Debate Seminar

“Primus Inter Pares”

(A Reflection Paper on the 1^st Pangasinan Debate Seminar)

          “A day with reason”, if there is a phrase that may describe our experience last July 30, 2011 (Saturday), I think this is it, “a day with reason”. It was late afternoon of July 29, 2011 (Friday) when they told me that I will be representing the school in the First Pangasinan Debate Seminar in Tondaligan, Dagupan City. This seminar was sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, Pangasinan Lodge No. 56. With me were some of my colleagues from the Third year class, Ms. Mara Gabriel, Mr. Jayson Maduro, and Mr. Kevin Marquez. We also had with us my former classmate and now a professor, Mr. Bonomar Apuyod. Actually, we were late in arriving in the venue because we had a difficulty with our schedules. However, we managed to arrive at the venue before the second speaker began his talk and as such, the rest was history. All throughout the seminar, I may say three important points which I learned and reflected upon and to wrap it up, I know for a fact that I should be “Primus Inter Pares”---First among equals.

          First and foremost, I believe that I should always be reasonable. In our world today, people tend to speak the things that they want without rationalizing first on their ideas. Perhaps, it is quite normal if we say that man is a social being. However, I believe that man should always be guided with his reason in everything that he says and does. In that debate seminar, I realized that I should always be reasonable with my ideas. I should not utter notions or expressions which are not founded within my rational capacity. Secondly, I should always have a goal in expressing my ideas and thoughts. There are many times in my life in which I speak without sense at all. I consider those instances of my life as part of my immaturity as man. Thus, during the seminar, I came to ponder the value of having a goal in expressing my ideas. I believe that if I have no goal in speaking, I will be a “nonsense speaker.” There must always be a substance on the things that coming out from my mouth. There must be the logic of what I am saying. Lastly, I believe that I must always walk my talk. Truly enough, there are times in my life in which I became a hypocrite. I tend to speak good and idealistic views without practicing them. I tend to put false appearances on the things that I am speaking or uttering. Thus, the seminar taught me the value of being a true and good speaker---that a good speaker is one who can act on the things that he says.

          In the end, I can say that what happened in that debate seminar was a reflection of my idea that I should be “Primus Inter Pares” (First among equals). It means that as a human being of equal nature to my fellowmen, I should always be of difference to those people who always put things into compromise. I should always be different to those who take things for granted or to those people who are narrow-minded. I believe that to be reasonable is to be first among those people who are of my equal in existence. I was inspired by that debate seminar in which I realized my nature as being rational. Thus, being rational does not stay in the mind, but it also manifests in the way you present your self in words and in actions. For this, I may conclude that the seminar was really a day in which reason prevails.