Students from the University of San Carlos Department of Economics were hailed as the overall champion in this year’s Junior Philippine Economics Society (JPES) National Economics Debate held virtually on November 14-16, 2022. 

Darlyn Joy J. Ponce, Kristin Vera J. Caberte, and Jean Keandre C. Jimeno represented the Carolinian Economics Society. They debated on Motions in Motion, in line with the theme, “Advocates of Today, Leaders Learning for the Future.” 

The economics students emerged victorious against all other debate teams from various universities across the country including the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), and University of St. La Salle (USLS). The debate was set in an Asian parliamentary format where each team was composed of three students. 

During the first round, the USC economics students took the opposition side against the team from USLS on instituting educational qualifications for presidential candidates. In the semi-finals, the Carolinian contingent faced PUP on the motion about foreign ownership of renewable energy projects in the country. In the final round, USC won against the UPLB team after they debated on the recently passed SIM Card Registration Act. 

Aside from being declared the overall champion, Caberte was also awarded as the best speaker. 

JPES is a national confederation of undergraduate economics organizations and is recognized as the junior arm of the Philippine Economics Society, which is the professional association of economics graduates in the country. Meanwhile, the Motions in Motion is an annual event that aims to promote a culture of debate among economics undergraduate students on relevant issues in the field.

The live-streamed debate can be viewed on the Facebook page of the Junior Philippine Economics Society: https://www.facebook.com/theJPES1987.

Reported by Ken Boltiador