I miss joining debate tournaments. A lot! Finally, after year-long absence in the debate scene, I was able to participate in the 5th Visayas Universities Debate Championship (VUDC) last February 2-6, 2012 at Cebu City, Philippines. Although I was late due to a series of unfortunate events which made me miss the first day of the tournament, I was happy and excited to be in the middle of it all. Meeting old friends and gaining new ones was my most anticipated moments aside from exchanging ideas in every debate rounds that reached until five rounds for the elimination series using Asian Parliamentary debate format..

Quoting our former debate Adviser Ms. Geraldine Kay Perez Rodriguez:

Hi old debaters, recent debaters, and very new debaters. Faces have changed, competition is fiercer, but the one true goal of debate remains the same: to inform the audience about issues, not to cross verbal swords with each other to the finish.

Debate has been part of my life since I was in high school. But I get to have the formal training in debate during college. Since then, I joined competitions both national and local tournaments. Since these tournaments are hosted by other institutions across the country, I get the chance to travel and see these places. Insofar, I went as far as the Baguio City in Northern Luzon and Davao City in Southern Mindanao. It was educating and worthwhile experiencing. Meeting people, immersing in their culture, and tasting their local cuisine is very much rewarding. But most of all, debate presents an opportunity for discourse and exchange of information.

The VUDC was hosted by the University of the Philippines Cebu Lantugi and the PAREF Springdale School for Boys. It gathered the best high school and college debaters and adjudicators from all over the Visayas archipelago. Since I was late, I opted to be an adjudicator, my second time to do so in my second VUDC. Better late than never, I quickly rose from being a trainee to a Chief Adjudicator. On Round 5 of the elimination round of the tournament, I was able to Chair a debate between PAREF Springdale School for Boys Team B and Universityb of the Philippines Visayas Iloilo Team C with the motion This House Would remove patent rights of medicines for HIV in all cases.

Since the last ICAAP10 (10th International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific) in Busan, South Korea, the issue on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in relation with patent rights and the production of cheaper ARVs (Anti-Retroviral Drugs) has been a heat topic among HIV/AIDS advocates. And in the debate, the issue on removing patent rights on HIV medicines has been heavily debated although the government bench failed to delve thoroughly on the salient issues which made me decide to give the win to the opposition side (Ooops! It was a Silent Round. Argh! Anyhow, the tournament was over so I can spill the beans).

Indeed, there is a great need for generic medicines because it a) creates competition and therefore reduces prices, and b) pushes for improvement on products. 92% of patients on ARVs in low-middle income countries use generic drugs. These are mostly produced and distributed by India. 67% of medical exports from India are to developing countries. 50% of UNICEF medicines are from Indian generic manufacturers. In 2000, Brazil started local production of ARVs which decreased prices by 72%. In Feburary 2001, CIPLA (Indian generic drug company) made MSF an offer with ARVs at approx 300 USD per person. That's roughly 1 USD per day per person.

For more discussion on FTAs and Patent Rights watch out for my next post here on Amplify.

You can watch the video on this link: www.youtube.com/watch