24/09/2026
๐๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ค, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐
For Ray Jasper Daras, a third-year Political Science student and debater, sitting at the adjudicatorโs table was more than simply judging a debate. It was a full-circle moment.
On August 22โ23, Daras had the opportunity to practice adjudicating at Power Purple College of Southern Philippines Inc., taking on a role that allowed him to see debate from a different side.
Years ago, he was the one standing before the judges, scrambling through notes, organizing arguments, and quietly panicking as the preparation time ran out. His debating journey began in Grade 10. Now, he finds himself in a position to help other debaters navigate the same challenges he once experienced.
โ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ,โ Daras shared. For him, adjudication goes beyond deciding which side wins. It is also an opportunity to use what he has learned to help new debaters recognize their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and develop their own skills.
His experiences as a debater, journalist, and Political Science student have also shaped the way he listens to arguments. Beyond observing the technical aspects of a speech, he pays attention to the key issues being raised, how debaters approach those issues, and how they justify their claims.
๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
For Daras, an adjudicator must be able to separate personal beliefs from the arguments being presented. The task is not to determine which side reflects one's own views, but to assess how effectively each side establishes and justifies its arguments. โIt's important to step back muna and look at the multiple sides to an issue,โ he explained.
For a Political Science student, this way of thinking extends beyond the debate room. Understanding social and political issues requires looking at different perspectives rather than immediately accepting the position that aligns with one's personal beliefs.
๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ, ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ค๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ.
Daras believes that a claim should not simply be accepted because it sounds convincing. Arguments must be supported by logical reasoning, credible sources, and sufficient justification. His experiences in journalism and Political Science have strengthened his habit of questioning, verifying, and examining information before accepting it. Yet behind the confidence of a debater and adjudicator is someone who still struggles with public speaking.
โIโm also scared of it,โ Daras admitted.
Even with years of experience, speaking before a crowd can still make him nervous. He sometimes feels sick, becomes nauseous, and even stutters. For him, fear does not simply disappear with experience. What changes is how one chooses to respond to it.
โWhen I speak, I speak with a purpose,โ he said. โMy purpose is always bigger than my fears.โ
For Daras, speaking is therefore not about waiting until the fear disappears. It is about remembering why one is speaking in the first place: what needs to be said, what needs to be heard, and what purpose the speaker hopes to serve.
His journey from a nervous novice to an adjudicator reflects more than growth in debate. It shows how experience can change the way one speaks, listens, and understands others.
And perhaps, after years of finding his own voice, Daras now hopes to help others find theirs.
โ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐.โ
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐
๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ญ.
