Univ bags awards in prov’l debate cup

September 15, 2021

By Niña Christelle M. Sumintac

Correspondent

 

Students of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) bagged awards in the Linggo ng Kabataan Sirib (LiNKS) Debate Cup organized by the Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office last August 30 and September 1. 

 

A team from the College of Teacher Education (CTE) composed of Archie John E. Blas (BSEd English), Patricia Dennisse A. Balico (BSEd Science), and Michael Christophe R. Agustin (BSEd English) prevailed first runner-up in the final round. They feistily argued that the government must forward an intensive educational program to increase the country’s vaccination rate instead of penalizing anti-vaxxers. 

 

Adjudicators also awarded MMSU students as the Cup’s Best Speakers: Christian Jay Valdez (BSEd English), 1st place; Blas, 3rd place; Percival B. Bustamante, Jr. (BSEd English), 4th place; Alyssa Joy Gervacio (BSEd English), 8th place; Agustin and Balico, both 10th place, all from CTE; and, Liezel G. Cabanatan (BS Accountancy), 8th place, from the College of Business, Economics and Accountancy (CBEA). 

 

Meanwhile, The CTE’s Team A (Bustamante, Valdez, Gervacio) finished as a semifinalist, while its Team B (Dayvie Mia G. Simon, Justine Erika T. Almazan, and Jazztine Lucas, all BSEd Social Studies students) made it to the quarterfinals. 

 

Prince Ramos, Jamie Sales, and Kamillu Raphael Luis of the Laboratory High School (LHS), were also quarterfinalists in the provincial debate tilt. 

 

Members of the MMSU’s coaching team are Prof. Bryan Eli Sadorra, Dr. Jahnese D. Asuncion, Prof. Maria Deleilah F. Adriatico, and this writer.

 

A total of 20 teams competed in the LiNKS Debate Cup. These teams come from MMSU (CTE, LHS, and Batac campus), Northwestern University, Ilocos Norte National High School, Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades, Our Saviors Foundation, Inc., Immaculate Conception Academy (OSFI-HS), and Pallas Integrated School. The OFSI-HS team prevailed champion in the provincial debate cup. 

 

The tournament aimed at honing the public speaking and critical thinking skills of young Ilokano debaters through discussing a variety of social issues. (StratCom)