Selling Optimism Through Fish Mucus

Written on Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 2:27 am | by Benj

Just barely a month ago, I was tasked to judge a public speaking competition’s semifinal to help screen the 18 applicants. The prize at the end was huge - it was the right to represent the Philippines at the English Speaking Union International Public Speaking Competition held in London. We are no strangers to the prestige that this competition brings. Back in 2004, after wowing judges of her musings on the Filipino diaspora, Speech Communication major Patricia Evangelista was catapulted to national consciousness. She is now one of the more prominent young media personalities appearing in the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Opinion page and various shows for the ABS-CBN News Network. With great education, matching chutzpah and the exposure that made her a household name, Patricia Evangelista is now being heard on various media - something that is arguably rare for somebody her age.

Clearly, it’s easy why high school students and college students in their late teens would like to try their luck in the competition. The payoff is tremendous. Despite the lack of monetary compensation, the privilege of representing one’s country to an international tilt can be considered as a great reward on its own. The opportunity to be heard by people of diverse backgrounds and to have one’s thoughts published on the dailies makes the attempt even more appealing. Though not as life-changing as a win in Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition or Pinoy Idol, the contest does give a single high school student the shot to be recognized as better than most and the rightful representative for a prestigious competition.

All contestants had five minutes. Five minutes to talk about anything that they could possibly link this year’s theme “New Horizons, New Frontiers”. After delivering their speeches, they will be grilled by a panel who would launch questions relevant to content of their pieces. Predictably, most contestants chose the abstract path of self-improvement as their line of attack. Someone went ahead with a unabashed endorsement of his political dynasty while another tackled the always-relevant topic of pre-marital sex.

The one who stood out - at least for me — was the speech of one 16 year-old high school student from Philippine Science. He boldly chose to talk about the progress research in the Philippines. It was risky in the sense that not all could really relate to his chosen topic. Not all schools in the country have adequate research curricula, Filipino’s are not really that big into the sciences either. But despite these odds, he took the challenge and somehow inspired the judges and the audience perhaps, that the new horizons that await us past studies on fish mucus and foot fungus are reason for us to be more optimistic and more importantly, to be more driven to succeed in other fields.

Just a few days ago, Gian Karlo Dapul delivered the same speech in London and won the competition. We have not learned about it from most mainstream media outfits. Maybe they have bigger fish to fry. It’s sad that a country that goes crazy for every one-quarter Filipino big shot could not even afford half the distinction to somebody like Gian.

Gian is a sixteen year old incoming senior at the Diliman Campus of the Philippine Science High School. Reflect on that. What were you doing when you were sixteen? Chances are, you’ll be like the most of us - not having any international title on your belt. What he has done is truly worth commending and emulating. He may be younger than most of us, but he chose to dream big and took risks. Thanks to the choices he made, we have another champion and the field of research gets a brand new spokesperson in the form of a lanky bespectacled young man.

I guess this how Kuya Germs feels, huh? Last month, Gian was just one of the almost two dozen aspirants for the competition. He asked me for tips after he learned that he succeeded in advancing to the Philippine finals. I told him - that was good, but you’ve got to do better than that if you want to win. After I said that, he seemed to retreat and told me that he wasn’t looking to win at all.

One month later, he’s hailed champion.

NEW! Here’s the video of the Finals.

A copy of Fish Mucus and Foot Fungus may be found here. Congratulations, Gian. I’ve only met you once but I’m very proud off you.

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About The Author: Benj is a frustrated rockstar, sports enthusiast, collegiate debater and a travel junkie who happens to be atheist.

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Comments

17 Responses to “Selling Optimism Through Fish Mucus”

  1. benign0 on May 14th, 2008 10:49 am

    Often I am told off whenever I cite how we continuously fail to make our mark in the global stage. It seems, according to some, that Pinoys have “other virtues” that we can be “proud” of.

    All true, to be fair.

    But then I always respond by saying that unfortunately for us, winners win because certain very SPECIFIC standards are met. If we choose to hold ourselves to standards we are COMFORTABLE with (but not necessarily aligned to what the REST OF THE WORLD expects), then we should be content with being winners within our own mediocre standards.

    But if we truly want to win globally, then we need to step up to the standards that are set GLOBALLY.

