Battle of the Brains (Philippine game show)
Battle of the Brains was a Philippine quiz show which aired on RPN 9 from 1992 to 1999 and at PTV 4 from 2000 to 2001. Considered one of the most culturally influential locally-produced shows of the 1990s, Battle of the Brains was open to all elementary, high school and college students nationwide. It was hosted for almost all episodes by David Celdran, with various alternates (including Chiqui Roa-Puno, Cathy Santillan, and Anthony Suntay) taking over in his absence. It was primarily sponsored by Uniwide Sales, Inc. - a major budget retailer  of that time- during the show's run on RPN 9 from 1992 to 1999. It was then sponsored by AMA Computer College during its brief run on PTV 4 from 2000 and 2001. Episode format. Mechanics for elimination rounds prior to Grand Finals, year 3 onwards: Difference in mechanics for elimination rounds prior to Grand Finals, years 1-2 (1993–94): Mechanics for the Grand Finals and the ASEAN Invitational Finals are modified as follows: In the 3-ring pattern board, the contestant chooses 1 of 3 concentric rings to accomplish, with the questions in each ring having a common  theme (such as all answers beginning with the same letter, or of people from a particular field). Rings with more questions are found at the outermost portion of the set, and are generally easier to answer per question, while rings with fewer questions are at the center of the set are usually harder per question. Each question adds points to the total, while completing a ring merits extra prizes from show sponsors. Venues. All rounds prior to the Grand Finals were recorded in Broadcast City, Quezon City. However, the Grand Finals were usually held at different auditoriums, including the following : Prizes. For all rounds prior to the Grand Finals, points earned were paid out in Philippine peso for all contestants. From Seasons 1 to 6, Grand Champions were awarded the following (in units of Philippine pesos, before 20% tax on prizes): † - In Seasons 7 and 8, most likely due to Uniwide Sales' financial troubles, the Grand Finals prize was paid ₱100,000 in cash and the balance in kind which included household appliances, encyclopedia sets and other books, and travel packages to destinations within the Philippines. The travel destination for the students may be different from that of the coaches . From Seasons 1 through 7, all Grand Finalists were awarded plaques prior to taping, with the eventual Grand Champion getting another trophy at the conclusion of the Grand Finals. In Season 8, certificates were given for each round win prior to the Grand Finals, and a Grand Champion trophy was given at the conclusion of the Grand Finals. Grand Champions and Finalists. Mind Master. 1996 10 Weeks - Kenneth Plamenco 1996 18 weeks? - Leonardo Gapol 1997-10-? - Richie Velasquez 1997 2 weeks Jose (Bong) Cruz Jr 1998 2 weeks - Ian Vicente Records and Notable Events. Most Grand Championships. School Individual Most  Grand Finals appearances. "Years in bold denote Grand Championship" School At different levels Individual Most points. In 1 episode Prior to that, the record for the most number of points (9,900) was held by college contestant Orion Perez Dumdum during Season 1 Weekly Finals in November 1992. That score was supposed to be higher, but a buzzer malfunction prevented him from answering two questions he knew the answers to. In 1 season Influence and legacy. Throughout its run, "Battle of the Brains" has become one of the most familiar and legendary quizbowl show in Philippine television, especially for students and  trivia enthusiasts. In fact, the name of the show has been synonymous to any quiz competition in the Philippines, regardless of content and degree of TV coverage. Theresa Reyes Alvarez holds the copyright of "Battle of the Brains" with registration no. M 97-353. Its level of fame during its time can be compared to those of the Kilometrico Quiz Date and Student Canteen's IQ7 in the 1960s-1970s, and the "Digital LG Quiz" in 1999-2004. It has also served as the model for various quiz competitions, televised or not, in the Philippines. David Celdran's name has become  strongly associated with the show. Winners at the show, especially in later stages and as Grand Champions, are known to have gotten celebrity attention within their school campuses. The comedy show "Tropang Trumpo" parodied the show in a segment called "Battle of the Brainless". In each episode, the competitors are said to come from schools whose names sound very similar to those of actual Philippine schools. Each question given by host is usually met by incorrect and humorous responses from competitors. The episode mostly ends in a tie for all schools. The host (usually portrayed by Ogie Alcasid) is also  known to wear shorts, which is revealed as he moves away from his rostrum. In David Celdran's recollection published March 2021 he expressed surprise at how people actually remember Battle of the Brains. He initially thought it will not survive the 1990s TV ratings competition since it was serious and scholastic, lacked showbiz gimmickry, was akin to a 90-minute IQ marathon, and had 30-second math problems which he joked as "television suicide". But what made the show entertaining, he recalled, were the geniuses onstage who became stars in their own right. He described the competition as a  level playing field where “anyone could beat anyone” and many lesser known schools can challenge the elite schools and win the championships, "and that made it exciting because it wasn’t one-sided. It’s not like Ateneo wins basketball every year".