Last night’s Wild Card episode for ANC’s Square Off The Firm Debates shows us that commitment, preparation, and hard work will always give us the best and fullest experiences in life.
Once again, Ivy, Vogue, and Jano from the MSU Iligan Extension Debate and Moot Society have made us extremely proud. Especially with the quality of legal research skills they have portrayed, with the eloquent delivery of their individual speeches, with the persuasive manner of arguing against the opponents especially during the interpellation round (my favorite being the time when the 2nd speaker of the Affirmative Ivy Pantaleon asked the 2nd speaker of the Negative side to cite his sources and his answer was a measly “uh ah reports?!”); and with the time, effort, and heart poured towards this second chance.
Our team may not have won the wild card round but they have won over the MSU community especially the admiration of students and professors. These are 1st and 2nd year students but they sound and look like real lawyers.
The adviser of the Debate and Moot Society, Assistant Dean Annabelle Canazares-Mindalano, even has this to say about the three talented speakers:
“For me, you are the winners. Consider your factual circumstances: This is your first time joining this premier national debate contest for law schools. You are still in your young years in law school. Yet, you were able to show excellent legal research skills, sound critical thinking and comprehension, good command of the English language, and solid writing technique. You gave San Beda and I believe even CORJESU a run for their money. So you hold your heads up high, for verily this is just the beginning for MSU Law Iligan Campus Debate and Moot Society. CONGRATULATIONS, friends!!!!! Very well-played, and job well done!!!!”
No award or winning title is better than the acknowledgment of students and professors alike that you have made them and the school proud. There may not be an award calling you winners of that round, but to everyone else and to the people who matter, you are winners! You three have done everything and you have done them well! Congratulations again Ivy, Vogue, and Jano for an EXCELLENT job in both rounds. We look forward to seeing you all compete again.
Marija Kara “Cooki” Trinidad is a planeteer, a corporate employee for a Tech company, a 5th yr law student, and a mother of two boys. Cooki has lobbied and is lobbying for more environmental policies in the region. She gives webinars on sustainability, climate change, and the zero waste movement. She has also published an article about the plastic ban ordinance in The Philippine Star, has been nominated for Rappler’s MovePH award on Environment and Sustainability, and is a finalist of the Philippine Youth Leadership Program (PYLP 17/18). She is a Nexus Alumni and was an Associate Editor and Writer back then.
