ICYMI | CPA team, CHASS student shine in PLM BTK Debate

The College of Public Administration (CPA) emerged as Best Debating Team, while Zaphirra Dollie Gonzales of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS) was named Best Debater during BTK: Balitaktakan Tinig ng Kinabukasan, broadcasted live by Congress TV Digital, Dec. 13.

Gonzales garnered 92.67 percent of the total score, earning the Best Debater distinction based on content and reasoning, delivery and presentation, and audience impact. Meanwhile, the team from CPA, which is composed of John Vincer Dagoy, Justine Vertudazo, and Dominique Javier, was recognized for their structured arguments and cohesive team delivery.

The intercollegiate debate was organized by PLM Speech and Debate Society (SPADES) in coordination with Congress TV and Tingog Partylist, which jointly handled the event production and televised coverage. The program aimed to provide a platform for students to engage in policy-centered discourse on pressing national issues.

The debate between CPA and CHASS revolved around House Bill 2384, which seeks to establish a Department of Disaster Resilience to oversee disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response in the Philippines. CPA argued in favor of the measure, emphasizing that the current disaster response system is fragmented across multiple agencies and that a centralized department would strengthen coordination, efficiency, and accountability. 

Meanwhile, CHASS opposed the proposal, asserting that existing laws, particularly Republic Act 10121(Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Act of 2010), are already sufficient and that the country’s challenges stem from poor implementation rather than the lack of new legislation. 

The debate was hosted by Congressman Jude Acidre and Princess Jordan, together with Faith Santiago, and was broadcasted through Congress TV Digital, extending the discussion beyond the university community.

The panel of evaluators included Dr. Dexter Ermin Duma, professor in various institutions; Christian John Evangelista, Research and Planning Division Chief of the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) and Manila Resident Meteorologist; and Aris Santos, Officer-in-Charge and ER Head Nurse of Navotas City Hospital and faculty member of PLM’s College of Nursing.

In a post-debate interview, members of the CHASS negative team said they faced significant time constraints in preparing for the debate due to academic demands. One debater shared, “We were not able to prepare extensively. We only had around 12 hours, with just about two hours of sleep.” Despite this, the team relied on their discipline’s strengths, explaining that “since our opponents were very objective and technical, we focused on the heart, on the emotions and appealing to the community.”

The team added that the televised format heightened the pressure. “This was our first formal debate, and being on television made the experience even more intense.”

Meanwhile, the CPA affirmative team described their preparation as compressed but strategic. One member said, “It was definitely a cram. We only found out we were participating last week, and we trained for about three hours the night before the debate.” They credited prior experience for helping them adjust, stating that “we already knew how we worked as a team because we had competed together before.”

The team also acknowledged challenges posed by the broadcast and debate format, with a member noting, “The format was very different from what we were used to, and being televised meant we had to be careful with our wording.”

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