Marlon Baldago 
Samar State University (SSU) debating team clinched first runner-up in the Novice Cup category at the 15th Eastern Visayas Debate Championship – Asian Parliamentary, held at the University of the Philippines Tacloban College (UPTC) from May 31 to June 2, 2024.
“Personally, advancing to higher rounds was not much of a target. I was just thinking about their first EVDC experience… I am a witness to how they’ve grown from the screening to the actual debate tournament. And with that, SSU must be very proud,” said coach Alfonso Labrague in response to the team’s win.
Representing the university are two teams of three, with only SSU Team B, composed of Franco Nube, Michael Angelo Rediang, and Donna Mae Alaga, qualifying for the championship round.
Ultimately, Visayas State University (VSU) Team B won the novice cup championship round over SSU Team B in a 3-2 split vote from the adjudicating board, with Nube and Rediang bagging the 9th Best Speaker and 4th Best Reply Speech, respectively.
“The competition was hard because it was really different from what our team was anticipating, but fortunately, we were able to adapt on the spot and eventually reach the Novice-break finals… I was able to build my confidence up because of my coaches and my fellow speakers,” said Nube on his and the team’s experience.
“I am grateful to our university, coaches, co-debaters, family, and friends who supported me throughout this journey. Winning 4th Best Reply Speech feels surreal… it was a thrilling ride, and there are a lot of learnings that I took with me,” Rediang added.
“As the only female contender in a male-dominated team of debaters, this debate served as an outlet that regardless of chaos in discourse either rooted from individual differences or of ideas, voices from the marginalized few will transpire in and penetrate the realm of traction where one is forcefully stifled just because of age, gender, affiliation, among others, ” Alaga shared on being the lone female debater of the group.
Consequently, the SSU debaters and coaches alike expressed their inclination to create the university’s very own debating society to celebrate and cultivate love for the art of argumentative discussions within the Tradesman community.
