The National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) will hold tomorrow the national finals of this year’s Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Manila. Sixteen (16) regional champions from all over the country, including the National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Caraga will be competing in three rounds of questions and answers on statistical theories and problems. Winners of the competition will be receiving, among others, modest amount of cash, trophies, certificates of recognition and several gift items from the various sponsors and donors of the undertaking.
Congressman Leandro Verceles, Jr. of the lone district of Catanduanes and Dr. Isidoro David, noted statistician and formerly with the Asian Development Bank have been invited as guest speakers in this afternoon’s program. BSP Monetary Board Member, Dr. Vicente B. Valdepeñas will deliver the welcome remarks. Also expected to grace the occasion are heads and employees of statistical agencies, math teachers from the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, representatives of sponsoring agencies as well as relatives and peers of the national finalists.
The board of judges for the 2000 PSQ national competition is headed by Dr. Tito Mijares of the National Academy of Science and Technology, with Dr. Amelia Biglete of the Commission on Higher Education and Dr. Mercedes Concepcion, Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, as members.
The PSQ is now on its 9th year since it started in 1992. It aims to instill the value of statistics among students and to elicit awareness on its importance in national development planning and thereby generate support and public cooperation in government statistical activities. The annual competition is a brainchild of NSO Administrator Tomas Africa who is also the Chair of the 2000 PSQ National Steering Committee.
Prior to the national finals, regional eliminations were held all over the country, spearheaded by the PSQ regional steering committees, with the support of local officials, government agencies and private institutions. College freshmen students representing various colleges and universities, both public and private, participated in the contest. Those who emerged as regional champions will be the official representatives to tomorrow’s national competition. The regional winners and their respective coaches have been provided by the PSQ organizers with modest accommodation, two-way transportation expenses and per diem for the duration of the national finals. Cash pot prize of P90,000, among others, awaits the national champion and the four (4) runners-up including their respective coaches courtesy of Pilipinas Teleserv, Inc., the firm behind the telephone-based service NSO Helpline Plus!
The PSQ is an undertaking endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education. The first PSQ champion, Ms. Jocelyn Que, is now a successful career woman in a well-known private firm. Last year, the national champion was Daryl Abiog, a Baguio stude representing CAR in the finals.