IT’S THE second biggest debate competition in the world, and it was held in the Ateneo.
Student debaters from all over Asia and Australia flew to the Philippines to participate in the Australasian Intervarsity Debate Championship (Australs), held July 3 to 11. Ateneo was the host school for the said event.
The Australs is second in size only to the World Universities Debating Championship, one of the biggest annual student events in the world. Aside from organizing the event, the Ateneo Debate Society (ADS) also competed in the Australs.
A year-long preparation
Preparations for the Australs started as soon as the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association chose the Ateneo to host the 2008 Australs.
The Australs Organizing Committee spent months looking for the guests’ accommodations, as well as locations for the small parties held exclusively for Australs participants.
“We [also] had to convince Fr. [Bienvenido Nebres] and Ma’am [Assunta Cuyegkeng] to get classes cancelled for July 7, because what we need for the tournament are [classrooms where the debates will be held],” said Faith Raagas (BS Mgt ‘08), Deputy Convenor of the Australs.
As a result, classes were cancelled last July 7, although Ateneo freshmen were required to watch as part of the Alternative Class Program.
Home court pressures
Although being the host school gives a home court advantage, ADS experienced pressure in performing well for the Australs.
“The pressures are more of internal, because we’re the host school,” said ADS President Miko Biscocho (IV BS ME). “…we have to do our best … to make the school proud.”
ADS underwent rigorous training before the Australs, consisting of two to three debate rounds every day. The participants also had to read books, magazines, and newspapers on relevant topics and issues.
A close fight
In the end, the University of Sydney won the 2008 Australs. ADS lost to Monash University in the semi-finals by a close score of 4-3.
Three teams from ADS, however, made it to the Top 20 in the team rankings.
Ateneo-1, consisting of Charisse Kristel Borromeo (BS ME ’08), Kip Oebanda (MA Eco), and Sharmila Parmanand (AB PoS ‘07), ranked 3rd place. Ateneo-2, consisting of Biscocho, Stephanie Anne Co (BS Psy ’08), and Angelica Simone Mangahas (II AB SoS), ranked 10th place. Ateneo-3, consisting of Pauline Marie Gairanod (III AB PoS), Vincenzo Giorgio Tagle (III AB Eco-H), and Eleanor Zosa ranked 14th place.
Borromeo and Parmanand also received awards as 3rd and 4th Top Speakers, respectively.
The finals and the awarding ceremony were held July 10 at the Meralco Theater in Mandaluyong City.
Although ADS only managed to make it to the semi-finals, running and participating in the Australs has become a memorable experience for Biscocho. “The reception from the participants…that Ateneo did a good job in running the tournament [is a memorable experience],” he said.
“We’re [also] helping debate culture become vibrant in the Philippines,” he added. “In that sense, it’s a satisfying enough experience for me.”
An open mind
The Australs, according to Raagas, is an example of how intellectual conversations could form bonds of respect.
“It’s a small but sure stepping stone to forging good relations with others,” she says. “Debate provides such a huge networking prospect for everyone.”
For Biscocho, debating gives people the ability to keep an open mind. “It makes you look at the context of things and then look at how we will able to resolve that issue from there on.”
“As Ateneans and as students, learning to debate—or at least keeping an open mind and thinking critically—will be very important for us.”
