By Eman D. Pangcatan
MSU Intern
MARAWI City’s debate community proved its mettle, with the Mindanao State University-Marawi contingent claiming the High School Grand Champion title at the 3rd Butuan Intervarsity, held July 4-6 at Father Saturnino Urios University – College Building East.
The victory highlights the city’s burgeoning debate scene and the rising talent of its young debaters.
The Butuan Intervarsity (BIV) is recognized as one of Mindanao’s most competitive debate tournaments, featuring both a High School division for secondary students and an Opens division for regional, national, and international-level debaters.
The tournament followed the British Parliamentary (BP) format, where four teams, each with two speakers, compete per round. All teams participated in four elimination rounds before the “breaks” were announced, determining which teams advanced to the final rounds.
In the high school division, Marawi not only advanced but topped the entire division, with eight of 11 teams making it to the semifinals.
“This BIV is so competitive!” a sentiment shared by nearly every participant, including the Marawi team themselves.
The MSU-Marawi contingent’s success was spearheaded by Al-Zameen Hadji Nhayr and Abdul Quddus Polao, who were crowned High School Grand Champions and finished as the second-breaking team overall. Nhayr was also recognized as the High School Category’s Overall Best Speaker, with Polao securing the 2nd Best Speaker award, a remarkable one-two finish for their team.
Also making a significant impact were Mohammad Ryan Ali and Hamoudi Guinal, who reached the semifinals, with Guinal earning the 6th Best Speaker award.
Beyond the competitive rounds, members of the Marawi contingent also contributed to the tournament’s adjudication. Al-Yushre Hadji Salic ranked 9th Best Judge and was selected to adjudicate in the Open Grand Finals, while Mohammad Chatte Dimakuta served on the Open Pre-Semifinals Panel, judging high-level rounds. Isah Basher played a pivotal role as one of the Chief Adjudicators, ensuring fairness and quality throughout the competition.
The performance of MSU-Marawi’s team, particularly in the high school category, underscores the growing strength and competitiveness of Marawi's younger generation of debaters, positioning them for future success in more challenging tournaments.
At a time when smaller cities often struggle to maintain active debate communities, Marawi’s triumph serves as a clear indicator that its local debate scene is gaining momentum, fueled by solid training, strong mentorship, and an abundance of rising talent.
This win is seen as just the beginning for Marawi’s vibrant debate culture.
