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| Thursday August 28, 2008 | 7:38pm PHT |
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Gian Karlo Dapul is another Filipino who has done our country proud by winning an international public speaking contest. The 16-year-old was one of 58 contestants representing 34 countries at the English Speaking Union’s International Public Speaking Competition held in London on May 11, 2008.
Dapul graduated from Claret Elementary School as valedictorian, where he was the editor-in-chief of The Claretian. Now an incoming senior at the Philippine Science High School, he has consistently been a dean's list scholar as well as an officer of the Student Council. He also belongs to the PSHS debating team and drama club.
His talents are not restricted to public speaking. He has been an active member of the Kilyawan Boys Choir, singing Bass 1, since the third grade, and he will be traveling with them to Austria in July for the 2008 World Choir Olympics. He also plays the classical guitar and writes for PSHS's The Science Scholar.
Even before making it to the competition, Dapul topped the country finals held at the University of the Philippines Diliman as part of a collegiate debating tourney.
After the preliminary heats at Dartmouth House where he was the very first speaker, he made it into the top 12 finalists and went on to the finals held at the American Embassy at Grosvenor Square. There, he was the last speaker, going against representatives from Thailand, Poland, Bulgaria, Argentina, Lebanon and China.
The competition's topic was "New Frontiers," and Dapul delivered a 5-minute speech entitled "Fish Mucus and Foot Fungus," wherein he cites recent scientific findings and expresses his wish to be one of these scientific researchers and discover new ways to extend life spans. Right from the start, his speech impressed the judges -- Peter Kyle, Dame Mary Richardson DBE and Tony Byrne -- and it is no wonder that he came out on top.
Dapul will be presented with a certificate at the ESU Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace by His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in November.
OTHER
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