Philippine team wins awards at International Biology Olympiad 2019

This is based on a press release from the Philippine delegation to IBO 2019.

The Philippine team won awards at the 30th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held in Szeged, Hungary in July.

Four Philippine high school students  joined 281 other delegates from 73 countries for this year’s IBO, the premier global competition in biology.

The members of the team are the following: 

• Jeremy Ace F. Ng of Saint Jude Catholic School
• Elizabeth Rae S. Peralta  of Philippine Science High School-Ilocos region campus
• Samuel Drury T. Wood  of Regional Science High School III
• Matthew Keizo S. Yuda of Manila Science High School

Samuel Wood was awarded a bronze medal, while Jeremy Ng and Elizabeth Peralta earned Honorable Mention honors during the gala dinner and awarding ceremony on July 20.

At the closing ceremony on the same day, the IBO steering committee announced that based on votes cast by the student delegates, Team Philippines won the IBO 2019 Video Competition, whose theme was “I Bee Oh.” 

The team won a cash prize of 250 euros for their video entry, which Aga Olympia and Lia Paderon of the Ateneo Biological Organization – eXplore. eXperience. eXcel. (BOx) helped them create. 

The students were accompanied by team leaders Ronald Allan L. Cruz, country coordinator of the Philippines in the IBO; and Crisanto M. Lopez, chairperson of the Department of Biology of the Ateneo de Manila University.

It was only the second time that the Philippines was represented at the IBO which marked its 30th year this year. The team also won awards in its first participation in IBO 2018 in Tehran, Iran.

During IBO 2019, all student delegates took 4 practical exams and two theoretical exams. 

The 4 practicals were on: neurobiology and bioinformatics; biochemistry; animal and plant anatomy, systematics and ecology; and molecular biology and animal physiology. Each took 1.5 hours and involved hands-on exercises on the use of biology laboratory techniques, problem-solving, and data analysis. 

Each of the two theoreticals was a 3-hour written test that covered a broad range of biology topics.

On the sidelines of IBO 2019, Ronald Cruz, an assistant professor of Biology in Ateneo, presented his bio-education research involving the use of popular culture in teaching biology at the educational session for jury members. He also made a presentation to formally propose that the Philippines host the 36th IBO in 2025.

The 4 student delegates of Team Philippines were selected in the Philippine Biology Olympiad held from February 23 to 24 by BOx and the Department of Biology. They were trained by teachers from the Departments of Education and Biology of Ateneo de Manila University. 

The team’s participation in IBO 2019 was made possible by the financial support of co-presenter Unilab Foundation STEM+PH; partners Philippine Science High School-Ilocos region campus and Saint Jude Catholic School.

The major sponsors are Governor Liza Elorde of Rotary International District 3810 and Dr and Mrs. Roger Peralta; while the minor sponsors are Dr Jared Billena, Dr Maricar Reyes-Poon, the Office of the Vice President for the Loyola Schools of the Ateneo de Manila University, and the Office of the Dean, School of Science and Engineering of the Ateneo de Manila University.

The contributors are Rhodora Abunales, David Arosen, Katrina Bollozos, Steve Chaves, Miguel Martinez, LA Rellora, Dr Kharzeelelle Moendeg, Rotary Club of Hiyas ng Maynila, Manila Science High School Batch 2019 parents, Engineer Rudith Elena Campos Joson (GPTA Manila Science High School), Regional Science High School III, and Zambales 1st District of Zambales Representative Jeffrey Khonghun. – Rappler.com