After years of virtual competitions, the Diliman Debate Open (DDO) returned to the stage in 2025, marking the first in-person collegiate tournament in Metro Manila since the pandemic.
Organized by the UP Debate Society (UPDS), the event held from Jan. 18 to 19 turned UP Diliman into a battleground of words and wit.
The British Parliamentary tournament welcomed a total of 43 teams, including 11 high school contingents, eager to prove their mettle.
Unlike traditional debate formats that feature one-on-one clashes, British Parliamentary debate pits four teams against each other in a high-stakes battle of logic, rhetoric, and persuasion.
Each match consists of an opening government, an opening opposition, a closing government, and a closing opposition. This forces teams to strategize beyond simply negating their opponent’s points.
The tournament featured four preliminary rounds, allowing novice teams to test their mettle against seasoned debaters. The break rounds were categorized into two categories: schools and open, to ensure a level playing field for all participants.
The tournament was graced by three distinguished foreign adjudicators: Raymond Kimura from the University of Malaya, Tengku Omar, an independent adjudicator, and Yago Park from Seoul National University. Their presence added an international flavor to the event which elevated the level of competition by providing valuable insights to the participants.
For some, like the team of Gari Mayol and Drey Burgos from the University of San Jose-Recoletos Senior High School, the tournament was an audacious leap into the unknown. “This is our first time [competing] outside Cebu,” Mayol shared.
The said team participated without a coach or a significant debate legacy beyond their local circuit, yet they emerged victorious in the Schools Grand Finals.
Burgos reflected on their journey, from initial skepticism to triumph: “We came into this tournament thinking we were likely not going to win… but reaching Grands in itself is already deeply fulfilling.”
In the Open Category, Ateneo de Manila’s David Africa and Alex Ypil, cemented their dominance, securing the title with commanding performances.
David, the 2023 World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) winner, described his return as a full-circle moment. “Mostly, I came to see my friends again,” he admitted. “It’s hard to get them in one place without a good excuse.”
Beyond competition, David said DDO was about giving back to the debate community that had shaped him.
Rebuilding an institution
Organizing the DDO on such a scale, especially after a five-year online run, was no small feat. Tournament Directors Lando Laudico and Sidney Mariano, along with Deputy Tournament Director Mika Salido, bore the weight of expectation.
Laudico reflected on the experience, saying, “Being a TD was challenging because it was my first time organizing a tournament. It was a lot of worrying about all the logistics and meetings with other TDs, even taking upon the work of some committees if things were needed urgently.”
“It was a lot of pressure,” Mariano confessed. “Since DDO 2025 is the first face-to-face event after five years of doing online, it will define what future tournaments would be like in the upcoming months for the organization.”
From securing sponsorships with Erceflora and Lactacyd to ensuring smooth logistics with Illusion Pro Audio and DSKRT Prints, the organizing team juggled countless moving parts.
The payoff, however, was undeniable. “DDO was surprisingly successful, enjoyable, and memorable to many of the participants—even to the organizing committee,” Mariano reflected.
Beyond logistics, the return to in-person debate revitalized the circuit in ways virtual rounds never could.
Mikko Vitug, a former Worlds finalist and the tournament’s overall best speaker, highlighted this shift, “Computer screens can never compare to snacks in between rounds, conversations during deliberations, and the hug that comes with a break round announcement.”
Jaime Castro from the tournament’s adjudication core, reflected on the unique nature of DDO. “DDO is a special tournament. It’s an open tournament, which gives a lot of opportunities to be competitive. The fact that it’s open allows novices to debate in a less stressful environment and more experienced debaters to experiment with new styles.”
Yet, the organizers faced significant logistical and financial hurdles. Finding a venue that could accommodate a large number of teams, securing funding, and ensuring that international adjudicators could participate were among the biggest challenges.
“It was very tiring at first since there were many things to be done, especially working on the first onsite tournament of UPDS since the pandemic,” Salido, who managed finances, noted.
The future of Philippine debate
While DDO 2025 brought elite competitors and institutions together, it also illuminated the widening gap between debate powerhouses and underrepresented schools.
The presence of teams from Bicol University High School Debate Society (BUHSDS) and USJR SHS underscored the struggles of debaters without institutional support.
“Since we come from a small institution, we don’t have a coach to train us, so we’re really here to learn from other debaters,” Cloie Espineda of BUHSDS shared.
Her partner, Gianela Zapata, echoed the sentiment, “Debate is not just for the big four schools—it should be part of everyone’s life.”
Mariano also acknowledged this divide and expressed hope for a more inclusive circuit, “My only wish for the Philippine debate community is to have more speakers from non-mainstream institutions and marginalized communities.”
As the last ballots were tallied and champions crowned, the essence of DDO 2025 lingered—not just in the trophies and rankings, but in the conversations exchanged, the lessons learned, and the barriers shattered.
Nasa Tsuchiya from the University of Tokyo, one of the adjudication core members, shared her experience, “It’s been so nice, I have met so many fun people. They’ve taken so much good care of me. I have had so much good food. It’s been an amazing experience.”
Raymond Kimura from the University of Malaya, another invited adjudicator, echoed her sentiments, “Honestly, the Philippines is a very warm—literally and figuratively—country. It was a lot of fun and enjoyable. A lot of the places here are amazing. It’s really, really nice and heartwarming.”
Patrice Chua, the overall best speaker in the Schools Category, summed it up best: “Don’t be afraid to be bold, to seem stupid, and to keep it simple. Debate is about embracing the thrill and anxiety because it means you care.”
Janelle Boco, who tied for the overall best speaker in the Schools Category, shared her own reflections on the experience, “The biggest challenge I faced was the fear of going against experienced college debaters. But instead of being scared, I took it as a challenge and as motivation for me to excel and do my best. It’s only in very rare instances, like DDO, that I would have been able to go against and learn from people who have been debating for so many years.”
With this successful return to in-person debating, the DDO stands at the cusp of a new era—one where the voices of all debaters, regardless of background, can take center stage.
The UP Journalism Club is an official partner of this event.
