After two rounds of public speaking, Philippine Science High School student Gian Karlo Dapul bested all other contestants for the top plum in the English Speaking Union International Public Speaking Competition (ESU ISPC) after delivering a speech about the impact and the still unfulfilled potential of research in the Philippines today. Dapul made it to the finals after making the short list of four in the semifinals out of nine speakers.

The competition was open for all Filipino students age 16 to 20. It doesn’t really matter whether the contestant is a high school or college student - what’s important is that he’s enrolled at some school. The participants were asked to prepare a speech based on the theme New Horizons, New Frontiers. After speaking uninterrupted for five minutes, the panel or members of the audience could then ask the speaker questions related to the speech.

Two UP Diliman students clinched the next two spots in the podium but unfortunately for them, only Dapul would get the chance to compete in London. Winning the ESU Competition catapulted UP Diliman alum Patricia Evangelista to mainstream consciousness a few years back.