UPDS Bags the Gold at Baguio Nationals
Jessica Hermosa | November 2006
Besting 120 teams from 32 universities and colleges across the nation, Nicolo Cabrera and Claudia Poon of the UP Diliman Debate Society won first place in the 8th National Debate Champion- ships held in the University of Baguio last Oct. 22-28, 2006. Poon also bagged the Over-All Best Speaker title, while Cabrera was awarded Best Speaker of the Finals round and 3rd Over-all Best Speaker.
By sheer coincidence, the finals round was a UP-Ateneo face off with UP Manila and UP Diliman for Government, and Ateneo de Davao and Ateneo de Manila for Opposition. Sitting in Closing Government, Poon and Cabrera argued for the motion ‘This house believes that lobbying to the EU to sanction RP for its extra-judicial killings is in the best interest of Filipino activists’.
NDC 8 was a victory not just for the two but also for the entire UP Diliman contingent with 9 out of 10 of its teams making it to the top 25, and four adjudicators qualifying for the break rounds. Special mention goes to the three teams: Joanne Elizabeth Atienza and Richard Heydarian (semifinalists), Joan Caccam and Jonjon Avila (quarterfinalists), and Inna Gacad and Christian Villa (octofinalists). Caccam and Villa tied for 10th best speaker, Ma. Theresa Grajo and Katherine Diaz tied for 15th, Melissa Sayoc and Jonjon Avila for 20th and Sabrina-Laya Gacad and Anna Arcellana for 25th.
The Diliman contingent’s adjudicators also garnered victories. The list includes April Matias (6th Best Adjudicator), Jessica Hermosa (quarterfinalist adjudicator), and Erika Prado and Diana Dy (octofinalist adjudicators).
