Be My Voice Foundation conducts Debate, Public Speaking, and Essay Writing Summit

Some 200 students coming from different secondary and tertiary institutions in
Zamboanga City participated in the 1
st
Be My Voice Foundation Debate, Public Speaking and
Essay Summit conducted on June 21-22 2014 at Jehadas restaurant and Astoria plaza, Grand
Astoria Hotel, Zamboanga city.
The two day event which includes different tournaments like Khutbah, Debate, Essay
writing and public speaking with Tausug category aimed to develop the potentials of the
Zambasulta youth on pressing issues affecting the Mindanao region like the Bangsamoro GPH
MILF Framework agreement on peace process by allowing them to think crictically, speak
persuasively and write analytically.

Debate
The Debate tournament employed the Asian Parliamentary Format (3 on 3). There are
two categories in Debate namely, the High School category, which was participated by Pilar
College High School, Ateneo de Zamboanga University High School, Arturo Eustaqio Memorial
Science High School, Zamboanga City High School Main, Maria Clara Lorenzo Memorial High
School, and Western Mindanao State University Integrated Laboratory High School and Open
Category participated by debate teams from Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Western
Mindanao University.
The two teams with the highest team points and aggregated speaker scores in each
category after three elimination rounds moved on to the Grand Finals.
For the High School Category, the Pilar College High School was hailed as the Grand
champion besting the team of Ateneo de Zamboanga University High School on the Grand
Finals topic, This house will no longer conduct a plebiscite in the ARMM and will consider the
members to be automatically part of the Bangsamoro Government. The Champion team from
Pilar are composed of Aisha Said, Brendemar Esteban and Kimberly Pontillas. The runner up
team from ADZU High school is composed of Jermis Muarip, John Guban and Omar Juaini.
Jermis Muarip of Ateneo was awarded as the best speaker for the Final Round.
The Open Category was a battle between teams 2 and 7. The two teams are composite
teams composed of ADZU and WMSU debaters. Team 7 composed of Kurt Jesher Recinto
(AdZU), Kim Khaled Aguisanda (WMSU) and Datu Nooraid Abubakar Kiram (AdZU) won the
final round over Team 2 composed of Ruby Calletor (ADZU), Joy Ann Judain (WMSU) and
Salman Abdulsabur (ADZU). The two teams debated on the topic, The Bangsamoro
Transitional will be appointed for a year in 2015 but will need to run for elections in 2016. This
house will extend the appointment of the Bangsamoro Transition Government until 2019. Kurt
Recinto of Team 7 was awarded as the Finals Best speaker.
The tournament best speakers for High School and Open Category are the following:



Public Speaking
The Public Speaking was divided in to three categories. The Khutba or Sermon, Tausug
Public Speaking, High School and Open Public Speaking in English. The participants were given
the same topic and five minutes to prepare before delivering a 7 minute speech on the given
topic. The participants delivered their speeches about Why the Congress should pass the
Bangsamoro Basic Law and The passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law will pave way to the
Debate High School Open Debate
Top 1 Best Debater
Jermiss Muarip ADZU HS
Top 2 Best Debater
John Guban ADZU HS
Top 3 Best Debater
Afrah Abdul Shukkor AEMSHS
Top 4 Best Debater
Rhetz-Wei Hadjula ZCHS-Main
Top 5 Best Debater
Tracy Marie P. Mendoza ZCHS-Main
Finals Best Debater
Jermiss Muarip ADZU HS
Outstanding Muslim Debater
Jermiss Muarip ADZU HS

Top 1 Best Debater
Earl Rasheeda Joe WMSU
Ruby Calletor ADZU
2nd Best Speaker
Khaled Lutian WMSU
Kurt Recinto ADZU
4th Best Speaker
Lulu Fahadz WMSU
Finals Best Debater
Kurt Recinto ADZU

Outstanding Muslim
Debater
Earl Rasheeda Joe WMSU
long term peace in Mindanao. The best three speakers in the elimination round in each category
proceeded to the Final round.

The winners of the different categories of Public speaking are the following:
Khutba Tausug High School Open English





Champion
Princess Aida Nasaluddin
MCLLNHS
2nd Place
Shaima Salim WMSU ILS

Champion
Jewel Hannah Angel Pilar
College

2
nd
Place
Merainie Tupay
Basilan National High School
3
rd
Place
Abdel Raffy Lee Pilar College
Best Muslim Public Speaker
Merainie Tupay Basilan
National High
Champion
Ruby Calletor ADZU

2nd Place
Kurt Recinto ADZU
3rd Place
Wilson Lambiquit WMSU
Best Muslim Public Speaker
Khaled Lutian WMSU



Essay writing contest

Youth from different institutions in Zamboanga city participated in the Summits Essay
Writing contest. The contest composed of two parts, the preliminary round which are essay
submitted online and the final round for an actual writing of essay. For the preliminary round,
The participants submitted their essay with 900 to 1500 words on the topic Why Congress
should pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law. The online submission composed of the 40 percent in
judging who will win the essay writing contest. The remaining 60 percent was based on the
actual essay writing on the Final topic The Bangsamoro will pave way to peace in Mindanao.
The successful participants who won the said essay writing contest are the following:
Champion: Dayang-Dayang Shanaya U. Baliah WMSU ILS
2nd Place John Xyrious Q. Dela Cruz ADZU
3rd Place Fatima Raiza B. Hussin WMSU ILS
The written output of the participants will be consolidated by the Be My Voice
Foundation to create a policy paper which will be distributed to Public officials, government
departments, subdivision and non-government organizations. Through this, the opinion of the
youth will be heard by the leaders of the country. The same goes with recorded speeches of
debaters and public speakers. The video will be disseminated to schools around ZamBaSulta to
foster awareness to the youth with the pressing issue in the society like the creation of the
Bangsamoro Governent.

The event was graced by different representatives from government, private, business and
religious sectors in the region like the secretary to the Zamboanga city mayors office______, the
Vice President of the Zamboanga toast masters_______, Regional director of Department of
Interior and Local government Atty Arakama, the Dean of ADZU College of Arts and
Sciences_______, representative from Council of Muslim Student Association______, parents
and teachers of different colleges and high school.

Launching of the Be My Voice Foundation

During the Awarding Ceremony for the different activities and tournaments in the
Summit, the Be My Voice Foundation was officially launched. The Board of Directors, who are
the founding members of the Foundation, were there on the launching. The Board of Direcors of
Be My Voice Foundation are _________________________________.
The launching of Be My Voice Foundation signals the start of more initiative and
activities focusing on Bangsamoro youth empowerment, Interfaith understanding and Active
citizenship which help the youth to be more involved in policy making and dialogue in the
country. The Be My Voice Foundation is dedicated to give the youth and their voice a chance to
be heard by developing their skills through the art of critical thinking, analytical writing and
persuasive speaking. Events like the Be My Voice Debate, Public Speaking and Essay Writing
Summit is an investment on the youth force for they are the future leaders and positive change
makers of this country.