MGDS triumphs over adversity, excels in 49th Mindanao Parliamentary tourney

Despite facing team hurdles, the MSU-GSC Debate Society (MGDS) made a resounding mark and delivered a breakthrough performance at the 49th Mindanao Parliamentary Debate Championship (MPDC) held at MSU- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT).

The said debate tournament is one of the largest and most competitive in the state of Mindanao, which gathered some of the best minds within the locality, last April 25-27.

Among the highlights of the said tourney was the remarkable feat achieved by MGDS’s high school team, composed of Jhersey Mae Guazo, Achilles Mc-Rashid Peña, and Precious Athena Malobo, who were recognized as the 2nd High School Reserved Breaking Team of Mindanao.

Peña added that it meant so much for them as they're the only team from MGDS to break in MSU.

“We celebrated that small win not just because it was a recognition of our efforts, but because we stood by each other from start to finish—reminding ourselves that we were never alone in the journey,” he said.

Their team was aware of their limitations, especially in terms of training time compared to other schools, but managed to power through it, with the help of his teammates.

“We reminded ourselves that we were the reigning PDC champions from the Intramurals 2024, and we had a responsibility to represent our school with pride and determination. That mindset carried us through,” the Grade 12 student-debater expressed.

The same feeling was affirmed by Guazo, although initially overwhelmed by the strategies of other debaters, she quickly adapted, realizing how crucial it is to provide deep context to the adjudicators.

“There was so much to learn from them but until this moment it's all a mess in my head…. I just adapted whatever their tricks and styles were. I am still learning how to build unique strong cases and have so much to improve in terms of framing and case building and other burdens,” she pointed out. 

The 11th-grade STEM student Guazo felt proud of the team's overall performance, emphasizing the effort their teammates put in before the competition.

On the other hand, Rhyzel Faye Magisulan, one of the members of their competing teams in the Collegiate category, shared that this debate experience was quite different from her previous ones, while it's also unforgettable—with their time exposed on securing their budget from the admin. 

In addition, their frontrunning members were mostly out due to other commitments, thus their team up was sudden and focused on doing their best and learning from every round, managing to enjoy the experience despite the pressure. 

“Despite the challenges, I really enjoyed it since MSU IIT was super welcoming sa amin and the whole vibe was very inspiring din.I also got to meet a lot of debaters from different schools, and it really made me appreciate the debate community more,” Magisulan stated. 

The first-year BEED student intends to apply different lessons from the competition, not only in debate but also in her academic and leadership endeavors. 

“You can't just rely on short-term preparations if you want long-term results, kasi it made me realize din na it takes consistent effort, commitment, and a lot of sacrifices…. I know now that being a good leader also requires time, dedication, and a willingness to keep improving even when it’s difficult,” she challenged. 

Magisulan were joined by fellow debaters Maeya Emperado, also from BEED, and Emarie Gail Dedal, a first-year student-debater from BS Electronics and Communications Engineering (BSECE), forming the college category. 

Also made their mark were their other team from the high school category, which were carried by Simson Ralph Arapoc a Grade 12 HUMSS student, and Andrea Ysabelle Aban and Richner David Valila, both from the Grade 12 STEM class. 

For the competing adjudicators, the trio of Grejie Lou Mercado, Elizabeth Joy Zaldivar and Zane Cellize Marchelle Cachuela, lead the charge for the MGDS while also made a resounding stint in the said competition.

As a novice adjudicator, Mercado admitted she’s still learning but emphasized how the MPDC helped her grow by listening to different insights.

“The rounds didn’t just taught [teach] me how to listen to the arguments of the debaters but it also taught me to listen to the oral adjudications of my fellow judges. It is indeed true that you will learn so much from them,” the adjudicator stressed.

The first year Political Science student plans to sharpen her critical thinking skills more in all areas of life.

“I think I would work on improving my judging skills including the art of listening, thinking rationally, weighing arguments, and expressing my thoughts in a way that every debater would easily understand my judgement,” Mercado optimistically said.

As MGDS looks ahead, they remain steadfast in their mission to champion discourse, nurture future leaders, and fuel the spirit of excellence.

Despite budgetary challenges and minimal logistical support, MGDS proved that they're one of the most respected names in Mindanao debating circles.