UP MANILA BIOQUIZ 2024: A Test of Knowledge in the Biological Sciences

On November 4, 2024, student representatives from the STEM strand of Grade 12 participated in the launching of the BioWeek 2024 at the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM). The event aims to promote the theme: Reimagining Life: Harnessing Synthetic Biology for a Sustainable Future.

The student representatives had participated in the BIOQUIZ: Sprouts in Action, a quiz bee organized by the UP Biological Sciences Society as an inter-school competition on the biological sciences. Two teams participated in the BIOQUIZ, with Team 1 including: Andres Ellazar, Monica Parong, and Nikki Llanes. Team 2 on the other hand, included: Ian Pelimiano, Kimberly Concepcion, and Zephaniah Ortalla. Both teams had shown their academic prowess on biology in the preliminary round. The preliminary round had a total of 50 items divided into three sets of tests about different topics in the branches of biology. 

After the preliminary round, both teams were able to attend an educational and inspiring seminar held by Dr. Rosario R. Rubite from UPM’s Department of Biology. 

Lastly, to end the launching day of BioWeek, the representatives witnessed the final round of the BIOQUIZ and the awarding ceremony where they were recognized for their participation in the event. 

“Joining this quiz bee was “culture shocking” to me! It was my first time joining a quiz bee and competing with different schools. I love biology so when I learned about the BIOQUIZ in UP Manila, I immediately hopped on. All in all, it was an enriching experience! - Monica Parong, Grade 12 Student Representative from Team 1

“I had a remarkable experience in the Bioquiz Sprouts in Action 2024. The learnings we gained and the people we met during the competition were a win on their own and it made this experience more memorable.” - Kimberly Concepcion, Grade 12 Student Representative from Team 2

The launching of the UPM BioWeek 2024 was in partnership with the UP Biological Sciences Society and organized by the UPM Department of Biology. The BIOQUIZ: Sprouts in Action, among many other activities in the program promotes the sustainable use of the biological sciences in generating positive changes in society from the present to the future. The student representatives who participated in this event have surely been granted a remarkable experience, now equipped with more skills to utilize their knowledge in the biological sciences to do good.