The University of Bohol Debate Varsity (UBDV) carved a niche in the Visayas debate realm when it broke into the quarterfinals during the 2nd Visayas University Debate Championship (VUDC) on February 15-17 at the University of Bohol, this city.
The tournament gathered 70 student debaters, adjudicators and coaches from University of the Philippines-Cebu, University of San Jose Recolletos, University of the Philippines-Iloilo, Silliman University, St. Therese College and the University of Bohol.
Tournament director Bryan Gaviola said that VUDC aims to create a competitive platform where the value of debate on issues of general concern will be highlighted by the young minds of this country, especially in the Visayas region. He added that the tourney is geared towards the promotion of rationality and independence of thought espoused within the art of Asian parliamentary debate and argumentation.
The highly structured format of Asian Parliamentary debating is a big challenge to debaters since there is only a 30-minute preparation time once the topic to be debated is issued. This is why it's imperative for these students to be well-abreast with current events and be adept in extemporaneous speaking since speeches are never scripted," Gaviola said.
The competition following the Asian Parliamentary format where rounds are composed of two teams with three members from each bench (with only thirty minutes as the preparation time).
All participating teams went through four taxing rounds of elimination where the top eight (
teams qualified for Quarter Finals. The Quarter and Semi-final rounds took up a knock-out-system where losing teams automatically get eliminated from the contest until two teams remain in the Grand Finals.
The University of Bohol Debate Varsity (UBDV) composed of Glenn Manigque (BEED-SPED 3) who was ranked 10th best speaker out of 48 debaters in the tournament, Kate Zafra (BSN-2) and Nickie Bolos (BS-CompSci 3) qualified for the quarterfinals.
However, UB lost to Silliman University Team A during the Quarterfinals.
It may be noted that Manigque, Zafra and Bolos also made it to the quarterfinals during the Mindanao Debate Championship: The Gov. Dimaporo Cup last January 11-13 at the Mindanao Civic Center Hotel in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
During the Finals Night on February 17 held at the posh Bohol Tropics Resort Harbor View, UP Cebu Team A composed of Rommel Paras (BS CompSci), Samantha Tornilla (BS Biology) and Yedah Ylanan (BS PolSci) won over Silliman University Team A.
The 2nd VUDC was spearheaded by tournament director Bryan Gaviola and convenor Roland Aparece, both faculty members of the UB College of Liberal Arts.
- The Bohol Chronicle
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