Ateneans win 82 golds, 82 silvers, and one trophy at World Scholar’s Cup Global Round in Kuala Lumpur

Representing the Philippines, 19 Ateneo de Manila debaters (15 from AJHS and four from ASHS) won 164 medals (82 golds, 82 silvers) and one trophy at the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) 2018 Global Round held from June 17 to 25, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur. All seven Ateneo teams (two of which had guest participants from other schools) qualified outright for the Tournament of Champions to be held in Yale University in Connecticut, USA this November. The best-performing team was Team 492/AJHS E, comprised of Ram Orfanel of HUMSS/11-Hoyos, Gareth de Leon of Cardoner/10-Chabanel, and Simon Angoluan of ABM/11-Brebeuf. AJHS E took home a trophy for being the 14^th best team out of over 500 teams in the Senior division, an unprecedented feat for Ateneo since it started joining the WSC Global Rounds in 2017.

Orfanel (10 golds, 3 silvers, 1 trophy) and Paco Blanco (11 golds, 3 silvers) of ABM/12-Acquaviva were named co-top scorers for the Ateneo contingent in the Senior division while Rapa Bengzon (three golds, three silvers) of Montserrat/9-Kisai was named top scholar of the Ateneo contingent in the Junior division. At the World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions 2017 held in Yale University in November 2017, Paco Blanco was also named Ateneo’s top-scorer in the Senior division, making his achievement in the Kuala Lumpur Global Rounds a back-to-back feat, of sorts.    

 
Here is how each team performed, followed by the individual medal haul of each member of the team:

SENIOR DIVISION
TEAM 490 (Matthew Garcia, Joaquin Reyes, AC Saulong): TWO GOLDS  (89^th Top Debate Team, 89^th Top Writing Team) + TWO SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, Overall)
MATTHEW GARCIA (Pamplona/10-Zuraire): ONE GOLD (Debate) + ONE SILVER (writing) + TWO TEAM GOLDS (Debate, Writing) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, Overall)
JOAQUIN REYES (Cardoner/10-Canisius): FOUR GOLDS (Arts, Social Studies, Literature, Challenge) + FIVE SILVERS (History, Special Area, Debate, Writing, Overall) + TWO TEAM GOLDS (Debate, Writing) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, Overall)
AC SAULONG (Pamplona/10-Whitbread): TWO GOLDS (Debate, Writing) + SIX SILVERS  (Social Studies, History, Literature, Special Area, Challenge, Overall) + TWO TEAM GOLDS (Debate, Writing) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, Overall)
 
TEAM 491 (Christian Tiamzon, Jaime Castro, Zander Jacinto): ONE GOLD (58^th in Debate) + THREE SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 104^th Overall)
CHRISTIAN TIAMZON (Cardoner/9-Baldinucci): ONE GOLD (Debate) + TWO SILVERS (History, Writing) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + THREE TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 104^th Overall)
JAIME CASTRO (Pamplona/10-Whitbread): SIX GOLDS (Social Studies, Special Area, Challenge, Debate, Writing, 95^th Overall) + THREE SILVERS (Arts, History, Science) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + THREE TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 104^th Overall) 
ZANDER JACINTO (Cardoner/9-Berchmans):  ONE GOLD (Literature) + FOUR SILVERS (Special Area, Challenge, Debate, Writing) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + THREE TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 104^th Overall)

TEAM 492 (Ram Orfanel, Gareth de Leon, Simon Angoluan): ONE TROPHY (14^th in Challenge) + ONE GOLD (Debate) + TWO SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, 79^th Overall)
RAM ORFANEL (HUMSS/11-Hoyos): NINE GOLDS (Arts, Social Studies, Literature, Science, Special Area, Challenge, Debate, 56^th overall, 1^st in School) + ONE SILVER (History) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, 79^th Overall)
GARETH DE LEON (Cardoner/10-Chabanel): THREE GOLDS (History, Special Area, Debate) + TWO SILVERS (Arts, Challenge) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, 79^th Overall)
 
SIMON ANGOLUAN (ABM/11-Brebeuf): SIX GOLDS (Arts, Social Studies, Literature, Special Area, Challenge, 97^th overall) + FOUR SILVERS (History, Science, Debate, Writing) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Scholar’s Bowl, 79^th Overall)

