The DLSZ BRafeNHS hosted the third invitational of this year’s debate season of the Interscholastic Debaters Association (IDeA) on Saturday and Sunday, November 7-8, 2015. The invitational was attended by students from 14 Metro Manila schools, comprising 53 teams, 106 debaters, and 23 observers.
The plenary sessions and the final debate were held at the Debbie Decena Auditorium, while simultaneous elimination, quarterfinals, and semi-final debates took place in the Grades 6 and 7 classrooms. There were three elimination rounds of debates held on the first day. The top 16 schools advanced to the quarterfinal round the next day. The motions for the first-day-elimination rounds of debates were:
- This house supports a boots-on-the-ground intervention by the US for the Syria conflict
- This house supports a federalized Philippines
- This house prefers conditional cash transfer over direct monetary dole-outs as a poverty alleviation program
The following teams broke to the quarterfinals:
| Ateneo de Manila High School | ADMU A | Hans Gonzalez & Red Nadela |
| ADMU B | Sam Zabat & Carlos Tiu | |
| ADMU C | Lorenzo Lazaro & JC Cruz | |
| ADMU D | Ervin Grana & Nicky Solis | |
| ADMU E | Luigi Alcaneses & Renz Reyes | |
| Colegio San Agustin – Makati | CSA A | Rafael Pena & Lorenzo Tan |
| Claret School of Quezon City | CSQC A | Aldrin Sulit & Miguel Rabago |
| Immaculate Conception Academy, GH | ICA A | Alyana Laddaran & Clarice Tee |
| ICA B | Dana Uy & Frances Ho | |
| ICA C | Alia Yao & Chloie Uy | |
| ICA E | Erin Co & Arianna Garcia | |
| Paref Southridge School | SR A | Teddy Peralta & Gerard Kawada |
| St. Scholastica’s College – Manila | SSC A | Charlene Enriquez & Katrina Sison |
| Xavier School, GH | XS C | Steven Sy & Matthew Araneta |
| XS E | Jacob Wee & Ignacio Villareal | |
| Paref Woodrose School | WRD | Mira Siquijor & Via Leda |
The second day motions were:
- This house believes that animal welfare activists should prioritize total animal welfare over the specific protection of endangered species for the quarterfinal round;
- This house believes that ASEAN states should have a mutual defense treaty against Chinese aggression for the semi-final round; and
- This house believes the ICC should aggressively prosecute high ranking members of the Myanmar government for crimes against the Rohingya people for the championship round
Debate adjudicators were IDeA alumni, with Basilio Claudio as Chief Adjudicator and Nicolo Fortuna as Co-Chief Adjudicator.
The Immaculate Conception Academy, Greenhills team of Alyana Laddaran & Clarice Tee emerged as the Champions.
Kudos to our very hard-working BRafeNHS Debate team moderator, Mr. Rovan Lopez, and the Debate team officers: Carlo dela Cruz (DLSZ 2016) – Convener, Amilee Evangelio (DLSZ 2016) – Co-convener, and the debate members: Dyanna Arcartado (DLSZ 2016) – Finance head; Aina Canta (DLSZ 2016) – Food committee head; Krupskaia Requilman (DLSZ 2016) Ushers head; and the undergraduate debaters: Abbygail Dela Cruz (DLSZ 2017), Julia Louise Cabarloc (DLSZ 2019), Samantha Kaye De Leon (DLSZ 2019), Maria Isobel Salvacion (DLSZ 2019), Angeli Mari Rodenas (DLSZ 2019), Sheen Andrei Vince Bayutas (DLSZ 2019), Ace Justin Dela Cruz (DLSZ 2019), Erin Grace Edralin (DLSZ 2020) and Lehoney Joy Turtor (DLSZ 2020).
The BRafeNHS Debate Circle is also indebted in gratitude to all the BRafeNHS students who extended help as registration assistants, runners, etc., without whose help the Debate Circle would not have accomplished this herculean task. Special thanks go to the BRafeNHS faculty who lent their unselfish time and effort to assist the students in this endeavour.
Truly, we felt the community behind us and we see Jesus in each one! Animo La Salle!
Submitted by: Ms. Heidi Marie Padua, BRafeNHS’ Liberal Arts teacher