Pautakan: The Last Mind Standing

UP Aguman and UP Aguman Alumni Association
In celebration of its 35th Anniversary
present

Poinsettia Hall, WOW Hilaga (formerly Paskuhan Village)
8am, December 20, 2008
The Prizes for the brightest students of Pampanga:
CHAMPION: UP Aguman medal + P5,000
2nd Place: UP Aguman medal + P3,000
3rd Place: UP Aguman medal + P1,500
4th Place: UP Aguman medal + P500
4 Quarterfinalists: P300
Plus Certificates of Recognition and Participation to all Contestants

"Pautakan: The Last Mind Standing" is this year's special edition of the annual UP Aguman project, the Pautakan. For its 35th year, the UP Aguman Alumni Association partnered with the residents for this special anniversary project. The Pautakan has always been about celebrating the Kapampangan youth's academic excellence and thirst for knowledge. This edition won't be any different. While the original Pautakan is all about team effort, this time we're only looking for that extraordinary individual. Contestants will battle against each other and when the dust has settled, only one person with "the brightest mind" will be left standing.

QUALIFICATIONS:
*Any bona fide student of any year level from any high school (public or private) in Pampanga can join.
*There will be NO REGISTRATION FEE.
*Contestants must present a valid high school ID as proof of eligibility.
*An official coach and/or recommendation from one's high school is NOT necessary.
*There is no requirement for attire.
*Participants and winners from the regular Pautakan held last October 25-27 at Don Bosco Academy Pampanga are are still eligible for the special edition of the Pautakan. After all, this individual competition is a whole new ballgame!
*Interested students are encouraged to pre-register to the following contact numbers:
FERGIE 09276565665
FERDINAND 09274321682
Email: up_aguman_tfk@yahoo.com
Regularly visit Aslag Online for any announcements.

CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS
*Participants must be bona fide high school students, and he shall represent himself only.
*A participant is required to be at the contest site fifteen (15) minutes before the contest proper. Should he be late for an Encounter or an Elimination Round, a leeway of fifteen (15) minutes will be given. If he still fails to arrive after the 15 minutes, he is automatically disqualified for that Encounter or Elimination Round. In an Encounter, the other participant will be declared the winner.
*The contest shall be composed of a Written Phase and an Oral Phase, the mechanics of which are as follows. The Written Phase will make use of answer sheets. No calculators, slide rules, and the like shall be allowed. The contestants are expected to bring their own pens and/or pencils. The Oral Phase utilizes a timer-buzzer device. The contestants shall be briefed on the mechanics of this before the contest proper starts.
*Questions will revolve around 8 subject categories: Mathematics, General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History and Current Events, Arts and Literature, and General Information and Trivia. Each question shall have its corresponding number of points and allotted time depending upon its degree of difficulty. *Complaints on a particular question shall be entertained by the Board of Judges only before the next question is asked. The complaint shall not be entertained thereafter. Only the participant may approach the Board of Judges to air the complaint.
*The complainants shall be the one to present their sources, if necessary. The UP Aguman will neither present nor divulge its sources as its questions and answers are valid. The decision of the Board of Judges is final and binding.
*Any form of coaching from the audience shall be penalized by nullifying the question.
*All rules and regulations shall be strictly followed and implemented.
*UP Aguman reserves the right to modify or alter the aforementioned rules as the need arises.

MECHANICS
Round 1: MASS ELIMINATIONS
In case more than 40 contestants register, a mass elimination round will ensue otherwise, the written eliminations will proceed. All contestants will answer a 65-item test that will equally cover all subject categories. The exam ill be a combination of problem solving, identification and multiple choice questions. The Top 25 scorers will proceed to Round 2 Eliminations. There will be no need for the tiebreakers as all contestants involved in any tie will qualify.

Round 2: WRITTEN ELIMINATIONS
All qualified contestants will compete in a 35-question Elimination Round. Round 1 scores will be discarded and al socres will be reset to zero. Questions will be divided into Easy, Average, and Difficult, with corresponding points of 10, 15, and 20, respectively. The quizmaster shall read each question twice and each contestant shall write their answer on the sheet provided for, within the allotted time, after which checking immediately follows. The Top 8 contestants will proceed to the Championship Encounters. In case of ties in the ranking, three (3) clincher questions will be asked to break the tie. If a tie still ensues, the knockout system will be applied.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP ENCOUNTERS
From this point onwards the Top 8 contestants will compete in one-on-one Encounters in a Single Elimination format. The Round 2 Elimination rankings will determine the pairings.
*Ten (10) questions will be asked in each Encounter. The length of the corresponding time limit for each question will depend on the question’s difficulty. A participant will be given only one (1) chance to answer. The first to buzz-in will be given five (5) seconds to declare their answer. During the 5-second allowance, the time limit countdown will be temporarily paused. If the first fails to answer correctly, countdown will resume and the other participant will be given the remaining duration of the time limit to buzz in and similarly, five (5) seconds to answer. No more steals will be allowed thereafter.
*A participant shall wait for his name to be acknowledged by the quizmasters after buzzing-in, before he gives an answer. If he fails to do so for the first time, it incurs its first warning. On the succeeding instances, however, he shall be disqualified from answering the question.
*The participant with the most number of points after ten (10) questions wins the Encounter and will move on to the next round. If a tie ensues, the knockout system will be employed. Knockout Questions will be asked and the first to answer correctly wins the encounter.
*The Final Encounter will have 16 questions instead of the usual 10 questions, and the one who will win the Finals will be declared the Last Mind Standing.