Square Off
Encyclopedia
Square Off is a television
debate
program broadcast on the ABS-CBN News Channel
(ANC). It broadcasts every Wednesday at 8:00 pm PST
, with replays throughout the week. The show is hosted by Twink Macaraig and is primarily sponsored by the Philippine Graphic.
Most participants in Square Off are college-level debaters from various universities around the Philippines debating on important socio-political issues dominating the Philippine landscape. However, some episodes had politician
s, civil servants or other influential figures participate in the debates debating on the same issues.
In 2007, as part of its involvement in the World Universities Debating Championship
(WUDC), the program recently rebranded itself as Square Off: The Philippine Debate Championship. The winning university participating in the current season will proceed to Assumption University in Bangkok
, Thailand
, the location of WUDC 2008, to represent the Philippines.
In 2008, "Square Off: The CVC Law Debates" airs Wednesdays at 8 pm and features law school teams - classic arch rivals Ateneo de Manila University
and University of the Philippines Diliman. The new season of "Square Off" was sponsored by Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law). Host Twink Macaraig explained: "The enhanced opportunity for direct challenges or head-to-head confrontations - not only by the opposing teams but the judges, too - guarantees a more dynamic and stimulating experience for participants and spectators alike." Legal luminaries and incumbent trial court judges will serve as adjudicators to boost the "fear factor" element of the competition.
format, with only two speakers, three-minute constructive speeches, 30-second one-question cross-examination periods, and 1.5-minute rebuttal speeches. However, episodes leading to WUDC 2008 use a modified form of the British Parliamentary
format, with only the first four speakers of the opening sides of the house participating, although speeches still remain at the standard seven minutes. Episodes broadcast in the run-up to the Asian Universities Debating Championship
used a modified Asian Parliamentary format, with five-minute speeches. Currently, as part of the CVC Law Debates, Square Off uses a modified Policy format with five-minute constructive and 2.5-minute cross-examination speeches.
At the end of each debate, an adjudicator (for Policy format) or a panel of adjudicators (for British Parliamentary format) determine the winning speaker or, in British Parliamentary debates, the best speaker and the winning team. An audience poll conducted via text messaging
also determines the "audience's choice" for the winning speaker or best speaker of the debate, although the audience poll does not affect the final result of the debate.
on October 1, 2008, ousted Saint Louis University, Baguio City
in the semi-finals of ABS-CBN
's “Square Off: the CVC Law Debates”. The topic was "legalization of euthanasia
in the Philippines," with St. Louis for legalization. Adjudicators Atty. Rodel Cruz, Senior Partner of Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law), and Senate President Franklin Drilon
bestowed Ateneo de Davao’s Hanniyah Sevilla and Kristine Ferrer, the best speaker, and best texter’s choice awards, respectively. Ateneo will face Arellano University
in the October 8 finals at ABS-CBN News Channel
, 8-9 p.m.
Arellano University
Law Forensic Guild debating team was declared the Winner and Champion, taking home Acer laptop
s and the CD-ROM
Lex Libris Law Library Series. Arellano's Rochelle Marie C. Roxas, Luis Warren and Charles Francis Decangchon, opposed the proposition that "term limits of elective officials should be lifted." It impeccably contradicted Ateneo de Davao's 2 main arguments. The partners of Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law), namely former Philippine Secretary of Defense Avelino "Nonong" Cruz Jr., former Philippine Ombudsman Simeon V. Marcelo, and Senior Partner Raoul R. Angangco, bestowed upon Arellano's Luis Anthony K. Warren, the Judges' and Texters' Choice awards for Best Speaker, winning an LG
Viewty cameraphone, a trophy and a 3-day trip for 2 to Boracay. The Best Speaker's scores were tied between Luis Warren and ADDU's Therese Gemelo. CVC Law's Arthur Villaraza announced: "These debates are worth doing again. We will do this again."
(AUDC) in Bangladesh
.
