The Youth Have Spoken!

From more than 500 fourth year high school students, it went down to 12! Although already winners in their own rights, these 12 students who came from all over the country converged at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City this afternoon, February 28, 2011, to vie for the first ever National Champion of the Voice of the Youth – National Oratorical Competition.

 

 

 

The 12 finalists delivered their prepared speeches themed Change I Want to See Begins with Me: Becoming the New Filipino to a distinct panel of judges composed of Mr. Mike Enriquez, VP for RGMA, Dr. Celia Bulan of UP College of Arts and Letters, and Mr. Walter Wong, VP for Training and Varsity of the Ateneo Debate Society.

 

 

More than 1.6 million worth of prizes were given away. National Champion Joshua D. Ferrer won Php 100,000 in cash and got Php 800,000 worth of computer laboratory package for his school, Southpoint School Davao. Charles Andre T. Cadiogan, First Runner-up, went home with cash worth Php 50,000 and his school, Baguio City National High School received Php 400,000 worth of speech laboratory package. Second Runner-up Patricia Mari M. Mijares got Php 25,000 for herself and Php 200,000 e-Library package for her school, Bacolod City National High School. Coaches of the winning students all received school-related prizes worth Php 30,000 (Pauline Anne B. Ferrero, Champion), Php 15,000 (Windelino B. Alipda, First Runner-up), and Php 10,000 (Adoracion C. Diamonon, Second Runner-up).

The Voice of the Youth – National Oratorical Competition is an advocacy aimed at developing critical thinking and English communication skills in our youth spearheaded by the Department of Education, National Youth Commission, and STI Foundation together with the STI network of schools.