Silliman Wins Against 4 Teams in Asian Debate

Silliman University was among seven schools that represented the Philippines in the 3rd Asian Universities Debate Championship (AUDC) hosted by the Institut Teknologi Bandung in Bandung, Indonesia from May 9 to 17.

The AUDC gathered over 184 debaters and 62 adjudicators from seven countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and the Philippines. It follows the Asians parliamentary format under which motions are released 25 minutes prior to the debate. Representing the Philippines were: Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Manila, College of St. Benilde, San Beda College and Silliman.

In the elimination rounds, Silliman Team A won over University of the Philippines Diliman Team A (motion: This house would kiss and make up with Iran), Mahidol University Team B-Thailand (motion: This house would require models to have a minimum body mass index), Islamic International University Matriculation Team B-Malaysia (motion: This house would fire police officers responsible for coercing confessions) and Ateneo de Manila University Team E (motion: This house would celebrate the rise of reality TV shows). Its other opponents were National University of Singapore Teams A and C and De La Salle University Team A.

Comprising Silliman Team A were Stacy Danika Alcantara (Mass Communication sophomore), Anna Katrina Espino (Management sophomore) and Charmaine Ann Bucol (Accountancy junior). Two more Silliman debaters, Eliora Eunice Bernedo and Emarrah Contessa Sarreal, comprised a swing team with a debater from ITB. A swing team is able to debate as a regular team but is not allowed to break into the octofinals.

Accompanying the team was coach Mark Garcia, Director of the Office of Information and Publications. Garcia, who competed in the adjudication category, broke into the octofinals as the Top 13 adjudicator out of the Top 24 from among 62 adjudicators. He moved up to the finals and was among the nine adjudicators that judged the championship round between Ateneo de Manila University Team A and National University of Singapore Team B on the motion: “This house believes that the West should respect the personal laws of religious minorities”. Ateneo won the championship, marking its third-year victory.

Before the team competed in Bandung, they were warmly hosted in Jakarta by Silliman alumni headed by the second generation Sebayang family that studied in the University. The Sebayangs studied Engineering and Management in the University, and are now well-placed in their respective fields. The team also met other Indonesian alumni in a dinner given on the night before the team’s travel to Bandung for the competition.

Law Faculty Receives GWU Award

Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio with Prof. Emeritus David B. Weaver (who established the award), Dean Susan Karamanian (Asst. Dean for International and Comparative Law), and Prof. Christopher Yukins (co-director, LLM Government Procurement Law program and thesis adviser.

Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, a faculty of the College of Law who recently completed a degree of Master of Laws in government procurement from the George Washington University on a Fulbright scholarship, received the prestigious Thelma Weaver Memorial Award, GWU Law’s most outstanding LLM award.

The Thelma Weaver Memorial Award is given to a foreign student member of the graduating Master of Laws class who has contributed most to the intellectual and professional life of the Law School, its students, and its faculty.

Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies Susan Karamanian congratulated Atty. Cadapan for being the beneficiary of the highest award given to international LLM students. “You are so deserving and you have enriched our community immensely,” she wrote.

Before she headed back to the Philippines, Atty. Cadapan also received the Lifetime Feminist Award from the Feminist Forum,

GWU’s outstanding campus organization. In a communication, Iselin Gambert of the Feminist Forum wrote: “The entire Feminist Forum Executive Board was extremely impressed with your commitment to feminism through the practice of law, and we applaud your many accomplishments in advancing the rights of women.”

Atty. Cadapan is the lone elected female councilor of Dumaguete City.

Uytengsu Computer Studies Building

VPFAA Cleonico Y. Fontelo pours his share of cement onto the hole where the time capsule during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Uytengsu College of Computer Studies Building as CSS Dean Dave Marcial, CSS faculty and Rev. Pia look on.

The College of Computer Studies (CCS) will have by October this year an additional facility to support its growing population.

Groundbreaking of the new Uytengsu College of Computer Studies Building, now being constructed behind the Uytengsu Foundation Computer Center, took place on May 3. Donated by the Uytengsu Foundation, Inc., the three-storey building will house six laboratory rooms, two lecture rooms and an office.

This year, CCS, formerly College of Information Technology and Computer Science, has been designated by the Commission on Higher Education as a Center of Development in Information Technology Education

 

Silliman signs Deed of Donation for Ticao

Silliman University recently acquired a donation of a 467-hectare property in Ticao Island, Masbate. The property is a combination of working ranch, agricultural plantations, and patches of secondary forests. The Deed of Donation was signed on April 30, 2007 at the Corinthian Plaza in Makati City.

The property was donated by the How family through Mrs. Elizabeth How, in honor of her husband, Mr. Paulino How and their son, Francis Xavier, who are both now deceased. Francis Xavier was a student in Silliman.

The University will accordingly prepare a development and business plan for the property for approval by the Board of Trustees. The plan will include programs for agriculture, public health, and Christian ministry. Furthermore, since the property fronts the Ticao Strait which was the passageway of galleons during the Spanish time, there will also be inclusion of programs for coastal resource management and oceanography in the said plan.

The donation was facilitated by former University President Dr. Quentin S. Doromal, and negotiated by Trustee Felipe Remollo, Trustee Chairman Emeritus Roman T. Yap, with the close assistance of Dean Santiago Utzurrum of the College of Agriculture and Silliman Legal Counsel Atty. Jose Riodel Montebon. Trustee Roselyn Delloso also joined in signing the Deed of Donation.

Silliman is very grateful to the How family for such a generous donation.