Philippines

Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI)

2nd Level, Science Heritage Building, Sibol St. DOST Compound, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City, Philippines

www.sei.dost.gov.ph/

Main Organizers: Department of Biology, School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University; Ateneo Biological Organization - eXplore. eXperience. eXcel. (BOx)

Rounds: Eliminations, Semifinal, Final. In PBO 2018 and 2019, all three rounds were held over the two-day PBO program in February. Starting in 2021 (in response to the COVID-19 pandemic), the eliminations are held remotely (online) in the participants' schools in December. The Top 55 participate in the semifinal round, which is a month-long program consisting of lectures, skills training workshops, and group dynamics in January. This will culminate in semifinal exams that will determine the Top 20, who will go to the finals to compete for the four slots for IBO representation.

Host of Final Round: Ateneo de Manila University

In the first two years of the PBO, 300-400 delegates from all over the Philippines have joined the first round of competition.

For all three rounds of competition, the delegates go through Theoretical and Practical examinations. The Theoretical tests in all rounds are patterned after the IBO's and are True or False tests. The elimination round Practical test is an online test, while the semifinal and final round Practical tests are performed in laboratories.

The semifinal and final round tests are held in the Ateneo de Manila University. Test questions are formulated by teachers from the Department of Biology and select biologists from external institutions.

In 2018 and 2019, only the four IBO delegates were given training over a two-week period. Starting in 2021, the 55 semifinalists undergo a month-long series of lectures and workshops. The four delegates selected at the end of the final round undergo an extensive additional two-week training held in the Ateneo de Manila University.

-Campbell Biology

-Publicly available previous IBO tests

-Special lectures, seminars, and workshops by biology teachers

-Mock tests patterned after the IBO tests

-Miscellaneous materials from the trainers, such as journal articles, Powerpoint slides, video lectures, etc.

Four delegates to the IBO: medals and certificates, cash prize

IBO medalists: merit scholarship in the Ateneo de Manila University

All students from junior (grades 7-10) and senior (grades 11-12) high school may join the PBO.

June to March

Official advisory from the Department of Education (DepEd) of the national government

Formal invitations to all Philippine high schools through email, fax, and social media

Both of these are handled by the Communication committee of the PBO.

• 2022: 346 students from 94 schools (0.9% of eligible schools)
• 2021: 221 students from 60 schools (0.6% of eligible schools)
• 2020: 361 students from 100 schools (1% of eligible schools)
• 2019: 368 students from 97 schools (1% of eligible schools)
• 2018: 266 students from 74 schools (0.7% of eligible schools)

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