#ProudMalayan: MapúaMCM 3rd Year Chemical Engineering Student Wins 2020 ASEAN Youth Speech Contest
Rex Michael Ugpay, a 3rd year Chemical Engineering student of Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, was recognized the winner of the 2020 C ASEAN Youth Speech Contest — Overseas Category hosted by Thailand and held last August 7, 2020 via online meet.
Rex Michael Ugpay’s recorded speech for the ASEAN Speech Contest 2020 Finals.
Among the 93 applications from 10 ASEAN member states, only 10 were considered finalists. Due to travel restrictions, C ASEAN has separated the award into two categories: one for overseas finalists and the other for Thai residents. 5 of them qualified for the overseas category: 2 from the Philippines, 2 from Indonesia, and 1 from Vietnam.
Rex, who is also a proud IP Youth of the Bagobo Klata tribe, has always been looking for opportunities abroad to enhance his socialization and leadership skills, so when he found out about the C ASEAN contest, he did not hesitate to join. Rex shares,
“I’ve been wanting to create milestones in my life, and it was always in my thoughts while in college to achieve something in my age, a feat wherein I can feel that I’m capable of doing something.”
For their initial video entries, the participants were tasked to share their thoughts on what is the meaning of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” — the ASEAN motto — for them. Once Rex got through to the Top 10, it was time to get ready for the finals.
In preparation for the finals, Rex shared how he had prepared for his speech, which consisted of watching short practice videos and reading additional online articles about the ASEAN to be able to properly construct a speech surrounding the final theme — “ASEAN as One is ASEAN Way”. His speech was revised to a length of 7 minutes of which he memorized and recorded himself.
Watch Rex Michael Ugpay’s winning piece and awarding here.
The results were announced immediately after the event, and Rex, upon finding out that he had won, found himself crying with tears of joy.
“It was surreal… The night before, I really prayed that placing at least in the Top 3 will already make me comfortable and winning would be a very big bonus. When the host called my name as the 2nd runner up, I was quite hesitant to believe it; but when they flashed the picture of me as the eventual winner, I was very shocked. Then, there was a clarification that I was really the winner, then I outburst in tears of joy.”
With the support of the MapúaMCM Community, Rex felt very grateful and shared that it is his burning fuel to keep going and do his best.
C ASEAN is a social enterprise aiming to strengthen regional connectivity among the ASEAN. They spearheaded the ASEAN Youth Speech Contest 2020 which was held in celebration of the 53rd ASEAN Day and the oneness of ASEAN. The winners and participants would get an opportunity to present their speeches to a panel of prestigious judges and international diplomats.
Article written by Frances Angela Monton