Years after being interrupted due to the pandemic, the #SpeakUP! Regional Inter-High School Competition will once again be held at UP Mindanao on May 19, 2024.
Ever since its inception in 2002, the Speak Up competition has long been considered the landmark annual event of the Communicators’ Guild of UP Mindanao.
This year, it will feature two of its banner contests, namely the Radio Broadcasting Competition and the combined Oratorical-Extemporaneous Speaking Contest.
Speak Up 2024 is open to all senior high school students, Grades 11 and 12, around Davao Region.
The event aims to not only showcase the students’ skills in public speaking and the practice of media arts, but also promote the social awareness of the participants and empower them to use their creative abilities for exercising their freedom of expression on social issues prevalent in Mindanao.
Alexis Delola, the Scholarch of Communicators’ Guild and the program head of Speak Up 2024, shared his enthusiasm on the matter.
“Medyo naglisod gyud mi no kay dugay-dugay pod mi wala naka organize ani na event, pero salamat sa kadasig sa members sa CommGuild ma pull off na gyud ni siya (We’re having some difficulties because it’s been long since we organized this event, but thanks to the enthusiasm of the CommGuild members, we finally pulled this one off),” Delola said.
“The Communicators’ Guild and the BACMA community are very much excited to witness the skills of the participating students. Usa sad ni ka plataporma nga among gihatag (This is one platform we provide) to empower them to speak up sa mga nagkalain-laing isyu (on various issues) in our society. Most of all, we hope this event will also motivate them to excel in their respective fields because not a lot of people will appreciate unsa ka importante ni sila,” he continued.
Aside from that, the event also hopes to encourage students to pursue degree programs in college that are under the banner of media and communication.
Cindy Morados, a former participant of the competition in 2019 and now a current student of the BA Communication and Media Arts program in UP Mindanao, expressed her delight on Speak Up’s return as well.
“Speak Up became one of the milestones that convinced me to pursue the degree I am in right now and I have no regrets at all,” Morados said.
“Nevermind the prize money na kasi what you learn from the event and your co-competitors, plus the chance to hone your skills makes it all so much worth it, kaya I’m really looking forward sa mga sasali in this year’s competition,” she continued.
The champion of the Radio Broadcasting Competition will win the grand prize of P7,000 and the sole winner of the Oratorical-Extemporaneous Speaking Contest will receive P2,000 on this Sunday’s afternoon awarding ceremony.