    And ON TOP OF THAT as you said (if you will pardon a few inserts for emphasis):

    [we]’ve got to do [even] better than that if [we] want to win

    Maybe someday we will get over looking to our leaders, heroes, and prayer as a source of our fortunes and take a bit of personal responsibility for our own prosperity.

  2. Jon Limjap on May 14th, 2008 1:32 pm

    When I was a sixteen year old senior at Pisay, I was learning to drink booze when I couldn’t grok our calculus lessons.

    Oops.

  3. Benj on May 14th, 2008 3:39 pm

    Show off! Most kids didn’t even have calculus in high school. hahaha

  4. benign0 on May 14th, 2008 4:27 pm

    I think they do teach calculus to 16-year-olds in Pisay…

  5. Benj on May 14th, 2008 4:31 pm

    Umm, yeah. That’s why I called Jon Limjap (PSHS Class of ‘97) a show off.

  6. Nick on May 14th, 2008 4:35 pm

    I read the speech, very excellent main point that kid has.. Upcoming 4th year high school student? I think he has a great future in biochemistry. The smartest of men in that field need not be paupers..

    But what great passion he has for his nation.. I wonder if he wants to join the Writing Project, it’s articles (or speeches) such as these, that I had in mind when we started the writing project..

    Anyway, keep us posted on this future leader..

  7. Gian, thanks for that voice « martinperez.asia || education, development, technology and society on May 14th, 2008 7:01 pm

    […] thanks for that voice Posted on 14 May 2008 by Martin Perez Over at Filipino Voices, Benj wrote a glowing review of Gian’s win at the ESU and what it means for everyone else. He […]

  8. Martin Perez on May 14th, 2008 7:01 pm

    Thanks for the support for Gian, Benj! This young man’s time has come.

  9. Benj on May 14th, 2008 7:02 pm

    I loved the digs against the Jesuits and Benedictines. Haha.

    He’s coming home tomorrow. Maybe you should e-mail him our invite, Nick. :p

  10. Benj on May 14th, 2008 7:08 pm

    Well if he takes up BS Biochemistry, he’ll definitely be going to UP Manila. If we’re talking MBB, he’s going Diliman. I hope he goes to Intarmed/Biochem so he’ll get to debate for UP Manila. *ok, that got out.* LOL

  11. Nick on May 14th, 2008 7:25 pm

    @Martin, does he go to the school you teach at??

    @Benj, I’m really interested if he shot a video of his performance.. I’d love to see him do a live video of this speech.

    @Benj, haah, I guess, the debate side of you had to come out some time

  12. Nick on May 14th, 2008 7:29 pm

    @Martin, nevermind, I just read your current post, nice to know that he was under your tutelage..

    Just goes to show you Martin, sometimes, the greatest thing one can do in life, is to find a way to nurture the great minds of tomorrow.. (ehem, that’s you)

  13. J on May 14th, 2008 8:21 pm

    “Well if he takes up BS Biochemistry, he’ll definitely be going to UP Manila. If we’re talking MBB, he’s going Diliman. I hope he goes to Intarmed/Biochem so he’ll get to debate for UP Manila. *ok, that got out.* LOL”

    LOL @ Benj

    In geopolitics, there are four sources of power: economic wealth, military strength, INTELLIGENCE and TECHNOLOGY.

    If we can’t do well in the first two sources, we should at least utilize our resources to educate our people and support our scientists’ pursuit of technological advancement.

    I hope, indeed, this guy would be among “the pioneers who would make the Philippines known for its excellence in scientific research.”

    Sadly, though, there’s a lack of investment on both education and science and technology.

    And oh, by the way, didn’t you mention before that Gian Dapul blogs too? :D

  14. Benj on May 14th, 2008 8:27 pm

    He last blogged in 2007, I think. He’s not really into it, I guess.

  15. Benj on May 15th, 2008 12:17 am

    Guys, I added a video of the finals. :)

  16. Manuel L. Quezon III: The Daily Dose » Blog Archive » Nursing students left in the lurch on May 15th, 2008 4:05 pm

    […] column for today is The scientific imperative , was inspired by a FilipinoVoices.com entry, and ended up about pig poop and alternative sources of electricity and a kid’s speech (which […]

  17. benj on May 18th, 2008 10:52 am

    Um… NICK’s future leader is blogging here - http://metacynical.wordpress.com

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