A BS Accountancy student from Bataan Polytechnic State College emerged as the national champion in the 15th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) held on December 5 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Assembly Hall in Manila.
Sixteen-year-old Alvin Jay P. Perdio representing Region 3 (Central Luzon) clinched 19 out of 20 questions in the first two rounds of the Quiz. At the end of round three, Perdio was three-points ahead of second-placer Jade T. Ventura (Davao Region) of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao.
Occupying the third to fifth places were Carlo C. Minon (Northern Mindanao), Emmanuel Lance Christopher M. Plan VI (National Capital Region) and, Ranyah Dawn R. Dablo (Central Visayas), respectively. National winners and their coaches shared a cash pot of more than Php100,000 among other prizes.
The PSQ aims to assess the competency and skills of college freshmen in statistics as acquired from high school. The National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Philippine Statistical Association have been conducting the yearly undertaking since 1992 to promote public awareness and appreciation of statistics. The Commission on Higher Education began endorsing the annual competition in 1994.
Secretary-General Romulo A. Virola of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) chaired the three-member Board of Judges for the national finals. The two other judges were Director Romeo S. Recide of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) and Dr. Mercedes B. Concepcion, a noted demographer and an academician from the National Academy of Science and Technology.
Last November 14, regional championships were simultaneously held all over the country. First-time Filipino freshmen representing various colleges and universities, both public and private, participated in the contest. The champions in each of the seventeen regions of the country who have met the required cut-off cumulative score set forth in the contest mechanics were the official regional representatives to the PSQ National Finals.
The other regional champions who joined in the national finals were, Leah Grace B. Nasak (CAR), Jervy A. Baklayan (Ilocos Region), Neil Bryan U. Aglugub (Cagayan Valley), Raymon M. Manalo (CALABARZON), Rosemelyn L. Ricaflanca (MIMAROPA), Richard B. Barajas (Bicol Region), Jesreal L. Arcillas (Western Visayas), Ma. Leah M. Borines (Eastern Visayas), Alan Jay D. Nono (Zamboanga Peninsula), Yzer Paul L. Pasaporte (SOCCSKSARGEN), Queen Gesa T. Mordeno (Caraga), and Mohammad Muariff S. Balang (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). All PSQ national finalists were awarded plaque of recognition and medals. The colleges/universities where they are currently enrolled as well as the high schools where they graduated from were also given certificates of recognition.
This year's contest is a collaborative e ffort of sponsors and partners from the government and the private sector. Sponsors from the government are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Birth Registration Project of NSO and Plan Philippines; NSCB; Social Security System; Department of Labor and Employment and Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics; Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation; Statistical Research and Training Center; BAS; Department of Science and Technology; Development Bank of the Philippines; and, Bureau of Internal Revenue. Congressman Herminio G. Teves of the7th District, Negros Oriental and Manila City Mayor Lito L. Atienza also extended their support to the PSQ.
Major partners from the private sector are Unisys Philippines, APO Production Unit, Inc.; Pilipinas Teleserv, Inc.; Census Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Center for Community Transformation; China Banking Corporation; The Finest Fiber Textile Studio; Census Provident Fund, Inc.; UP-Statistical Research Foundation, Inc.; JRS Express Corp.; SAS Institute (Philippines) Inc.; Social Weather Stations; and, Jacala Industrial Sales Incorporated