The National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) invite freshman students currently enrolled in colleges and universities all over the country to join this year's battle for the nation's young statistics whizzes.

"We are announcing the conduct of the 2006 PSQ this early to allow more time for schools to scout for statistical talents and to ensure that their bets are prepared for the competition, " said NSO Administrator Carmelita Ericta.

The PSQ is an annual countrywide competition 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. It aims to: assess the competency and skills of students in statistics as acquired from the secondary education curriculum; promote, enhance, and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of science, statistics in particular, among the studentry; and, generate public awareness on the important uses of statistics in all development-planning activities and win overall support for all government statistical activities.

This is the 15th year that the competition will be conducted since it was first held on September 25, 1992. The 2006 PSQ regional championships, which are organized by the 15th PSQ Regional Steering Committee through the regional offices of the NSO, will be held simultaneously on November 14. The regional champions will then compete in the PSQ National Finals that will be held in Manila on December 5, 2006.

Round-trip transportation fares shall be given to the regional champions and their respective coaches from outside Metro Manila. All the 17 national finalists and their coaches shall be entitled to free overnight modest accommodation and meal allowances for the national championship. At stake for the national champion and the runners-up are cash, trophy, and other prizes. The coaches of all five national winners will also receive cash prizes and their respective schools will be awarded Certificates of Recognition.

Last year, sixteen-year-old Monzenn Carlo Y. Mallari of Ateneo de Manila University, representing the National Capital Region, outshined 16 other regional champions from across the nation in the 14th PSQ held on 06 December 2005 at the Assembly Hall of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in Malate, Manila. Other winners were Rommel R. Real of Region 11 (Southern Mindanao), first runner-up; Gay Lorainne C. Cordova of Region 7 (Central Visayas), second runner-up; Patrick Vincent G. Aquino of Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), third runner-up; and, Mark Alvin C. Bayag of Region 6 (Western Visayas), fourth runner-up.

Interested students and coaches should register with the PSQ Regional Steering Committee through the NSO Regional Office for the regional championships.

For more information about this year’s PSQ, please visit www.census.gov.ph or contact the PSQ Secretariat either by phone at 715-6502 and 713-7074 or via e-mail at PSQ-Secretariat@mail.census.gov.ph.