A freshman from Bohol topped the 10th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) held on December 4 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Sixteen-year-old Nathanael Hinay, a Computer Engineering major at the Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology in Tagbilaran City, emerged as the national champion after he beat 15 other statistics whizzes. The national finalists who competed in the 10th PSQ were actually the regional champions in eliminations conducted on November 21 and 22 in all the regions of the country including the National Capital Region, Cordillerra Administrative Region, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Caraga.
Hinay's triumph set the second year's straight win for Central Visayas. Last year's champion was Rogel Arnel Lusares, a freshman at the University of San Carlos in Cebu. It was a neck-to-neck fight between Hinay and second-placer Katrina Rosit of Mindanao State University in General Santos City, Southern Mindanao who both scored 5 points during the championship round. Based on the contest rules, in case of ties in the championship round, the winner shall be determined by the cumulative scores for rounds 1 and 2. Hinay was only a point ahead of Rosit after the first two rounds. But this was enough margin for him to win the grand prize.
Placing third to fifth in ranking were Bienvenido Garate Jr. of Southern Tagalog, John Raymond Ang of Ilocos Region, and Jairon Mohammed Hasim of Western Mindanao, respectively. National winners and their coaches shared a cash pot of P90,000, among other prizes, compliments of Pilipinas Teleserv Inc.
The PSQ is designed to test the knowledge of statistics among college freshmen. The National Statistics Office (NSO) and the Philippine Statistical Association have been organizing the yearly contest since 1992 to promote public awareness and appreciation of statistics.
Congressman Rodolfo Bacani of the fourth district of Manila and chair of the House Committee on Science and Technology was the keynote speaker during the National Finals. In his speech, he commended the PSQ as one of the "new and innovative ways needed to leapfrog development in the country."
Bacani also said that the PSQ in the past decade "has played an important role in encouraging students all over the country to recognize science, particularly statistics, …in national development."
This year's contest was made possible through collaborative effort of partners from the government and the private sector. Supporters from government were the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Statistical Research and Training Center, Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics, National Statistical Coordination Board and Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.
Others sponsors and donors from the private sector were Unisys Philippines, Fujitsu Philippines, Reader's Digest, APO Production Unit. Inc., Metrobank Foundation, LBC Express. Inc., Census Employees Credit Cooperative Inc., UP Statistical Center Research Foundation Inc., Census Provident Fund, China Banking Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Globe Telecom, Microdata Systems, and Santaray Realty.
Dr. Tito Mijares, an Academician from National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) chaired the three-member board of judges for the PSQ National Finals. The two other judges were Dr. Mercedes Concepcion, a noted demographer and a professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, who is also an Academician from NAST and, former NSO Deputy Administrator Nelia Marquez. Christine Ong, television newscaster of National Broadcasting Network was, the Quizmaster.