The Energy Development Corporation's Negros Island Battle of the Brains (BOTB) kicked off yesterday with 21 pairs of contestants from different schools in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
The event was hosted yesterday by La Consolacion College- Bacolod.
Norreen Bautista, head of EDC Community Partnerships, External Relations, Watershed Management Group-Negros Island, said that BOTB is now in its third year.
Aside from Bacolod City, semi-final rounds are also set in Bago City on August 15 and Kabankalan City on August 17 for Negros Occidental while Negros Oriental has two semi-final rounds - in Basi City on August 23 and Dumaguete City-Valencia on August 24.
Bautista said over 70 schools have registered their pair of contestants who will join the area nearest to them for the semi-finals.
The respective schools were the ones who choose their contestants to represent their schools.
With the theme “Renewable Energy for a Better Future," the regional science quiz bee for junior and senior high schools aims to continue spreading awareness on the importance of renewable energy as one of the solutions to fighting climate change.
This year's BOTB will tackle renewable energy, the environment, biodiversity, climate change issues and policies and current events related to these topics. These same topics have, at one time or another, been featured in the Positive Energy Facebook Page.
All the questions and information have been verified by its panel of expert judges composed of Rodene Galicha, Climate a Reality PH's Country Manager; former Foundation of the Philippines an environment President and former Visayas State University President Paciencia Milan; and Engr. Rey Maleza from the Department of Energy.
Bautista said the finals are set on September 14.
Meanwhile, Riverside College Inc. Senior High School and Dr. Vicente Gustilo Memorial National High School bested 19 other schools to move on to the grand finals.
Bautista said that by far, this year saw the biggest number of participants with over 70 schools.
For more information on contest mechanics and a complete list of participants, please visit the website, https://www.facebook.com/PositiveEnergyNegros.*