Team Philippines wins gold, places 6th overall at first Asia-Pacific AI Olympiad

 Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The eight-member Philippine national team won one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the first Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (APOAI 2026), securing a historic tie for 6th place versus over a hundred of the best secondary school students from across 18 countries.

Locally hosted at the Ateneo Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) of the John Gokongwei School of Management, Ateneo de Manila University, the grueling six-hour examination tested the kids’ skills in machine learning, mathematical modeling, and algorithmic problem-solving.

image.pngEight Filipino secondary school students scored a historic win for the country at the first Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (APOAI 2026), holding their own against over a hundred rivals from across 18 countries. PHOTO CREDIT: IOAI PH

On Saturday, 27 June 2026, from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the Filipino students worked under strict international testing conditions, with no breaks and with independent onsite invigilators present throughout the competition. The final verified standings were released by the APOAI International Scientific Committee after a full score audit.

To ensure fairness across all participating countries and regions, all official contest sites were monitored simultaneously through live Zoom streams coordinated by the IOAI China Organizing Committee. Contestants also used the same high-performance AI GPU cloud environment, giving all students access to equal computing resources regardless of location.

All IOAI official contest sites were monitored simultaneously through live Zoom streams to ensure fairness across all participating countries and regions. The official Philippine site was at the Ateneo Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) of the John Gokongwei School of Management, Ateneo de Manila University. PHOTO CREDIT: IOAI PH Facebook Page

Leading Team Philippines was Noe Nathan Y. Arreza of Philippine Science High School–CALABARZON Campus, who ranked 8th overall and won the country’s gold medal. Troy Dylan T. Serapio of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus ranked 23rd and won silver. Daphne Eunice U. Acena of De La Salle University Dasmariñas High School ranked 42nd, while Jhareign S. Solidum of the University of Mindanao Ilang High School ranked 52nd. Both received bronze medals.

Ryan James L. Alfaro of Philippine Science High School–CALABARZON Campus ranked 88th, while Sean Marcus N. Castillo of Philippine Science High School–Central Luzon Campus ranked 95th. Both received Honourable Mentions. Completing the Philippine delegation were Ellison Matthew S. Ang of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus, who ranked 101st, and Aretha Cai Faustine M. Sy of St. Scholastica’s Academy of Marikina, who ranked 114th.

The Philippine team was selected through a rigorous, merit-based national screening process organized by the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence Philippines (IOAI PH). Participation in IOAI PH is free for students, in keeping with the program’s goal of making national representation dependent on talent, preparation, and performance rather than financial capacity.

“This historic performance establishes a powerful baseline for the country,” said IOAI PH Executive Director Martin Gomez. “This result belongs to far more than the students who sat the exam. It is a testament to the coaches who trained this team, the local staff who maintained competition integrity, and the families, schools, and communities who championed these students every step of the way.”

For the Philippines, the result marks a strong opening performance in the region’s first AI Olympiad. It also points to the growing depth of Filipino youth talent in artificial intelligence, a field that is increasingly shaping science, industry, education, and daily life. With the right support, these students show that Filipino talent can stand with the best in the region.

The Philippine participation in APOAI 2026 was supported locally by Joy-Nostalg, Times Paint Corporation, and the Tiu Family, with testing operations hosted by Ateneo BUILD. Globally, the Olympiad was supported by Taobao of Alibaba Group, Jane Street, and DP Technology.

For media inquiries, please contact the IOAI Philippine National Secretariat at press@ioaiph.org or info@ioaiph.org. Updates are also available at facebook.com/ioaiph.

The Invisible Killer: Why the World’s Most Urgent Crisis is Still Shrouded in Fog

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Every year, 6.7 million lives are cut short by a silent, omnipresent threat. It is the largest environmental health risk on our planet, a pervasive poison that doesn’t just infiltrate our lungs—it chokes the global economy, siphoning off $8.1 trillion annually. If the economic cost of air pollution were a nation, it would stand as the third-largest economy on Earth.

Yet, despite this staggering toll, we are attempting to fight a war in the dark.

In 2024, a staggering 36% of the world’s countries lacked the basic tools to monitor the air their citizens breathe. Nearly one billion people live in 71 nations where there is no evidence of government air quality monitoring at all. In vast swathes of Central Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, 300 million people live in regions plagued by high pollution, yet not a single reference-grade station shares open data to tell them what they are inhaling.

We are facing a lethal paradox: we have the technology to measure the problem, but we lack the will to reveal it.

The Data Paradox: A Choice Between Truth and Silence

Over the last decade, the democratization of low-cost sensors has made it possible to track air quality with unprecedented granularity. We possess the hardware to map every street corner, every industrial plume, and every urban hot spot.

