Southern Leyte State U students win 2 awards in 2022 ASEAN regional competition

The Southern Leyte State University, represented by students Colleen Antonette Cabahug and Alyssa Bridget Labastida won in separate competitions during the 2022 ASEAN Month Celebration spearheaded by the Commission of Higher Education Regional Office VIII (CHEDRO8) held on August 22-31, 2022.

Colleen Antonette M. Cabahug, a senior student of Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Mathematics from Tomas Oppus campus, came out on top and bagged the 1st place in the on-the-spot Essay Writing Competition where she competed against other 12 representatives coming from the different universities in the region.

The essay circulated on how the higher education institutions (HEIs) in the ASEAN countries can contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For Cabahug, her winning piece focuses on how HEIs produce professionals who are multi-faceted in representing the spirit, cultures, integrity and sovereignty of their home countries and of ASEAN.

“I ended my piece with this statement: When ASEAN HEIs produce citizens who contribute in the digital, environmental and socio-political SDGs, there will be no space for greed, no place for quarrels, no time for war. After all, the single most urgent battle we should be fighting is the war against time and starvation,” Cabahug added.

Mentor Dr. Sybill Krizzia Ledesma is very proud of Cabahug’s accomplishment.

“We tried SEAMO first which was an international route for Antonette and Southern Leyte State U. But I think that was not ours to win because ASEAN is meant for us to have,” Dr. Ledesma said.

It can be recalled that Cabahug also joined the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMO) Essay Writing Contest, with Dr. Ledesma as coach, but failed to make the second and last cut.

Meanwhile, with her own composition of the song entitled “As One”, Alyssa Bridget Labastida nabbed the third spot during the Songwriting Competition.

The song “As One” revolves around this year’s ASEAN celebration theme “Addressing Challenges Together." It also highlights today’s happenings and how the world would be much better to live in if there’s unity despite differences in culture, race, and nationality.

“The chorus of the song is kind of inspiring because it talks about how we need to take the same road, that there might be obstacles along the way but for as long as we are united and will work hand-in-hand, as one we fight, we will be able to achieve our common goals,” Labastida explained.

Labastida is a sophomore student of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management from the Main Campus. 

Mr. Rey Comabig who mentored Labastida is also grateful of her accomplishment despite the lack of time to prepare for the competition.

“We did not expect it at all. But this victory is not just for Alyssa nor mine but for the whole Southern Leyte State U. Let’s pray for her as she gets to compete for the national level,” Mr. Comabig added.

The top 3 song pieces, which includes Labastida's, are now qualified for the national evaluation of the said competition where the National Awarding Ceremony and Culmination Event will take place come November 29, 2022.

The awarding of the regional competition was held on September 2 during the culmination program in Tacloban City.

These competitions are all part of the 2022 ASEAN Month Celebration. Cultural showcase and commemorative event were also held by the different SUCs in the region spearheaded by CHEDRO8.