Students of Laguna College topped the First National Biotech Quiz for High Schools held recently at the auditorium of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM).
The team of Region 4-Calabarzon, comprised of John Rafael Alicando, Zarina Alimagno, and Princess Rozin Yambao, and their coach, Ms. Glenda Tabo, went home P30,000 richer.

They also won a trophy for their school in San Pablo City.

Bicol's Saint Joseph's School took second place. Comprised of Jan Garrick Hatol, Stephanie del Castillo and Sarah Jaye Oliva, the team was guided by their coach Leo Barrameda. They won P20,000 cash and a trophy.

Third was the team of the Philippine Women's University–JASMS represented by Patrick So, Jotham Rodriguez and Rafael Lanting and coached by Evelyn Mariñas. The team went home with P10,000 in cash and a trophy.

The Laguna College team hurdled a series of tests along with teams of 150 high schools in Calabarzon, Bicol, National Capital Region (NCR), Visayas, Northern Luzon, and Mindanao, all of which hurdled regional contests before the final competitions, which was participated in by 248 students.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) supported the national biotech quiz.

A project of the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP), the Philippine Society for Microbiology Inc.(PSMI), the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB) in UP Diliman and the UP Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Society, the contest was envisioned to stimulate the interest of high school students in biotechnology.

The project also aims to contribute to the promotion of awareness of this field of science among young students nationwide.

Regional champions were selected based on the results of a written examination followed by three rounds of oral competition.

The 12 finalists picked during the regional contests competed in the national championship competition.

The Grand Championship Contest held at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Auditorium on March 8, 2008 was hosted by veteran quiz host David Celdran. It was supported by Philippine Airlines, Unilever, Gruppo Medica, and Seagull Glasswork, Petron Corp. Philippines, which treated the regional finalists to a sumptuous dinner and a trip to the Mall of Asia.