March 28, 2024
PSA QUIZ WINNERS — Two University of the Philippines Baguio students, namely Charles Dwight Pelaez and Joshua Abiezer Marayag, placed first and second, respectively, in the regional 26th Philippine Statistics Quiz on Nov. 14. Pelaez will represent the region in the national finals next month. Zhryel Shan Bangnan of the University of the Cordilleras placed third. — Contributed photo

A freshman from the University of the Philippines Baguio bested other participants in the regional championship for the 26th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ).
Charles Dwight Pelaez won over 19 contestants from different higher education institutions in the Cordillera.
For this feat, Pelaez earned the right to represent the Cordillera in the 2022 national tilt on Dec. 6.
Joshua Abiezer Marayag, also of UP Baguio, placed second while Zhyrel Shan Bangnan of the University of the Cordilleras placed third.
Aside from trophies, the top three winners also received cash prizes.
The  PSQ Regional Championship was held at the UP Baguio Hemnacio De Amianan on Nov. 14 with two delegates each from UP Baguio, UC, Saint Louis University, Kings College of the Philippines (La Trinidad, Benguet), Apayao State College, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, Benguet State University, Easter College (Baguio City), Divine Word College of Bangued (Abra), and Baguio Central University.
The PSQ is an annual competition spearheaded by the Philippine Statistics Authority for Filipino freshmen enrolled in any private or public college or university 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 students; and generate public awareness on the important uses of statistics in all development-planning activities and win overall support for all government statistical activities.
The Covid-19 pandemic hindered the staging of the PSQ in 2020 and 2021. In the 2019 PSQ, Sid Piolo Sta. Teresa, a UP Baguio freshman, bagged fifth place.
The Cordillera has won five national PSQ championships in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2010, and 2015. – Carlito Dar