by Dianne Carmie Basilio and Jean Andrea Galang
The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) bested 13 universities and colleges during the 5th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC) of the UPLB Genetics Society held on November 8 at the Umali Auditorium of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna.
The UPD team was composed of Ardea Licuanan, Clinton Tang, and Tiffany Cheng Uy; all fourth year BS Biology students. Dr. Ian Kendrich Fontanilla, an assistant professor and UP scientist at UPD’s Institute of Biology was the winning team’s coach. Uy of the UPD team said that the time the team spent studying together helped the members bond and prepare for the competition.
Securing the second place (1st runner up) was the De La Salle University Manila (DLSU) and in third place was Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), last year’s champion.
Patricia Albert, committee head of NIGQC 2014, said that the UPLB Genetics Society is planning to hold the national genetics quiz contest yearly with the increasing number of participating schools and universities.