DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- Senior high school students of Southland College in Kabankalan City Inc. received P30,000 cash prize as this year's grand winner of Battle of the Brains (BOTB) environmental quiz bee.

Both Jandale Samillano, 18, and Paul Piralta, 17, of Southland College bested nine other school-finalists in Negros Island.

Jandale is considering spending his share apart from the cash prize for incidental expenses to take college scholarship examinations in Bacolod City aside from replacing his broken cellphone.

Organized by Energy Development Corporation (EDC), this annual inter-school quiz competition intends to continue spreading awareness on the importance of renewable energy as one of the solutions to fighting climate change.

This year's theme "Renewable Energy for a Brighter Future" focuses the importance of shifting to clean, renewable energy sources to decarbonize the Earth and make it livable way beyond, said Corporate Communication Officer Frances Ariola of EDC.

Other schools which emerged as winners were Balugo National High School and Guihulngan National High School, both from Negros Oriental as first and second runners ups, respectively.

Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High school and Technological Foundation Institute from Negros Occidental took the third and fourth spots, respectively.

Negros became the environmental quiz bee's ideal setting considering its efforts to be at the forefront of environmental preservation in the country to maintain its stature as a green island, organizers said.

The event was graced by Joel Jay Soriano, head of EDC's Integrated Planning with celebrity and sustainability advocate, Robi Domingo, as special guest. (jct/PIA NegrosOriental)