Ending a decade drought, delegates from Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) bagged the overall second place in the Inter-School Psychology Quiz Competition during the annual convention of the 39th Psychological Association of the Philippines - Junior Affiliates (PAPJA) held on April 27, 2026 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex, Pasay City.
Representing MSU-IIT in the tilt are junior Psychology students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences: Osamah Flores Balaki, Cheval Descallar Biwang, Marjuvy Asily Duma, and Kurt Kareem Israel. The team is also coached by Asst. Prof. Jean S. Taypa from the Department of Psychology.
Nipped and tucked against ninety-nine premiere institutions across the country, the team breezed through the scoreboards, securing a podium finish following the University of Santo Tomas and ahead of the University of San Carlos.
In a virtual interview, Kurt Kareem Israel, shared how their stint was a confluence of pressure and motivation, noting that the last time the department joined in 2016, MSU-IIT clinched the championship title.
“Pressure, because it was obviously straining to live up to expectations from a decade ago—much more than it was the highest designation possible for the time. And more importantly, motivation, because if we were able to achieve an accolade of that magnitude, then surely—however, big or small—the possibility of doing it again is not so dim after all,” wrote Israel.
Israel set his sights on participating in PAPJA through his role as the current Training and Development Chairperson of the Psychology Society, organizing quiz bowl competitions among constituents modeled after PAPJA standards.
Despite having a seemingly clear and structured vision, he shared that preparation proved challenging amid the competing demands of their academic workloads as juniors, that resulted in much of their reviews being individually done.
Reframing the competition as a review of all the things discussed in courses they have undergone have also been instrumental to remedy their perceived lack of preparation.
He added that the win reflects the culmination of his college journey, not only as a student but also as an officer who led efforts to secure the Psychology Society’s participation in the national conference, and how collectively, such manifests as a shared achievement that speaks to the quality of education in the program, extending to the broader MSU-IIT student body across its many disciplines.
“We hope that this year’s success sets a precedent for the Psychology Society's future participation in similar contests, both to bring further honor to the university's name as well as to demonstrate the sheer level of competence that the scholars of the institution possess. In other words, may this journey in the present continue towards influencing the future,” he concluded.
Written by John Vincent Balustre
Photo by Ezer Neil Pasco
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