So, why are the data sheets empty?

Often, the barriers are not technical; they are political and commercial. Governments, fearing that transparency might deter investment or damage tourism, frequently keep data behind closed doors. Corporations, meanwhile, often lock data within proprietary platforms, forcing communities to pay to see what they are breathing.

But the tide is turning. Experience has proven that when data is liberated, change follows. In Gambia, open monitoring networks empowered local advocates to catalyze landmark legislation for air quality standards. In Uganda and Kenya, hyperlocal data is no longer just being “collected”—it is being woven into the very fabric of governance, allowing cities like Nairobi to operationalize regulation that measurably clears the air.

The Five Pillars of Progress

To move from silence to solutions, the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Clean Air has established a manifesto for change. These five guiding principles serve as a roadmap for any stakeholder ready to prioritize human life over institutional opacity:

Mandate Transparency by Design: Open data should not be a post-project consideration. From the initial procurement of sensors, governments and funders must require that data be public, machine-readable, and accessible.

Assert Data Sovereignty: If the people generating the data do not own it, their ability to drive change is strangled. We must support systems that grant ownership to the user, not the sensor manufacturer.

Bridge the Gap Between Quality and Openness: Trust is the currency of policy. Reliable, high-quality data must be shared openly; otherwise, we risk either skepticism or misinformation.

Speak a Universal Language: We need standard protocols and harmonized formats. When data from different sources can "talk" to each other, it enables regional cooperation, cross-border accountability, and powerful scientific synthesis.

Data is a Means, Not an End: We must never forget that a spreadsheet is not the goal. The goal is cleaner air. Every byte of data must be a catalyst for action, policy reform, and measurable, tangible health improvements.

The Moment for Accountability

The infrastructure for a cleaner future is already in our hands. The sensors are built, the local leaders are ready, and the evidence base is undeniable. What remains is a choice: will we continue to treat air quality data as a proprietary secret, or will we accept it as a fundamental public good?

The choices made by funders, governments, and private companies today will determine whether the "data revolution" reaches the populations who need it most. We know the cost of the status quo—6.7 million lives and $8.1 trillion in lost potential.

The time for waiting has passed. It is time to clear the air, beginning with the truth.

Asia’s Superstar Kathryn Bernardo Cements Legacy with Madame Tussauds Wax Figure Unveiling

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 





Asia’s Superstar and Filipina actress Kathryn Bernardo officially unveiled her Madame Tussauds wax figure, dubbed "Kath-Win," on July 9 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City, cementing her place among the world’s most celebrated personalities.




The unveiling followed earlier announcements that the figure would debut in Manila before moving to its permanent home at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

Model and events host Janeena Chan, hosted the event who introduced Wade Chang, General Manager of Gateway Hong Kong, Merlin Entertainments.

Chang shared that Kathryn’s induction had been in the works for more than a year, recognizing her remarkable influence as a global Filipino icon in the entertainment industry.

A Year in the Making

An emotional Kathryn Bernardo reflected on the meticulous year-long process behind the creation of her wax figure.

The Madame Tussauds Hong Kong team carefully took hundreds of measurements, including her facial geometry and physical features, to ensure every detail accurately captured her likeness.

A Milestone Shared with Fans and Family



Bernardo dedicated the recognition to her loyal fans, her family led by her mother, Min Bernardo, and ABS-CBN executives who attended the unveiling, including President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, Chief Operating Officer Cory Vidanes, Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi, and acclaimed filmmaker Olivia Lamasan.

"This is for you guys! For the fans, it's a win for all of us. I'm also glad they didn't change anything—it's exactly like Kath," Bernardo said.

Reflecting on the milestone, she added, "Every milestone has a story. I want people and my fans to know that they're all part of this. They believed in me, and I'm grateful that I get to do what I love, which is acting. Thank you for that." 

Hong Kong Holds a Special Place


Bernardo also reminisced about her cherished memories in Hong Kong, where she filmed the 2019 blockbuster Hello, Love, Goodbye.



"Joy will be there in Hong Kong very, very soon. Hong Kong will always have a special place in my heart," she said, referring to her iconic character in the film.

Joining an Elite Group of Filipinos

With the unveiling, Bernardo joins an elite cast of Filipinos immortalized by Madame Tussauds, including Manny Pacquiao, Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, Lea Salonga, and Anne Curtis.

Her wax figure will soon be displayed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, becoming another symbol of Filipino excellence on the global stage.





Written by: Renz Delim

Images from: Christian Gerona

Image credit: ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)