Information officer Edgar Maranan of the Philippine Embassy in London reported that Evangelista was declared this year’s winner after the finals conducted at the South Africa House on Trafalgar Square.
She triumphed over a field of exactly 60 speakers from all over the English-speaking world, including the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, reported Maranan.
Evangelista won one of two qualifying places in her heat during the morning preliminaries, held at the ESU International headquarters at Dartmouth House, then joined the finals group of eight speakers at the Kinema theater hall of South Africa House in the afternoon.
The board of judges’ decision was unanimous, according to contest chairman Brian Hanharan of the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC).
Maranan, who accompanied Ambassador Ed Espiritu and other embassy officials to the finals event, said that the judges and audience were mesmerized by Evangelista’s confident delivery and responses to the questions posed after her five-minute talk on this year’s theme, "A Borderless World."
Loline Reed, a Filipina based in London who first broached the idea of setting up an ESU Philippine chapter three years ago, said Evangelista would have to return in November to formally accept her prize at Buckingham Palace.
The ESU 2004 public speaking champion will receive her award from no less than His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and president of the ESU.
Evangelista was chosen as the country’s representative by the ESU-Philippines applicant chapter after she won the competition held in
March at the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), featuring the best debaters among college organizations.
As coordinated by former Ambassador to the Court of St. James Cesar Bautista, Evangelista’s participation in the annual contest was supported by Shell Philippines and the British Council.
The ESU-Philippines applicant chapter is currently headed by UP vice president and STAR columnist Butch Dalisay, vice this writer who first served as chairman when the steering committee was organized in 2001.
Evangelista, the niece of yet another STAR columnist, Boo Chanco who excerpted her draft talk in his column last month, is the third student contestant fielded in the past three years.
Local support was also provided by Nicole Curato of the UP Debating Society, Camille Ng of the AdMU Debating Team and who was last year’s Philippine contestant in London, and UP professor Dr. Gemino Abad, Dalisay and this writer, who all helped in Evangelista’s preparation for the tough international competition.
Reed privately hosted Evangelista for a week prior to the competition, while Maranan, himself a distinguished poet and writer, also provided valuable inputs for Evangelista’s winning speech.
Also present on the final day of the contest, and ultimately cheering Evangelista’s victory, were Consul General Mario de Leon, the embassy’s cultural officer Linda Guzman, Sister Amada Martinez from the chaplaincy, and Espiritu’s wife.
Evangelista is scheduled to arrive in Manila at noon today, as she is rushing to join the UP Debating Society that will leave for Bangkok, Thailand tomorrow to compete in the All-Asians Inter-varsity Debating Championships.