#ProudViscan Jan Lawrence P. Refuerzo, a first-year Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics student, brought honor to Visayas State University as he secured second place among 11 competing universities in the Leyte Provincial leg of the 30th Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) held at Hotel Alejandro in Tacloban City, October 9.
The Philippine Statistics Quiz is an annual nationwide competition organized by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Philippine Statistical Association, Inc. (PSAI) that promotes statistical literacy among first-year college students, highlighting the role of statistics in research, planning and evidence-based decision making.
Said competition featured three rounds of multiple-choice questions, with the first and second rounds consisting of 10 questions worth one point each, while the third round had 10 questions worth two points each.
Refuerzo scored 9 out of 10 points in the first round, followed by 5 out of 10 in the second round. He bounced back in the final round, earning 10 out of 20 points to finish with a total of 24 out of 40 points.
Despite the pressure, Refuerzo remained determined to finish strong. Reflecting on the competition, he shared how the close scores among contestants heightened his nervousness during the second round, but he managed to recover in the final round.
“I felt nervous during the second round because the scores were close, but I managed to make a comeback in the final round,” Refuerzo said.
Eyes stronger regional finish
Refuerzo also shared how he felt that he was just one point away from tying with the champion, but remained grateful for placing among the top three and for the opportunity to participate in the competition.
"Nanhihinayang la ako kay usa nala ka point tie na unta kami han champion pero nevertheless nagenjoy man la gihap ako han competition and more importantly thankful ako na aapil la gihap ak top 3 tapos han opportunity. Will do better next time hopefully ha regionals” Refuerzo said
Following his achievement, Refuerzo expressed surprise and gratitude for earning a place among the top three, acknowledging the support of the Lord, his supporters, and her coach Donna C. Cuyno-Mylavarapu.
Refuerzo further shared his determination to prepare more rigorously for the upcoming regional leg of the said competition which will be on October 14, 2026 in Palo, Leyte.