Have you ever noticed during graduation exercises the guest of honour is referred as “Keynote Speaker”? This is evidently written at the stage backdrop and on the invitation programme handouts.

One time when I was the Chief-of-Staff of TRADOC, I overheard my boss, then MGen Cardozo M. Luna, who was the “Keynote Speaker” at the graduation ceremony that day, telling the Commandant of CGSC (I will not mention his name) that he misused the term.

Heneral Luna (not Antonio hehe) explained that the term is used only during opening of activities and never at closing of events. As a keynote, he said that it is the first note given to a choir e.g. key of C, before the group starts singing in order that everybody will hit the same note and not be out of tune. To establish this keynote, the conductor sometimes uses a tuning fork.

The dictionary supports his explanation, “Keynote Remark is the main idea or the policy line to be followed during a conduct of an activity, that is set forth authoritatively in advance by an address or other formal announcement”. 

In simple language, a keynote speaker delivers his remarks during opening of conventions, meetings and start of classes in order participants will be guided towards one purpose and direction, as how the activity will proceed and go on…

The next time Heneral Luna was invited to a graduation ceremony, he was then and always introduced as GOHAS…
Meaning of Terms

-TRADOC: Training and Doctrine Command

-CGSC: Command and General Staff College

-GOHAS: Guest of Honour and Speaker