‎Lang-Lit champ returns:‎ Vanguards' Madas turn last year’s defeat into another golden victory

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‎Maria Nicole Silva

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‎In their sandwich victory, the Vanguards or the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) reclaimed their crown as the Language and Literature champ during the Academic Night held at the University Gymnasium, October 12.

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‎Being the same quizzer who made a comeback after falling to CBAA in 2024, fourth-year Bachelor of Arts in Literary and Cultural Studies (BALCS) student Francis Madas expressed his mixed emotions over the win.

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‎“It’s really an indescribable journey filled with tension, filled with countless—like relentless push and pull of doubt and confidence, because that’s what I always struggle with when it comes to Quiz Bees,” he shared.

No preparations

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‎Madas also admitted that his solid preparations were dedicated to the Vanguards community for this year’s intramural academic night.

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‎“For the longest run that I’ve experienced it, it’s always been the unwavering support of the Vanguards together with the luck of the questions—what will come.”

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‎The quizzer also opened up about the challenges he faced leading up to the competition.

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‎“These past few days, past few weeks, it’s been hard for me because I have many problems, and a lot has happened with all the disasters and earthquakes. So I told myself, whatever the outcome of this endeavor, it will always be for the Vanguards. Even if I get flogged again, even if fear is there, I told myself that in every question that will land on your face—just go for it. Whether you know the answer or not, just do it. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, because I know what my abilities are as honed by the people behind our Acad Team,” he shared.

Championing LangLit

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‎For him, reclaiming the crown was never just about winning, but about embracing what it means to be a literature student.

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‎“I was aiming to reclaim it, but of course, I wanted to do it again because I know I’m not doing this for myself only. I’m doing this because I want to share this victory, this talent of mine, to the entire CSSH who supported, particularly the BALCS program, because the program honed me, and it nurtured my passion and interest in language and literature per se,” Madas noted.

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‎He recalled the lessons his professors taught him about pursuing one’s interests.

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‎“Each person has their own interest. You can’t deny it nor remove it. For example, if I like math and you force me into language and literature, everything will become a failure. So for me, the quizbee changed me personally, how I should learn more about literature and language, how I keep all that knowledge and use it for my personal passions, because I also write. I really love writing and reading. It means the entirety of me, this quiz.”

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‎“It’s not necessarily for the sake of the quiz itself, but for the people who believe in you. And the very person who believes in you, which is yourself. It means a lot to me, and it means the entirety of me as a literature student,” the champion explained.

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‎After reclaiming the title, Madas hopes to inspire the next generation of quizzers.

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‎“To the next Lang-Lit representative, remember that a quiz bee isn’t just a test of knowledge—it’s a test of heart and passion for what you love,” Madas emphasized.