"Square Off: The A.U.D.C." follows the Asian Parliamentary Debate format: the House will consist of government and opposition teams of 3 members each, with 3 judges choosing the best speaker based on matter, manner, and method. AUDC champions, Team Philippines and Team Australia opened the series with Ateneo de Manila University
's Sharmila Parmanand, filing a motion for legalization of terrorist suspects. The Australians emerged victorious in the "special exhibition debate" round, on October 22. Chief adjudicator Ashok Rai, adjudicators Logan Balavijendran and Jason Jarvis presided and commended Team Australia’s Lucia Pietropaoli who was bestowed the Best Speaker award for the exhibition match.
sponsored an all-expense paid trip to the AUDC, dubbed as "Frank-ahan: The Drilon Debates," with 22 Philippine schools participating. De La Salle University
eventually won the Championship beating Ateneo de Manila University. The DLSU team was composed of Dino de Leon, Bianca Lagdameo and Robin Sebolino. The Defeated ADMU team, on the other hand, was composed of Miko Biskocho, Stephanie Co and Gica Mangahas. The Grand Finals was adjudicated by Bar top-notchers Arlene Maneja and Joane de Venecia, Bulacan Councilor Ricky dela Cruz, World Public Speaking Champion Patricia de Venecia, and former Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
program broadcast on the ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel or better known as ANC is the Philippines first 24-hour news channel broadcasting both in cable television domestically and in satellite television internationally via The Filipino Channel, owned and operated by the ABS-CBN Corporation under its ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs...
(ANC). It broadcasts every Wednesday at 8:00 pm PST
Philippine Standard Time
Philippine Standard Time , also known as Philippine Time , is the official name for the time in the Philippines. The country only has one time zone, the UTC+08:00 time zone. The country used the daylight saving time for a short time...
, with replays throughout the week. The show is hosted by Twink Macaraig and is primarily sponsored by the Philippine Graphic.
Most participants in Square Off are college-level debaters from various universities around the Philippines debating on important socio-political issues dominating the Philippine landscape. However, some episodes had politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, civil servants or other influential figures participate in the debates debating on the same issues.
In 2007, as part of its involvement in the World Universities Debating Championship
World Universities Debating Championship
The World Universities Debating Championship is the world's largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. It is a parliamentary debating event, held using the British Parliamentary Debate format. Each year, the event is hosted by a university...
(WUDC), the program recently rebranded itself as Square Off: The Philippine Debate Championship. The winning university participating in the current season will proceed to Assumption University in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, the location of WUDC 2008, to represent the Philippines.
In 2008, "Square Off: The CVC Law Debates" airs Wednesdays at 8 pm and features law school teams - classic arch rivals Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
and University of the Philippines Diliman. The new season of "Square Off" was sponsored by Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law). Host Twink Macaraig explained: "The enhanced opportunity for direct challenges or head-to-head confrontations - not only by the opposing teams but the judges, too - guarantees a more dynamic and stimulating experience for participants and spectators alike." Legal luminaries and incumbent trial court judges will serve as adjudicators to boost the "fear factor" element of the competition.
Format
Square Off debates are in modified PolicyPolicy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
format, with only two speakers, three-minute constructive speeches, 30-second one-question cross-examination periods, and 1.5-minute rebuttal speeches. However, episodes leading to WUDC 2008 use a modified form of the British Parliamentary
British Parliamentary Style
British Parliamentary style debate is a common form of academic debate. It has gained support in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Europe, Africa, Philippines and United States, and has also been adopted as the official style of the World Universities Debating Championship and European...
format, with only the first four speakers of the opening sides of the house participating, although speeches still remain at the standard seven minutes. Episodes broadcast in the run-up to the Asian Universities Debating Championship
United Asian Debating Championships
The United Asian Debating Championship is an annual debating tournament for teams from universities in Asia. It will be the largest inter-varsity Parliamentary Debate tournament in Asia, with over 600 participants. The UADC holds debates in the Asian 3-on-3 format Parliamentary Debating...
used a modified Asian Parliamentary format, with five-minute speeches. Currently, as part of the CVC Law Debates, Square Off uses a modified Policy format with five-minute constructive and 2.5-minute cross-examination speeches.
At the end of each debate, an adjudicator (for Policy format) or a panel of adjudicators (for British Parliamentary format) determine the winning speaker or, in British Parliamentary debates, the best speaker and the winning team. An audience poll conducted via text messaging
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
also determines the "audience's choice" for the winning speaker or best speaker of the debate, although the audience poll does not affect the final result of the debate.
