms and Crystal Balls” because of her curiosity for the occult and for things that aren’t always explained by science. Jade Vine was again filled to the brim with lots of Maharlikans and guests present. Aida really knows how to bring the crowds in. Area 12 Governor Rudy Reyes acted as the General Evaluator for the meeting.

June 3, 2008 Chocolicious Tuesday

TC Chua's first crack as the Toastmaster of the Evening for the weekly meet of the Maharlika Toastmasters Club. The Maharlikans went loco over choco because it was a chocolicious Tuesday. Div. B Governor Fred Castro served as the GE. A club Evaluation Contest was also held. There were five contestants, TM Jing, CC Mely, CC Cecille, CC EdVil, and even the TME TC was game enough to participate in the contest, ultimately bagging the grand prize as winner of the contest. Lynn Gamboa of Metro Manila Toastmasters was one of the judges.

April 11, 2008 Wow Philippines

Erika was prevailed upon by VP-Ed Mely to take care of the second meeting of April. Erika cooked up a session inspired by the promotional campaign of the Department of tourism – Wow Philippines. Members were asked to dress up as summer tourists. About half of the members, mostly the females, consented. Area Governor Odessa overdid it and came in her beach wear. The males did not object.

February 12, 2008 Love Duets

The proximity of the meeting of Feb 12 to St. Valentine's big show inspired the members to adopt the Valentine's Day theme for the evening. A singing contest called “Love Duets” was the centerpiece of a program put together by the evening’s emcee, Mely Fernandez. TM Cecille, in loud red outfit, was the Contest Master for the event which got bogged down several times by an uncooperative sound system.

January 8, Rock and Roll

Jan 8, first meeting of the year for the Maharlika Toastmasters Club. I was assigned as TME and I thought of using the theme "Rock n Roll" to start the New Year with a very loud bang. I managed to arrive early at the Jade Vine Resto for early preparations and set-up of the place. But as Murphy's Law has it, the things that could go wrong eventually did. My laptop refused to play the videos I downloaded from the web and wanted to show my fellow Maharlikans what real rock and roll looks like. There were no prepared speakers during that meeting so a video presentation of select contestants from the Cebu Discon Prepared Speech Contest was shown instead.