AJHS debaters reach National Semi Finals at NAsHDC 2025

The team of Ateneo de Manila Junior High School (AJHS) debaters Benj Castro (10-Realino), Adi Serrano (10-Sitjar), & Felix Saludar (10-Pongracz) distinguished themselves as national novice semi-finalists, effectively earning a podium finish, at the recent 2025 National Asians High School Debating Championship (NAsHDC). The team was mentored by their dedicated coaches, Ms Claire Denise Ramirez and Ms Leah Joy Rivera. 

Competing in the novice division, the AJHS team advanced impressively through the preliminaries and held their ground in the semis, marking an outstanding achievement for first-time national-level contestants. Their performance underscores the school’s commitment to forming capable communicators, critical thinkers, and collaborative leaders—ideals central to Ateneo’s formation. 

Organized by the La Salle Debate Society, NAsHDC is one of the Philippines’ most competitive national debate tournaments. It follows the Asian Parliamentary format and attracts top secondary school teams from across the country. The tournament structure includes seven preliminary rounds per division, after which the highest-ranking teams advance to the elimination stages, culminating in the semi-finals and finals.

The 2025 edition was held online from September 24 to 27. Originally scheduled to take place onsite at De La Salle University in Manila, the tournament was moved to a virtual platform due to inclement weather that weekend.