5-year old Sinag wins contest for speech on migrant workers

5-year old Sinag wins contest for speech on migrant workers

Sinag Esguerra Edades

TORONTO–Filipino-Canadian Sinag Esguerra Edades, a 5-year old Senior Kinder Student, won First Prize in the 2018 Annual Speech Contest of Baycrest Public School held on January 26, 2018.

His winning speech, which he wrote on his own, to the amazement of his teacher, Mrs. Stewart, was very well applauded by parents, faculty and students of the school.

The speech, which the precocious boy had eloquently delivered, stated:

“Good morning teachers, Mrs. Stewart, families and friends. My name is Sinag and I want to talk about struggling families and migrant workers. They make freedom in the world. Migrant means somebody who moves from one place to another. Struggling means having a hard time. So, we stand for freedom. My name is Sinag and thank you for listening to my speech about struggling families and migrant workers.”

For emphasis, Sinag briskly raised his left hand with a clenched fist, with the second mention of the word “freedom,” that the audience started to applaud and cheer even before he could complete his last sentence.

Sinag won the First Prize Trophy in the Kindergarten category. The contest involved the participation of other students in other categories: Grades 1 and 2 Category; and Grades 3, 4, 5 Category.

When The Philippine Reporter asked Sinag’s mother, Mithi Esguerra Edades why Sinag chose such a serious topic, she said that she also asked Sinag the same question, for she and her husband did not also expect it until the teacher told them. Sinag replied that struggling families and migrant workers were always the topics he heard from her and Tatay (father) Bayani during their conversations at home and in meetings with friends.

Ms. Esguerra shared with TPR the piece of paper where Sinag had originally written his speech in school.

— M.A.G.

Sinag’s hand-written speech.