ON NOVEMBER 28, the 9th National Wildlife Quiz (NWQ) took center stage in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
A total of 31 secondary schools from across the country battled it out in a national quiz bee that could not have been more timely, given the back-to-back natural disasters gripping the country.
After more than five hours of cerebral challenge, the Silvestre Solomon-mentored tandem of Erica Grace Tuante and Janella Vera from Himamaylan National High School (HNHS) emerged national champions.
HNHS topped 30 other schools, with Nabuslot National High School (NNHS) of Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro placing second.
STAGGERING DEVASTATION
The NWQ is no ordinary quiz bee. Its themes resonate deeply not only with contestants but also with members of the media who covered the event. The questions — from easy to difficult — focused on wildlife, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, and renewable energy, all closely linked to the climate disasters confronting the Philippines today.
It bears remembering that the 9th NWQ took place just 24 days after Typhoon “Tino” ravaged southern Negros Occidental, unleashing the horrific “brown tsunami” that killed many Negrenses and left scores still missing.
Meanwhile, Negros Oriental — particularly the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) — was reeling from a molasses spill caused by the Gokongweis’ Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Bais Distillery. Spanning from October 26 and lasting three weeks, the incident contaminated coastal waters, forcing Bais City and Manjuyod to suspend whale-watching and sandbar tours due to severe water pollution.
Such back-to-back environmental catastrophes cast an even more urgent light on the themes tackled in the NWQ.
FLOODS, MUD, POWER BLACKOUT
But the most heart-wrenching story in this year’s NWQ came from its champions—Tuante and Vera themselves.
Tuante, from Barangay Enclaro in Binalbagan, and Vera, from Barangay 2 Poblacion in Himamaylan, were both victims of Typhoon Tino and the “brown tsunami” that submerged and devastated communities in Negros Occidental’s 5th District on November 4.
Their review and preparation for the NWQ were disrupted by floods, thick mud, and prolonged power outages. Still, they refused to be cowed. They managed their time by helping their parents clean their mud-soaked homes while studying for the competition using only emergency lights and candles.
Their sacrifices — and their harrowing experience during Typhoon Tino — ultimately paid off. For the first time, they were crowned national champions, a feat that is not merely celebratory but a poignant reflection of resilience amid disaster.
TEACHING ‘EM YOUNG
Thanks are due to the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PhilBio) and the Lopez-led First Gen–Energy Development Corporation (First Gen-EDC) for mounting this year’s NWQ.
The competition carries a noble mission: to acquaint the younger generations — Millennials and Generation Z — with the realities now confronting Mother Earth.
PhilBio, which promotes biodiversity conservation, and First Gen-EDC, a leading advocate of decarbonization, both play crucial roles in mitigating the impacts of the climate crisis on Philippine society.
The NWQ is one simple yet effective way of assigning the “brightest kids” the task of studying and understanding the many variables driving climate change. Teaching them early about wildlife, biodiversity, climate change, renewable energy, and decarbonization through a quiz bee lays a strong foundation for the future warriors who will confront environmental degradation — whether through carbon emissions, illegal logging, or destructive quarrying.
‘SWORDLESS FIGHT’
Indeed, the NWQ is a “swordless fight” championed by PhilBio and First Gen-EDC in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Guiding Millennials and Gen Z to study wildlife, biodiversity, and climate systems is like planting a “meaningful seed” — one that could grow into a potent armament as they initiate projects and ideas to help mitigate climate chaos.
Giving them deeper appreciation of nature’s beauty and its crucial role in human survival makes the efforts of PhilBio, First Gen-EDC, and the DENR admirable from every angle.
‘ENVIRONMENT CANCERS’
Many well-tutored observers say that Baby Boomers and Generation X helped create the climate crisis we face today — while Millennials and Gen Z may likely serve as the “doctors” treating these “environmental cancers.”
True enough, the NWQ serves not only as a stepping stone but also as a comprehensive guide for young people studying nature and biodiversity and understanding their complex yet vital roles in saving humanity.
Nature itself is intricate, its systems not easily deciphered. These require vivid scrutiny.
Because, in the end, the “angst of nature” can indeed be deadly — manifesting in many forms.
And that is not a myth. It is reality—proven, repeated, and painfully felt./PN
