BY EDISON MARTE SICAD
In today’s column, allow me to share the message of Mr. Patrick Philip P. Casianan, Division Chairperson, The Supreme Debates 2024 Core Team.
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In 2022, “Empowering a New Breed of Leaders”; in 2023, “Uplifting the Voice of Future Nation-Builders”; this year 2024, “Catalyzing Change in the Changing Times.”
These are the respective themes that became the foundations of the annual conduct of our very own Supreme Debates. Trailblazing and organizing this province-wide activity every year is truly a herculean task. To state that it’s very challenging to pull off and organize this competition is an understatement. Yet, despite the innumerable challenges for three years, we commit, we thrive, we’re still here, you’re all still here.
And today, at long last, we’ve reached this year’s Grand Finals. And why do we persist? Because, setting competition aside, we’re all here for our noble missions and our core advocacy, beautifully expressed by the aforementioned themes from year 2022, 2023, and 2024.
‘Empowering a New Breed of Leaders’
This was the theme of the pioneer year of the Supreme Debates. The sense of the theme is that learners of the Schools Division Office (SDO) Iloilo and the Ilonggo youth in general, possess innate leadership potentials and awareness of their social responsibilities manifested in their plethora of accomplishments in their respective community youth affiliations, school clubs, and even in their simple homeroom class organizations.
Yes, they are members, or even leaders, of these organizations. But certain programs and projects must serve as avenues for them to take these potentials to a higher level. These students, the new breed of leaders, should be EMPOWERED to become active participants in the larger political world. Therefore, that was the rationale behind The Supreme Debates 2022- to empower the new generation of leaders to take up space, so that they would perceive that they are also given a seat at the table and offered with the chance to immerse themselves in educating and inspiring their fellow youth and the community in general through the art of debate.
‘Uplifting the Voice of Future Nation-Builders’
This was last year’s theme of The Supreme Debates. It was the aim of the program’s 2023 edition that the perspectives, ideas, and ideals of the youth be heard and that the opportunities to uplift their young, promising voices be provided accordingly, provided that they speak about what is true and good. In the end, helping our students find their voice is less about “doing” and more about “being.” So, the challenge to us adults are:
How will you be someone who listens to the youth?
How will you be someone who affirms the youth’s value?
How will you be someone who leaves space for the youth to find and share their voice?
The Supreme Debates hopefully succeeded in this goal and gave us those thoughts to ponder on in relation to the uplifting of the voice of our future nation-builders.
‘Catalyzing Change in the Changing Times’
This is the theme of our competition this year. We believe that because of the challenges of the changing times, our youth must be given the power to use not only their voices, but their numbers, innovative ideas, creativity, and energy to change the affairs of our nation. Our students are now given the tool to channel their energy into building this country because they are capable of being the elements and catalysts of change.
To our finalists, Team Santa Barbara and Team Oton, congratulations once again for making it this far. After the indescribable hurdles in brainstorming and sleepless nights of researching since the Congressional level up to the various rounds during the Division level, you have proven that both of you deserve your spots to potentially become this year’s champion. We’re all looking forward to a strong, superb, and supreme Finals Match!
To end, allow me once again to thank all of the teams who participated in our two-month run of The Supreme Debates 2024: our Adjudicators and Moderators from the 1st to the 5th District; the Iloilo Provincial Government; other partner organizations; and to all the people who rallied behind us, supported us in different ways, and believed in our noble cause.
Pangibabaw Iloilo! To God be all the Glory!
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The debate proposition for the championship round was RESOLVED: That the Government should implement the Two-Child Policy in the Philippines. The debating team from Oton National High School, arguing on the negative side, was declared champion for The Supreme Debates 2024 — and it’s a back-to-back victory. Congratulations!/PN
