Start them young

By Egay Uy

IN my capacity as the co-chairman of the City Price Coordinating Council, I was invited by the Department of Trade and Industry Misamis Oriental Provincial Office, through its officer-in-charge, Ms. Almer Masillones, to the provincial quiz bowl at the Centrio mall on Oct. 9.  I sat as one of the judges and delivered the closing remarks.

The quiz bowl was participated in by Grade 9 and 10 students from all over Misamis Oriental. I was informed by Ms. Masillones that the quiz bowl was held simultaneously in the other provinces of the region with the same set of questions which were culled from the Price Act, Fair Trade Law, Consumer Act, and other consumer-related laws and issuances implemented by the DTI.

The quiz bowl was one of the highlights of the celebration of the Consumer Welfare Month which is held every October. Among the other highlights was the opening salvo at the Mallberry Suites on Oct. 1 which featured presentations about the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on Goal No. 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Development.

Back to the quiz bowl. There was a total of 20 questions. Ten easy questions that were answerable by Yes or No had one point each correct answer, followed by five multiple choice questions with two points each correct answer, then by another five which required the contestants to write down the answers in correct spelling for them to earn three points for every correct answer.

Of the total possible points of 35, the first place winner from Mogchs got 27 points, the second placer from COC-Phinma got 26, and the third placer from Gusa National Science High School got 24 points. Of course, the winners and their coaches received cash prizes and certificates of recognition.

This was the second time that I sat as a judge in a quiz bowl. In my closing statement, after congratulating the participants and their coaches, not just the winners, I challenged the participants to seriously learn to abide by rules because of possible roles they will be playing in their respective communities when they grow up.

I cited as an example the traffic mess in each of their communities which is basically a problem of lack of discipline and indifference to rules and regulations on the part of most road users – motorists, commuters, and pedestrians.

It may be far from their minds at this time but some of those in attendance could become the chief executives or other officials in their respective localities hence they should start young.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)