DAVAO CITY—The UP Mindanao Debate Society team emerged as champions in the first edition of The Novice Debate (TND) last month, the UP Mindanao said.
Frederick Omalza, an alumnus of the Bachelor of Science in Biology program, and Michael John Galendez, a second-year BS Agribusiness Economics student, triumphed in a 5-2 split decision with convincing rebuttals to a motion for capable individuals to forgo nonessential activities in times of crisis.
“We argued that people in vulnerable situations need alternatives to avoid psychological degradation and for people to help in ways they can be most effective,” Galendez said.
The Omalza-Galendez duo survived rigorous elimination rounds. In the semifinals, they won by unanimous decision against a Malaysian team in their opposition to the motion for the United States to intervene in the India-China conflict.
“We argued that the US should not intervene because it has the potential to give a strategic excuse for the Chinese Communist Party to legitimize further military actions in the Himalayas,” Galendez said.
The UP Mindanao Debate Society previously competed and placed in various regional and national debate competitions, including the Mindanao International Humanitarian Law Debates 2017 where they emerged as champions. Omalza was awarded 4th Best Judge in the Taiwan Debate Open 2019.
TND adapts the British Parliamentary format with 40 teams from debate institutions all over Asia. This year’s maiden edition, carried out online, span motions in philosophy, law, international relations, crisis, pop culture, technology, and tourism. Novice debaters have not participated in major international debate tournaments.
TND is organized by the Malaysia-based group WOLCE, or Way of Life Consolidated Education. According to Vishal Sidhu, chief executive officer of WOLCE, the company began teaching debating and public speaking skills in Malaysia, but is now expanding its scope to Asia and hopes to reach the rest of the world.