International competitions prove to be constant witnesses to Filipino youth prowess.
This July, three Philippine teams took the world stage and netted a total of six bronze medals, two honorable mentions and a merit citation in the international biology, chemistry and physics Olympiads.
Likewise, six Filipino students took home two bronze medals and four honorable mentions at the 63rd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).
Winning three bronze medals and a merit citation were the delegates to the 33rd International Biology Olympiad (IBO), which was held in Yerevan, Armenia from July 10 to 18.
Chiara Bernadette Z. Tan-Gatue from Saint Jude Catholic School, Raven Glorianne H. Foronda from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Main and Yosef Alexander O. Segotier from PSHS-Western Visayas all won bronze medals, while Liam Audrey A. Alleda from PSHS-Calabarzon received a merit citation.
This was the biggest medal haul for the country since joining the IBO in 2018.
Adding to the tally were Aames Juriel B. Morales from the De La Salle University Senior High School and Ron Angelo A. Gelacio from PSHS-Main.
They won bronze medals in the 54th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Tianjin, China, from July 10 to 18.
Their teammates, Anne Maricar T. Maralit from PSHS-Main and Lemuel A. Acosta from PSHS-Central Luzon secured honorable mentions from the event.
Meanwhile, PSHS-Main’s Franco Mari Cabral and Harold Scott Chua brought home a bronze medal and an honorable mention from the 52nd International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), which was held online from July 10 to 17.
Gabriel Angelo Vila from PSHS-Calabarzon completed the national team to the IPhO, which was originally planned to be held in-person in Belarus. More than 65 percent of the participating countries opted in favor of the virtual mode.
At the IMO, which was held in Oslo, Norway, first-timer Mohammad Nur Casib of the PSHS-Central Mindanao and two-time IMO medalist Raphael Dylan Dalida of the PSHS-Main Campus led the Philippines by snatching two bronzes after scoring 24 and 23 points, respectively.
Sarji Elijah Bona of the De La Salle University Senior High School, who won a bronze medal last year, received an honorable mention this time along with Rickson Caleb Tan of MGC New Life Christian Academy, Filbert Ephraim Wu of Victory Christian International School and Enrico Rolando Martinez of the PSHS-Main Campus.
A total of 589 contestants from 104 countries participated in the 63rd IMO.
The Philippines ranked 55th out of all the participating countries. Since joining the IMO in 1988, the country has won a total of four gold medals, 16 silver medals, 37 bronze medals and 30 honorable mentions.
“It is indeed a beautiful sight to see our students wave the banner of Filipino excellence in the international scene,” said DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo.
“Our students are strong contenders in the academic arena and DOST-SEI will definitely continue to give full support to enable students to showcase their best in international Olympiads,” Biyo added.
DOST-SEI, the country’s S&T human resource development agency, supports student participation in key competitions in the fields of mathematics and sciences. S&T Media Services
Image credits: Go for Gold: Philippine IMO Team Facebook Page