ORADEC breaks debate record

The FEU-Oratorical and Debate Council’s (ORADEC) achievement in this
year’s 12th National Debate Championship (NDC) is considered a
record breaker. Jesus Falcis (AB Pol Sci, IV), chair of the Debate
Chamber, was awarded one of the Top 10 Best Speakers in the country.

FEU now joins UP Diliman, Ateneo de Manila U, UP Manila, in the lineup
of best speakers who were chosen based on accumulated scores during the
elimination round.

Together with teammate Marco Sana (BSC Legal Management, III), they
defeated Ateneo de Manila University – A, the top team after seven
elimination rounds held last October 23 to 29, 2009 at the Lyceum of the
Philippines University.

In the knockout round of the quarterfinals, FEU-A outwitted
Ateneo-A, an upset for the tournament’s most favored winner. FEU-A
as the Opening Opposition argued against the motion “This house
believes that sexually charged themes in independent films have harmed
the homosexual movement.”

That win paved the way for FEU-A to reach the semifinal round or the Top
8 out of 100 competing teams from all over the country.

The championship was copped by UP Diliman-A, a team also defeated by
FEU-A during the elimination round on the motion, “This house would
allow former rebels into the African Union peacekeeping forces.”

In the same tournament, Mr, Joeven R. Castro, ORADEC adviser/coach, was
again awarded one of the Top 10 Best Adjudicators. Noe Marco, (BS Psy,
III) adjudicated up to the semifinal round, a feat for a student
adjudicating for the first time.

Team spirit was at its highest as FEU sent 5 teams and 5 adjudicators,
one of the largest contingents in the tournament.

“The achievement can be attributed to our exposure last Australs in
Monash University, cross-training with several debate societies, and
constant training in FEU. We are committed to always do our best because
we are not just representing our selves. More importantly, we are
representing FEU,” Falcis said.

The NDC is a gathering of the country’s best speakers and critical
thinkers who discuss various national and international issues using the
British Parliamentary Format. It has nurtured the country’s youngest
leaders namely, bar topnotchers Arlene Maneja (UST) and Joan Devenecia
(ADMU), media personalities Patricia Evangelista (UPD) and Pia Arcangel
(ADMU), lawyer-municipal councilor Enrique Dela Cruz, Jr. (UST), and
corporate training manager Ryan Kaliph Buenafe (FEU) who is now with
JPMorgan Chase, among others.

(Report by Sedfrey Lacsamana)

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November 30th, 2009 by aproudtam is a proud FEU alumnus (ABEL 2008). He is a freelance writer, environmentalist, youth development advocate, volunteer, and head-high Pinoy.