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The College of Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Management of the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines held the first-ever Interschool Research Colloquium on September 21, 2010 at the Manila
Grand Opera Hotel. Organized by BSTM 4-1D and 1N students in connection to their MICE (Meetings,
Incentives, Convention, and Exhibitions) Class, the event dubbed as ͞Union of Wits͟ comprised of a
series of activities namely Photo Contest, Documentary Contest and Tourism Quiz Bee Challenge which
were all participated by different schools in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces.

The aim of this event as what Prof. Yolanda Montances, MICE Adviser, said in her opening
remarks is to ͞make a political statement that we, the faculty and students of the Tourism Program are
united with our stand for being not only beautiful people but also very much concerned with the flight
of our industry; relative to that, about what to possess culturally and environmentally, and changes and
developments could be achieved through research and the political will of everyone involved.͟

Being the main event, the research colloquium was attended by numerous participants and
delegates from UE Caloocan, UST, and TUA. Students from PUP also went to the convention but as
delegates only. Present in the said colloquium as a guest speaker was Mr. Albert T. Villadolid, General
Manager of Amadeus Marketing Philippines, Inc. His topic ͞Industry Insights: Relevance of Research in
the Tourism Industry͟, was definitely a must-hear, and so was ͞Emerging Trends and Future of Tourism
Research͟ imparted by Mr. Erwin Balane, Chief of Regional Development Planning Division of the
Department of Tourism. Tough judges/reactors did the justice of a research colloquium being a serious
and huge academic activity. The researchers were put in a hot seat while Apolonio Duque, Director of
the Center for Entrepreneurial Development PUP, Dr. Diosdado Cabiling and Prof. Nestor Dizon, both
industry practitioners, hurled them with hard-hitting questions and reactions during the open forum.
Tension welled over the venue while the forum took place, but UST researchers͛ effort paid off when
they received a whopping Php 15, 000 and plaque as the Best Research Study for their paper ͞Batok:
Kalinga͛s Last Cultural Frontier.͟ UST was hailed victorious as the Best Presenter award went to Ms.
Jackielou Millares who presented the study called ͞Impact of Tourist Influx in Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River National Park to its Local Community.͟

A photo exhibit was displayed near the entrance for everyone to feast their eyes on. Seen in the
exhibit were the winners of the Photo Contest which was held on September 15 at the Tourism and
Transportation Management Faculty, Jasmin Campus. With three categories namely Ecotourism Sites,
Animals and Flowers/Plants, the contest was joined by plenty of students from Far Eastern University
and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Judged by known personalities in the Photography
Industry ʹ Richard Kevin Coronacion, Founding Member and Executive Officer of UE Litratista, Kriz John
Rosales, Photo Contributor to Manila Bulletin, and Angela Javelosa, Daughter of Mr. Ariel Javelosa,
Owner of Ariel Javelosa Photography ʹ the winners, each receiving Php 3,000 were: Cyrus Castillo of PUP
with his entry entitled ͞Undisturbed, Untouched Virgin: Anawangin͟ in the Ecotourism Sites category;
Gerard Angelo Tria, a bonafide student of the Far Eastern University with his entry in the Animals
category called ͞Snake Eyes͟; and Irish Patricia, once again from PUP, in the Flowers/Plants category
with her caption ͞A Tasty Treat.͟

A travel documentary presentation of the winning entries of Docufest 2010 was supposed to be
shown at the main event but it was decided to not push it through. The screening happened on
September 18 at the Café Jasmin, Jasmin Campus. Entries were only from the colleges of PUP and were
screened by Prof. Nestor Dizon, an Industry Practitioner, and two of GMA Networks͛ personalities, Mr.
Stephen Padilla, Researcher in ͞Love Ni Mister, Love Ni Misis͟, and the well-known Mr. Steve Dailisan, a
Senior Correspondent in GMA News and Public Affairs. On third place, with a cash prize of Php 5,000
was ͞San Pablo and the Seven Lakes͟ from the College of Tourism & HRM, Php 7,000 was given to Shell
Green Scholars͛ for their documentary ͞The State of San Juan River͟ which was ranked second, and the
entry that got the first place was ͞Ilog Pasig͟ from the College of Communications. The first prize was
Php 10,000.

In the last activity before the research colloquium, that is the Tourism Quiz Bee Challenge, the
theme Union of Wits was seemingly lived up to. On September 20, Manila Room at Hasmin Campus was
occupied by contestants from UE Caloocan, UST, La Consolacion College of Manila, TUA, LPU, CEU,
University of Caloocan, Our Lady of Fatima University Antipolo, FEU, Colegio de San Juan de Letran,
FAITH Batangas, UP Dilliman and their very own PUP for the in-campus quiz bee. Each school had 3
participants for the contest. The organizers looked united and witty in their shirts that read ͞Having [
dreams? Make your wit dreams come true.͟ This statement added humor to the otherwise serious aura
brought about by the brain-teasing and tension-creating quiz bee questions. Problems and objections
regarding the questions were easily fixed by the judges Mr. Buddy Recio, Editor of Travel Update, Dr.
Zenaida Cruz from the College of Arts PUP, and Joanne Rivera of Rajah Travel & Tours. A chain of 

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 filled the room which awakened the contestants and the audience until the last
question was asked and the 3 winners were finally derived from the tallies. UP Dilliman got the third
place and received a prize of Php 5,000, CEU received Php 7,000 for ranking second, while FEU brought
home the bacon having titled as champion for the Turismo Tunggalian 2010 and getting the first prize
which is Php 10,000.

Winners of the quiz bee challenge were awarded there and then while the winners of the Photo
and Documentary Contests were announced and awarded during the research colloquium convention at
the Manila Grand Opera Hotel. It is in this big event that the students have shown and proven their witty
sides. ͞I hope this endeavor will go on and flourish, and that other schools will follow suit͟, Prof.
Montances ended.