The Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) is an annual competition designed for college freshmen enrolled in any private or public college or university in the Philippines. Launched in 1992, the contest is a joint undertaking of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the primary statistical arm of the government, and the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA), a nonstock, nonprofit organization of professional statisticians from government and non-government agencies and the academe.
The objectives of the PSQ are as follows:
- To assess the competency and skills of students in statistics as acquired from the secondary education curriculum;
- To promote, enhance, and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of science, statistics in particular, among the students, and;
- To generate public awareness on the important uses of statistics in all development-planning activities and win overall support for all government statistical activities.
The contest is open to Filipino first-time college freshmen currently enrolled in the second semester of the current school year in any recognized tertiary academic institution in the country. First-time college freshmen are those who have enrolled for not more than two semesters (or its equivalent term) in college.
Regional championships are held simultaneously nationwide during the month of November spearheaded by the PSQ Regional Steering Committee through the NSO Regional Offices. The PSQ National Finals is held in December in Metro Manila.
There will be 17 regional champions who will vie for the PSQ National Finals titles. At stake for the top five placers are cash awards, trophies, certificates of recognition, and several gift items from various sponsors and donors. In addition, regional champions and their respective coaches from outside Metro Manila are provided with roundtrip fares, modest accomodation, and allowances for the duration of the National Finals in Metro Manila.
The PSQ organizers advocate this undertaking with the backing from all its partners from both the government and the private sector, who consider statistics as an important part of our economy and society and even our day-to-day lives.