TEAM 494 (Carlos Pastoral, Paco Blanco, Hye Yeon Kim from ICA): THREE GOLDS (Challenge, Scholar’s Bowl, 46^th Overall Champion Team) + TWO SILVERS (Debate, Writing) 
CARLOS PASTORAL (GA/12-Daniel): TWO GOLDS (Special Area, Debate) + FOUR SILVERS (Social Studies, Literature, Challenge, Writing) + THREE TEAM GOLDS (Challenge, Scholar’s Bowl, 46^th Overall Champion Team) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Debate, Writing)  
PACO BLANCO (ABM/12–Acquaviva): EIGHT GOLDS (Arts, History, Science, Special Area, Challenge, Writing, 86^th Overall, 1^st in School) + ONE SILVER (Debate) + THREE TEAM GOLDS (Challenge, Scholar’s Bowl, 46^th Overall Champion Team) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Debate, Writing)  

 JUNIOR DIVISION
TEAM 729 (Gerard Oliver Ledonio, Henry James Escaño, James Manzano): ONE GOLD (75^th Top Debate Team)
GERARD OLIVER JOAQUIN LEDONIO (La Storta/9-Fernandes): TWO GOLDS (Social Studies, History) + ONE TEAM GOLD (75^th Top Debate Team)
HENRY JAMES ESCAÑO (La Storta/9-Favre): TWO SILVERS (Social Studies, Debate) + ONE TEAM GOLD (75^th Top Debate Team)
JAMES MANZANO (La Storta/9-Fernandes): ONE GOLD (Debate) + THREE SILVERS (History, Literature, Science) + ONE TEAM GOLD (75^th Top Debate Team)
TEAM 730 (Anton Abiera, Joaquin Guevarra, Johann Bernardo): ONE GOLD (Debate) + TWO SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl)

ANTON ABIERA (La Storta/9-Fenwick): ONE GOLD (Debate) + ONE SILVER (Social Studies) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl)  
JOAQUIN GUEVARRA (La Storta/9-Fenwick): ONE SILVER (Debate) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl)  
JOHANN BERNARDO (La Storta/9-Fernandes): TWO GOLDS (Arts, Debate) + FOUR SILVERS (Social Studies, Literature, Writing, 162^nd Overall) + ONE TEAM GOLD (Debate) + TWO TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl)  
TEAM 731 (Rapa Bengzon, David Bejarin, Thanh Nhat Le of My Uc School): THREE SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 174^th Overall)
RAPA BENGZON (Montserrat/9-Kisai): THREE GOLDS (Debate, Writing, 1^st in School) + THREE TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 174^th Overall)
DAVID BEJARIN (La Storta/9-Fausti): SIX GOLDS (Arts, Social Studies, History, Science, Special Area, Challenge) + ONE SILVER (Literature) + THREE TEAM SILVERS (Writing, Scholar’s Bowl, 174^th Overall)

Aside from the competitions, other highlights included sightseeing trips around Kuala Lumpur. The Ateneans also paid a courtesy call to the Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E. Ambassador Charles Jose in the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia.  The WSC Global Round also included social events like the Scholar’s Ball and cultural exchange activities like the Cultural Fair.

The debaters would like to thank the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, AJHS Principals Dr. Carmela Oracion and Jonny Salvador, ASHS Principal Bitchik Dimalanta, AJHS APAA Ria Arespacochaga, AJHS APSAF Ron Capinding, ASHS APAA Jen Concepcion, ASHS APSAF Noel Miranda, and AJHS Debaters Moderator Joel Falgui. Mr. Falgui helped coordinate Ateneo’s participation in the WSC Global Round, and received a certificate “For Distinguished Leadership as a Team Coordinator” from WSC Alpaca-in-chief Daniel Berdichevsky. The boys also extend their gratitude to the Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia, Amb. Charles Jose, the Tourism Promotions Board/Department of Tourism for sending items for the Cultural Fair, Thema Tutorial Center for the team’s training venue and debate parents Mrs. Lani De Leon, Mrs. Marivic Ocampo, Mr. Manny Reyes, Mrs. Lon Reyes and Atty. Arthur Abiera, who acted as an adjudicator in the Debate competition.