February 28, 2012
From more than 600 high school participants nationwide down to 12 young orators during the finals, Karl Ckristian A. Cruz of Saint Mary’s College of Tagum in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, emerged as the National Champion of the 2nd Voice of the Youth — National Oratorical Competition (VOTY) on February 27, 2012 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.
Spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd), National Youth Commission (NYC), and STI Foundation together with the STI network of schools, the VOTY is an advocacy that aims to develop critical thinking and English communication skills among the youth today.
The 12 finalists, already winners in their own right after winning the divisional and cluster levels of the competition, delivered their prepared speeches themed "Rediscovering Filipino Values: I See. I Act. I Advocate." to a distinct panel of judges composed of Mr. Leon Flores III, Chairman and Executive Officer of NYC; Mr. Teodoro Locsin, Jr., broadcast journalist; Dr. Francisco Benitez, President, Philippine Women’s University (PWU); Dr. Patricio Lazaro, a former Speech and Drama professor, University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP); and Ms. Yasmin Nuguid, Literature Coordinator, St. Scholastica’s College, High School Department.
More than 1.5 million pesos worth of prizes were given away. In his winning piece, Karl Ckristian stressed that values are ideas and beliefs that determine a person’s being, which never change. By eloquently expressing his conviction, he impressed the audience and the panel of judges, and won the competition, taking home PhP100,000 in cash. His school also won PhP800,000 worth of computer laboratory package while his coach, Ms. Joan Lanciola, received a CANON EOS 1100 DSLR camera.
1st runner-up Patricia Rianna C. Angeles was very persuasive on convincing Filipinos to be proud of their heritage. She explained that the Filipinos are unique thus Filipino values must be imbibed, practiced, and passed on to the next generation. Patricia Rianna went home with cash worth PhP50,000 and her school, Integrated Montessori Center in Taguig City, Metro Manila got PhP400,000 worth of speech laboratory package. Her coach, Mr. Orlando Pascual also took home an ACER Aspire One Netbook.
2nd runner-up, Zarina Joyce S. Mojica talked about the importance of the values of bayanihan and damayanas awe-inspiring spirits of communal unity, and our love for one another as a family and as a nation. She received PhP25,000 for herself and PhP200,000 worth of audio-visual equipment package for her school, Col. Lauro D. Dizon Memorial National High School in San Pablo City, Laguna and her coach, Mr. Dennis Lacsam received an AOC 24-inch LED TV.
"I would like to extend my warmest congratulations and deepest appreciation to those who made the 2nd Voice of the Youth National Oratorical Competition a remarkable success! The judges have commended the superior talents of the participants as well as the well ran competition. Even now, we are looking forward to next year's VOTY." shares Monico V. Jacob, STI Foundation President.
Apart from the jam-packed 400-seater RCBC auditorium, the 2nd Voice of the Youth National Oratorical Competition was also witnessed live nationwide through web streaming athttp://eradioportal.com/stistream.asx.
Here is Zarina Mojioca's winning piece written by her mentor Mr. Dennis Lacsam of Col. Lauro Dizon Memorial National High School
Rediscovering Filipino Values: I
see, I act, I advocate
When I was barely ten, every time my sexagenarian
late grandmother redundantly narrated her everlasting romantic story on how she
was courted graciously and decently through an old Filipino courtship “Harana” by
my well-mannered grandfather, I must admit that some part of my being was
unconvinced with her self-righteousness. At times, I thought that her
out-of-date chronicle was only her way of telling that she was indeed a woman
to admire. But as I grow up, whenever I think over on how she managed to
maintain her demure
and self-effacing Maria Clara character all throughout her grown-up years, and
pass these old-fashioned qualities to all of her daughters, I have to confess
that I felt a sense of self-respect and gratification because I compassionately
believe that I am what I am today for I was honed and nurtured by my beloved
mother through the image of my modest grandmother.
To our
distinguished board of judges, beloved school heads, teachers, parents,
friends, ladies and gentleman, a pleasant afternoon to all of you.
I started my speech with reverence to my grandmother’s conservative way of living for I want all
of you to picture the scenario when she was still a teenager during the World
War II where women were looked upon as epitomes of virtue that truly deserved to be placed on the “pedestal of male honor”. A commendable reputation every woman would be thankful
for contrary to what have been reported nowadays in
the Internet and other forms of media that Filipinas are maliciously being viewed as mail order bride
services or as “sex kittens” that would make good wives for older Western men.
I stand before you today as one among you, a private citizen
and an ordinary student who doesn’t have enough authority and influence in our
society. But I speak before you today, as someone who has an unfathomable faith
in the time-honored Filipino values – someone who believes that we Filipinos have
so much potential for greatness and deserve a beautiful country and a bright
future in our own land.
Yes, it is certainly
interesting to note that we, today’s youth is truly a unique breed for we hungrily
embraces change, excitedly explores innovations and fervently achieves
breakthroughs. But let us examine ourselves. What values are ascribed to many
of us today? It is so depressing to note that in these modern times, as our
intelligence continuously progresses our redeeming values incessantly deteriorates.
The positive and encouraging virtues of humility, integrity, love
and compassion taught by our venerable ancestors have been replaced with unkind
hypocrisy, arrogance and disapproving behavior towards people. What makes them worst
is that these damaging philosophies were done deliberately not to gain respect but
to attain dominance or control in the eyes of the public.
Friends, what is being asked
of us today are to become good Filipinos, to become good citizens through small
acts everyday. We must start planting small seeds of patriotism in our hearts and
minds by rediscovering our utmost treasured traditional intrinsic worth. Let us
all be persistent in practicing good deeds to one another for according to the
late American President Benjamin Franklin “The
people’s habits will determine the destiny of their nation.” If all of us
could learn to do this, we could become the greatest generation of Filipinos in
our history. Always remember that what will make our country beautiful is not
economics, but love for one another in the concept of one family as a people
and one family as a nation. These are “bayanihan” and “damayan” in true forms,
awe-inspiring spirits of communal unity to achieve a particular
objective.
Folks, the maladies concerning the deterioration of our positive
value system as Filipino are only a drop of water in the widespread ocean. But, if allowed to worsen into fatalism, these admirable characteristics
that have been the envied of many can hinder initiative and stand in the way of
progress. We have to be aware that our submissiveness
with the problems concerning with the weakening of our principles and ethical
standards mean accepting that we are ready to face whatever ill-fate is coming
in our way.
Ladies
and gentlemen, let us all understand that “pakikisama” may mean amiability and
teamwork, which is helpful; but it can also mean conspiracy if only to protect group
integrity, which is harmful. Likewise, “paggalang” or veneration is valuable if
one reveres merit or respects each others’ ideology and rights, but becomes destructive
if it leads to blind traditional values of the questioning impulse.
Today, as we campaign and struggle for the rediscovering our positive
moral values as Filipinos, let this meaningful reminder from an unknown author
becomes our guiding principles in life “Watch your
thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your
actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
May we all be a true Filipino in thought, in word, and in deed for it is a pre-requisite to the realization of leading a healthy life with
dignity.
Again, a pleasant afternoon to all of
you
