by Jay V. Ranoco
Testing one’s skill and measure it against fellow students who share the same passion in chemistry is no easy coup. The PACSiklaban, an annual inter-collegiate Chemistry Quiz Show organized by the Philippine Association of Chemistry Students (PACS), is an avenue to showcase this challenge. This year’s PACSiklaban was held last February 17, 2013 at the Bulwagang Tandang Sora, College of Social Works and Community Development, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City. The competing teams are from Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), Adamson University (AdU), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Tarlac State University (TSU), University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), University of Santo Tomas Biochemistry (USTB) and University of Santo Tomas Chemistry (USTC) represent the best breed of chemistry students in the country.
Teams battled it out to answer questions based from Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. This year’s PACSiklaban contest judges includes Drs. Ronald Fabicon (Ateno), Mafel Ysrael (UST), Luis Rodriguez (DLSU) and Florenda Valera (UP). The Chairman of the Board was Dr. Ernesto Del Rosario who also judges the Physical Chemistry Category.
The six highest scoring teams in the Elimination Round proceed to the Final Round. Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of the Philippines (Diliman), University of the Philippines (Los Baños), University of the Philippines (Manila) and University of Santo Tomas Chemistry were the teams who qualified for the Final Round. After 10 questions in Easy Round and 15 equations each for the Average and Difficult Rounds, the team from University of the Philippines Diliman emerged victorious followed by the University of the Philippines (Los Baños) and University of the Philippines (Manila) finishing first and Second Runner-up. The third, fourth and fifth Runner-ups were taken by Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas Chemistry, respectively.
PACSiklaban 2013 was made possible through the efforts of PACS Executive Committee and General Assembly 2013-2014 together with the Ramos Sison Review Center and Shimadzu. PACSiklaban was also brought to you by Hapee, Piknik, Uniball, Lamoiyan Corporation, Wacoal and DZUP 1602.