ADU are three-peat champions in MPDC

The Ateneo Debate Union successfully defended the championship in the 29^th Mindanao Parliamentary Debate Championship (MPDC) making this Ateneo de Zamboanga’s third consecutive championship. Moreover, five speakers from the Union were awarded as one of Top 10 speakers of the tournament and two of the judges were awarded as one of the Top 5 adjudicators of the tournament.

The MPDC is the most competitive Mindanao debate tournament. The 29^th MPDC was held in Father Saturnino Urios University, Butuan City, from January 31 to February 2, 2014.

The university’s representatives to this tournament were:

Debaters

Team A

Glenn William Alcala, BS Accountancy V

Ruby Jane Calletor, BS Accountancy IV

Kelvin Culajara, BS Accountancy V

Team B

Pjey Fidel, BS Biology III

Khalid Lozano, BS Management Accounting IV

Kim Arnold Señerez, BS Nursing III

Team C

Darren Biri, BS Accountancy I

Andre Dagoy, BS Accountancy I

Allen Ross Sanoria, BS Accountancy I

Adjudicators

Sheena Mae Alcala, BA Communication III

Kurt Jesher Recinto, BS Accountancy I

Jenny Mae Talaver, AB Philosophy I

Observer

Marion Bais Guerrero, Faculty, Languages Department, School of Liberal Arts

Elimination Rounds

After four (4) elimination rounds, AdZU Team A was declared the team with the 2^nd highest accumulated team and speaker scores while AdZU Team B was ranked 3^rd, thereby allowing the teams to proceed to the final series. There were 32 competing teams from 13 Mindanao institutions. Sheena Mae Alcala and Kurt Jesher Recinto also accumulated enough scores to be qualified to judge in the final series. The elimination rounds saw our debaters defend or object propositions like abolishing the grade marking system and replacing it with a “pass or fail” system, and regretting the LGBT movement’s “born this way” narrative.

Final Rounds

AdZU Team A won against Mindanao State University – Marawi in the quarterfinals with a unanimous vote. They also won against Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology in the semifinals with a 3-2 split. They met Xavier University’s Team A in the grand finals where they won with a 6-1 split and successfully defended the championship. Kelvin Culajara was awarded as the Best Speaker of the Grand Finals.

AdZU Team B faced Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology in the quarterfinals and narrowly lost to their foe in the adjudication of two out of the three judges in their round.

Speaker and Judge Awards

Kim Arnold Señerez was awarded as the 3^rd Best Speaker of the tournament. Kelvin Culajara, Glenn William Alcala, and Khalid Lozano shared the 4^th Best Speaker award. Finally, Ruby Jane Calletor was awarded as the 8^th Best Speaker.

Kurt Jesher Recinto and Sheena Mae Alcala were awarded as the 2^nd Best Adjudicator and 4^th Best Adjudicator of the tournament, respectively.

Summary of Achievements

• AdZU Team A (Glenn William Alcala, Ruby Jane Calletor, & Kelvin Culajara) won the grand finals and claimed the championship for the third consecutive time for AdZU. The team also ranked 2^nd out of the 32 teams in the elimination rounds.
• AdZU Team B (Pjey Fidel, Khalid Lozano, & Kim Arnold Señerez) reached the quarterfinals. The team also ranked 3^rd out of the 32 teams in the elimination rounds.
• AdZU Team C (Darren Biri, Andre Dagoy, & Allen Ross Sanoria) ranked 16^th out of the 32 teams in the elimination rounds.
• Kurt Jesher Recinto as the 2^nd Best Adjudicator of the tournament
• Sheena Mae Alcala as the 4^th Best Adjudicator of the tournament
• Kim Arnold Señerez as the 3^rd Best Speaker of the tournament
• Kelvin Culajara, Glenn William Alcala, and Khalid Lozano as the 4^th Best Speaker of the tournament
• Ruby Jane Calletor as the 8^th Best Speaker of the tournament