The Philippines won two bronze medals in its maiden participation in the 2017 International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Mahidol University Thailand early this month. The bronze medals were won by Charles Jerome Bartolo and Arthur Reiner de Belen.
The other chemistry Olympians were Keren Duque and Israel Aguba. Their coach was Xandra Junio, while the head of delegation was Dr. Jose Andaya.
The four Olympians were chosen after rigorous eliminations via the regional eliminations and then the Philippine National Chemistry Olympiad. The top 4 became the official representatives of the Philippines to the IChO.
Prior to the IChO, the Olympians were trained in the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Main Campus, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. The Philippines was able to compete this year after two consecutive years as observer.
All the four students came from the PSHS system. Bartolo is from PSHS Central Luzon Campus, Duque is from PSHS Cagayan Valley, while de Belen and Aguba are from PSHS Main Campus, together with Junio.
The Philippines’s participation in the IChO was made possible by the Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas (KKP) and the Philippine Association of Chemistry Teachers (PACT), led by Dr. Nestor S. Valera, Dr. Eric Punzalan, Dr. Jose M. Andaya and Jen Sy.
The Philippine Federation of Chemistry Societies and its member-organizations—KKP, PACT and the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines—provided financial support.
The Olympians’ travel was generously sponsored by Philippine Airlines, through the facilitation of Dr. Lucio Tan’s Foundation for the Upgrading of Secondary Education.