BukSU wins 1st and 2nd at Indonesia’s int’l debate tournament

Bukidnon State University (BukSU) achieved a historic milestone at the Satya Wacana International Forum of Thought (SWIFT) 2026 International Debate Competition, sweeping both the first and second-place titles in a dominant display of academic excellence on July 11, 2026.

Centered on the theme “Economic Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities in the Global Economy,” the virtual tournament gathered student debaters from various universities across the Philippines and Indonesia to tackle pressing contemporary global economic issues.

Team NEXUS clinched the championship title following a rigorous series of debates against top-tier international opponents. The champion trio, showcasing the strength of BukSU’s multidisciplinary training, consists of Liz Leana Lapuz (Bachelor of Arts in Economics), Dominador F. Juario, Jr. (Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Social Studies), and Robert Nahial (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology).

Securing a 1-2 finish for the university, Team COB Golden Dragons claimed the Second-Place title. The runner-up squad is composed of BSBA Financial Management students Janelle Jean Juario, Clifford Navarette, and Shekinah Kriziah Edralin.

To qualify for the debate rounds, participating delegations were first required to hurdle a preliminary Infographics Competition that tested their creativity and analytical acumen.

All four BukSU teams successfully advanced to the finals, securing positions in the Top 8:

• The De(rage)bate Team (Clarise Margalo Fernandez, Erin Zoe Regalado, and Karl Barete) secured Second Place.
• Team NEXUS finished Fourth.
• Team COB Golden Dragons finished Seventh.
• Fresh Lumpia Yappers (FLY) (Therese Mainit, John Benedict Rollan, and Phillipe Villanueva) placed Eighth.

BukSU carried its momentum into the debate semifinals, where eight teams collided. The university’s top two teams commanded the leaderboards, with Team COB Golden Dragons and Team NEXUS earning the highest semifinal rankings with nominal scores of 90.44% and 89.03%, respectively.

The De(rage)bate Team and the Fresh Lumpia Yappers (FLY) also successfully reached the semifinals, cementing a Top 8 global finish for all four BukSU entries.

According to organizers, SWIFT 2026 aimed to enhance students’ critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and English academic communication skills through multidisciplinary perspectives.

The successful international campaign was spearheaded by the Economics Department of BukSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, which led the coordination, preparation, and mentoring of the student delegation. (Adriane John P. Luncido/ Faculty, Economics Department)