In an exhilarating showcase of intellect and quick thinking, Assistant Professor Elfred John Abacan, a distinguished faculty member of the Division of Physical Sciences and Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Visayas, secured an impressive 2nd place finish at the 3rd Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Quiz Bee National Finals, which took place in Century Park Hotel, Malate, Manila on October 5, 2023.
Professor Abacan secured his role as the representative of Region VI in this prestigious competition by clinching the championship title during the Regional Finals held on September 20, 2023, at the RDC Hall of the National Economic and Development Authority Regional Office VI.
The National Finals was joined by 17 individuals coming from different government agencies nationwide. Each round consisted of ten multiple choice questions designed to test their knowledge about Philippine Statistical Systems, PSA products and services, statistical concepts, statistical laws and proclamation, surveys and censuses, civil registration, Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), Philippines Identification System (PhilSys), and latest data releases of the PSA.
The outcomes of the first two rounds determined the qualifiers for the final round of the competition. During the first round, Prof. Abacan bested 16 other contestants by achieving a perfect score. His unwavering determination and persistence remained evident in the second round allowing him to secure a spot in the final round.
In addition to Prof. Abacan, representatives from Region 2, Region 3, CARAGA, Region 4A, Region 9 and Region 7 successfully qualified for the final round.
Following the conclusion of the final round, the representative from Region 2 secured the championship title with an accumulated score of 44 points, holding a one-point advantage over Prof. Abacan. Meanwhile, the representative from CARAGA emerged as the third-place finisher. The top three winners were awarded cash prizes and trophies.
The 3rd PSA Quiz Bee is among the various events commemorating this year's National Statistics Month with the primary goal of raising awareness about the pivotal role of statistics in driving national development, centered around the theme "Accelerating Progress: Promoting Data and Statistics for a Healthy Philippines."