Finals
Ateneo de Davao UniversityAteneo de Davao University
The Ateneo de Davao University is a private and research Catholic university administered by the Society of Jesus in Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. It was established in 1948...
on October 1, 2008, ousted Saint Louis University, Baguio City
Saint Louis University, Baguio City
Saint Louis University is a private educational institution in Baguio City, approximately two hundred fifty kilometers north of Manila. The school was established in 1911 by the Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae missionaries, to further Christianize the northern Philippines...
in the semi-finals of ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN
ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
's “Square Off: the CVC Law Debates”. The topic was "legalization of euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
in the Philippines," with St. Louis for legalization. Adjudicators Atty. Rodel Cruz, Senior Partner of Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law), and Senate President Franklin Drilon
Franklin Drilon
Franklin Magtunao Drilon is a Filipino politician who served as President of the Senate of the Philippines in 2000 and from 2001 to 2006. Drilon currently serves his third term in the Senate...
bestowed Ateneo de Davao’s Hanniyah Sevilla and Kristine Ferrer, the best speaker, and best texter’s choice awards, respectively. Ateneo will face Arellano University
Arellano University
Arellano University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Manila, Philippines, established in 1938 by Florentino Cayco, Sr. as the Arellano Law College which was later known as Arellano Colleges...
in the October 8 finals at ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel
ABS-CBN News Channel or better known as ANC is the Philippines first 24-hour news channel broadcasting both in cable television domestically and in satellite television internationally via The Filipino Channel, owned and operated by the ABS-CBN Corporation under its ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs...
, 8-9 p.m.
Arellano University
Arellano University
Arellano University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Manila, Philippines, established in 1938 by Florentino Cayco, Sr. as the Arellano Law College which was later known as Arellano Colleges...
Law Forensic Guild debating team was declared the Winner and Champion, taking home Acer laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
s and the CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
Lex Libris Law Library Series. Arellano's Rochelle Marie C. Roxas, Luis Warren and Charles Francis Decangchon, opposed the proposition that "term limits of elective officials should be lifted." It impeccably contradicted Ateneo de Davao's 2 main arguments. The partners of Villaraza Cruz Marcelo & Angangco (CVC Law), namely former Philippine Secretary of Defense Avelino "Nonong" Cruz Jr., former Philippine Ombudsman Simeon V. Marcelo, and Senior Partner Raoul R. Angangco, bestowed upon Arellano's Luis Anthony K. Warren, the Judges' and Texters' Choice awards for Best Speaker, winning an LG
LG
LG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
Viewty cameraphone, a trophy and a 3-day trip for 2 to Boracay. The Best Speaker's scores were tied between Luis Warren and ADDU's Therese Gemelo. CVC Law's Arthur Villaraza announced: "These debates are worth doing again. We will do this again."
The A.U.D.C.
ANC began airing "Square Off: The A.U.D.C.", every Wednesday at 8 p.m. starting October 22, 2008. College-level teams-champion student debaters struggle to be chosen representatives of their school and the Philippines in the 2009 Asian Universities Debating ChampionshipUnited Asian Debating Championships
The United Asian Debating Championship is an annual debating tournament for teams from universities in Asia. It will be the largest inter-varsity Parliamentary Debate tournament in Asia, with over 600 participants. The UADC holds debates in the Asian 3-on-3 format Parliamentary Debating...
(AUDC) in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
"Square Off: The A.U.D.C." follows the Asian Parliamentary Debate format: the House will consist of government and opposition teams of 3 members each, with 3 judges choosing the best speaker based on matter, manner, and method. AUDC champions, Team Philippines and Team Australia opened the series with Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
's Sharmila Parmanand, filing a motion for legalization of terrorist suspects. The Australians emerged victorious in the "special exhibition debate" round, on October 22. Chief adjudicator Ashok Rai, adjudicators Logan Balavijendran and Jason Jarvis presided and commended Team Australia’s Lucia Pietropaoli who was bestowed the Best Speaker award for the exhibition match.
Frank-ahan: The Drilon Debates
Franklin DrilonFranklin Drilon
Franklin Magtunao Drilon is a Filipino politician who served as President of the Senate of the Philippines in 2000 and from 2001 to 2006. Drilon currently serves his third term in the Senate...
sponsored an all-expense paid trip to the AUDC, dubbed as "Frank-ahan: The Drilon Debates," with 22 Philippine schools participating. De La Salle University
De La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
eventually won the Championship beating Ateneo de Manila University. The DLSU team was composed of Dino de Leon, Bianca Lagdameo and Robin Sebolino. The Defeated ADMU team, on the other hand, was composed of Miko Biskocho, Stephanie Co and Gica Mangahas. The Grand Finals was adjudicated by Bar top-notchers Arlene Maneja and Joane de Venecia, Bulacan Councilor Ricky dela Cruz, World Public Speaking Champion Patricia de Venecia, and former Senate President Franklin Drilon.