By Rocky E. Bautista
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Charles Adrian Fruelda, a first-year civil engineering student from Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte, will represent the Ilocos Region in the 29th National Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) on December 10, 2025.
The Philippine Statistics Quiz, spearheaded by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the PSA Regional Statistical Services Office (RSSO) 1, assesses the statistical knowledge and skills freshmen acquired in high school.
Beyond testing knowledge, the competition promotes awareness of the importance of statistics in planning and decision-making for national development.
Fruelda emerged as champion among other competitors from various tertiary schools in the region during the regional eliminations held on Nov. 6 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) San Fernando City, La Union branch.
He attributed his victory to team support and effective coaching, noting that applying statistical concepts to real-life scenarios was a key factor in winning.
“The preparations for the nationals will be tough, but I always remind myself to appreciate how statistics applies to real-life situations,” he said.
Also from MMSU, Ezekiel Arellano finished first runner-up, while Alex Mc Ervine Pula from the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) placed second runner-up.
Other universities and colleges that joined the quiz were Saint Louis College, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, and Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon from La Union; Ilocos Sur Community College from Ilocos Sur; Northwestern University from Ilocos Norte; and Kingfisher School of Business and Finance from Pangasinan.
PSA-RSSO I director, lawyer Sheila De Guzman used the event to emphasize the vital role of statistics in nation-building.
“Let us be reminded that beyond this competition is statistics itself—a field we must appreciate and use for nation-building,” she said.
Now preparing for the national round, Fruelda carries the Ilocos Region’s hopes and the message of using statistics for development and progress. (CCMT/REB, PIA Region 1)
