BY CLIFFORD JAMES L. DANDUAN/UM INTERN
THREE young Filipino speakers from different universities in the Philippines claimed the top spots in the ASEAN Young Speakers Contest, a highlight of the ASEAN Student Mobility Programme held on February 24 at the Sunway Resort Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Of the 67 young speakers across Southeast Asia, Fahadh P. Abbas from Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology brought home the championship title, with Christian K. Lachica, also from the same university, and Hidelwina P. Tenedero from National University Dasmariñas securing second and third place, respectively.
In an interview, Abbas, a fourth-year BS Microbiology Student from MSU-IIT, shared that he felt apprehensive throughout the competition due to its challenging format.
“Given the format of the competition, I was honestly anxious the whole time. I had some experience with public speaking, but not to the point that I had full confidence with my skills. Believe it or not, I was doubting my performance at every stage of the competition. However, when the results were revealed after the finals, I felt like a heavy burden was taken away from me,” he shared.
According to him, the victory was just a bonus because what he found more important was the platform it provided to talk about the climate issues in the country and the ASEAN region.
“My victory in the competition was a bonus. For me, what was more important was the platform to talk about our climate situation and the steps we could take to mitigate and adapt. I’m grateful that my passion resonated with the judges as well as the audience,” he added.
Since all three winners of the competition are from the Philippines, Abbas also emphasized that this victory signified that Filipino youths are critical thinkers and capable of sharing insights to address issues across the region.
“Having Filipinos as the finalists in the competition signifies that our youth, beyond being articulate, are passionate critical-thinkers. In Philippine society, older generations often undermine the youth and their capacity to mobilize change. However, we must always remember that the actions our leaders are taking now will affect the youth of today. It is only right that we listen to what the young voices have to say, as they could provide fresh perspectives to long-standing issues whether in education, environment, or inequality,” he emphasized.
In the final round, Abbas’ speech focuses on ASEAN Climate Action: Pathways to Sustainability and Resilience. Meanwhile, Lachica’s talk highlights Empowering ASEAN Youth: Leadership for a Sustainable Future, while Tenedero’s topic emphasizes Strengthening ASEAN Partnerships Through Collaboration for Inclusive Development.
The Young Speaker Contest is one of the event highlights of the ASEAN Students Mobility Programme held in conjunction with the ASEAN Universities Exhibition and Forum 2025 in Malaysia to discuss ASEAN challenges and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
