ISUFST declaimer owns the stage, first time

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By Herman M. Lagon

When Courage Speaks Louder Than Fear

The Quiet Zone of the New Library at the University of Antique was not loud when John Lloyd Baldago stepped forward. There were no flashing lights, no dramatic smoke, no soundtrack swelling behind him. Only the soft hum of air-conditioning, the shuffle of programs, the stillness before a voice is tested. It was Feb. 22 in Sibalom, Antique, and for the first time in his life, John Lloyd was not just speaking in English — he was declaiming in it. In a regional competition. Against names from schools known for literary prestige. And somehow, the first-time declaimer from ISUFST walked out with gold.

He still laughs a little when asked why he said yes in the first place. “I wanted to challenge the version of myself that was afraid,” he says. “I didn’t want fear to decide for me — I wanted courage to.” Declamation in English felt intimidating, he admits. It was unfamiliar territory. But growth, he believes, happens in unfamiliar spaces. So he chose discomfort over safety. It turned out to be the decision that would redefine his voice.

Coming from Serafin Madrid Sr. Memorial Elementary School and Banate National High School, he did not imagine himself one day hearing his name announced as an RCAF gold medalist. “Winning gold felt distant before,” he shares. He carried discipline, resilience, and faith from his roots — but not entitlement. Not expectation. When his name was called, he froze. “I couldn’t process it. Then it sank in. I didn’t just see a medal — I saw every sleepless night, every doubt conquered, every correction from my coach.” The gold, he insists, is surreal. And humbling.

That medal is also historic for ISUFST in this RASUC VI Regional Culture and the Arts Festival (RCAF) 2026. John Lloyd’s gold in English declamation is the second and most recent gold for the university in this year’s tilt, following the Feb. 21 victory of 23-year-old Bachelor in Secondary Education senior Arniel Clarite in the photo contest. The university’s first silver came on the same day as his, this Feb. 22, through 21-year-old BS in Hospitality Management student Amira Benguan in essay writing. Three names. Three different disciplines. Three reminders that excellence can wear many forms.

But John Lloyd is careful not to frame the story as a solitary climb. “Belonging is not about the name of your school,” he reflects. “It’s about the courage to show up.” In a festival where ISUFST fielded a 170-strong delegation across 32 categories under the theme “Pagsaulog: Pagpasindungog sa Aton Panublion, Kultura, kag mga Bahandi,” his win felt less like a personal triumph and more like part of a shared rhythm — many campuses, many voices, one heritage.

From Doubt to Becoming

His winning piece revolved around transformation — rising beyond labels, fear, and limitations. John Lloyd did not merely memorize the lines. “The message wasn’t just memorized — it was lived,” he says. As someone who has faced judgment and questioned his own worth, the theme of becoming “enough” resonated deeply.

The piece mirrors the spirit of RCAF’s theme. Pagsaulog is not nostalgia. It is living culture — honoring who we are even when who we are does not fit tidy expectations. The declamation’s arc felt aligned with the festival’s call to honor heritage not by keeping it behind glass, but by performing it, questioning it, and carrying it forward. In that Quiet Zone room, culture did not sit quietly. It breathed through a trembling but steady voice.

It also speaks to ISUFST’s guiding principles — integrity, excellence, service, and community. The character in the piece discovers that recognition is not crowns or applause, but being present for those who matter. That insight echoes the university’s mission to produce empowered graduates who serve communities. Education, as ISUFST President Dr. Nordy Siason Jr. often reminds delegates, is not only about what the mind knows but what the spirit keeps. In John Lloyd’s performance, spirit was unmistakably present.

Technically, the journey was far from easy. “Everything felt difficult at first,” he admits — voice projection, memorization, stage presence, emotional control. Under Coach Glysa Marie Regidor-Bunda’s guidance, repetition became ritual. She trained not only his voice, but also his discipline and mindset. “When I wanted to settle, she demanded more,” he says. That “more” became muscle memory. Breath by breath. Line by line.

There were moments when he questioned whether he belonged. Seeing competitors from institutions known for literary strength stirred insecurity. But preparation anchored him. Prayer steadied him. “When I stepped on that stage, I didn’t try to belong. I decided to own my space.” It is a sentence that sounds simple — until one realizes how many young people hesitate to claim space at all.

A Gold Shared, A Voice Carried Forward

John Lloyd chose ISUFST because he saw its heart. Transferring from Main Campus — Poblacion to Tiwi shaped him in unexpected ways. It taught adaptation, independence, and resilience. “I proudly carry both campuses with me,” he says. In a university recently recognized by CHED for excellence in community extension, peace education, and student services — and globally acknowledged in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for contributions to Quality Education (SDG 4) and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) — his story becomes a lived extension of institutional values. Education here is not only technical training; it is character formation.

Outside the competition hall, John Lloyd is reflective and quietly quirky. He practices speeches alone. Replays conversations in his head to improve answers. Fixes his bangs when nervous. Prays before big moments. He appreciates small words of encouragement. He overthinks — but intentionally. These habits, ordinary and human, build the extraordinary moments we later call “talent.”

For him, the arts shape young Filipinos not just into performers but into empathetic citizens. “Arts give us a voice,” he says. “They awaken social awareness.” In that sense, RCAF becomes more than a contest; it becomes a training ground for civic courage. His win challenges the idea that excellence belongs only to “big” literary schools. “Dedication can compete with prestige,” he insists. Effort over labels. Passion over pedigree.

As he prepares to represent Western Visayas in the national tilt this April at West Visayas State University, excitement and nerves travel together. He looks forward to witnessing diversity of talent. He acknowledges the intensity. But he chooses to transform nervousness into motivation. Representation, he says, is a responsibility carried with pride and humility.

If he could speak to his younger self in Banate, the message would be simple: Your voice will matter. The stage you fear will become your sanctuary. Even if it shakes, let it speak.

And so, in the Quiet Zone of a library in Antique, a first-time declaimer discovered that gold is not merely about ranking. It is about owning space. It is about choosing courage. It is about realizing that sometimes, the greatest recognition is not applause — but the quiet knowledge that you are, finally, enough. Padayon, ISUFST. (Text by Herman Lagon | Photos by PAMMCO Ambassadors | PAMMCO)