Philippine Science High School System

The Philippine Science High School System is a research-oriented and specialized public high school system in the Philippines that operates as an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. PSHS is considered as the top science high school in the Philippines and is viewed to be among the best in the ASEAN region by 2016.[2]

Philippine Science High School
Mataas na Paaralan ng Pilipinas sa Agham
Information
TypePublic specialized high school
Established1964
Executive DirectorLilia T. Habacon[1]
Grades7 to 12
Number of students8,358 (School Year 2018-2019)
Campus
Color(s)Blue and White
AccreditationISO:2015 Accredited
AffiliationDepartment of Science and Technology
Websitewww.pshs.edu.ph

The PSHS System offers scholarships to Filipino students who are gifted in the sciences and mathematics. Admission to the PSHS is by competitive examination, and only Filipino citizens are eligible to attend. Graduates of the PSHS are bound by law to major in the pure and applied sciences, mathematics, or engineering on entering college. The system is known to have a very challenging curriculum which produces the best professionals in the country.

PSHS is known for its active participation in national and international science, technology, and mathematics competitions such as Sipnayan, Kapnayan, MATHirang MATHibay, Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge, Philippine Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Olympiads, Australian Mathematics Competition and Australian Chemistry Quiz. Through private funding, students successfully reap awards in international competitions such as the Taiwan International Science and Engineering Fair, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, International Math Olympiad, International Junior Science Olympiad, International Earth Science Olympiad, International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, and International Physics Olympiad.

A movie was released in 2007 in honor of Philippine Science High School. Pisay got national[3] and international recognition as it was sent to the Toronto International Film Festival. Pisay was directed by an alumnus of the school, Auraeus Solito, and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Campuses and system organization

Campuses

For 24 years, the PSHS was a single campus on Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City where the top 240 examinees in the National Competitive Examination held yearly were accepted as government scholars. All campuses have at most 30 students in each class. However, regional campuses only have three classes in contrast to the main campus which has eight classes per batch. Currently, each region in the Philippines except the BARMM has a campus.

PSHS Main Campus
Campus Location Date Founded Campus Director
Main Campus (NCR) Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City 1964 Dr. Lawrence V. Madriaga
Southern Mindanao Campus (XI) Davao City, Davao del Sur July 1988 Dr. Jonald Fenecios
Western Visayas Campus (VI) Jaro, Iloilo City July 1, 1992 Dr. Shena Faith M. Ganela
Eastern Visayas Campus (VIII) Palo, Leyte February 1, 1992 Mr. Erick John H. Marmol
Cagayan Valley Campus (II) Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya June 1998 Dr. Salvador Romo
Central Mindanao Campus (X) Nangka, Baloi, Lanao del Norte July 1998 Mr. Franklin L. Salisid
Bicol Region Campus (V) Goa, Camarines Sur July 1998 Engr. Lorvi B. Pagorogon
Ilocos Region Campus (I) San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur February 6, 2002 Dr. Ronnalee N. Orteza
Central Visayas Campus (VII) Talaytay, Argao, Cebu May 19, 2005[4] Dr. Rachel Luz V. Rica
Cordillera Administrative Region Campus (CAR) Baguio, Benguet June 22, 2009[5] Dr. Conrado C. Rotor Jr.
Central Luzon Campus (III) Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga June 28, 2009[5] Theresa Anne O. Diaz
SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus (XII) Paraiso, Koronadal, South Cotabato February 3, 2012 (Founded)
June 17, 2013 (Opened)[6]		 Dr. Chuchi P. Garganera
Caraga Region Campus (XIII) Ampayon, Butuan, Agusan del Norte 2013 Engr. Ramil A. Sanchez
CALABARZON Region Campus (IV-A) Sampaga, Batangas City 2015 Dr. Jose M. Andaya
MIMAROPA Region Campus (MIMAROPA) Odiongan, Romblon April 2016 Edward C. Albaracin
Zamboanga Peninsula Campus (IX) Cogon, Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte 2016 Mr. Louie C. Jamora

System organization

The Board of Trustees (BOT) is the highest policy making body of the PSHS System. The Executive Committee (ExeCom), composed of the directors of different PSHS campuses, is a collegial body that recommends policies and guidelines for the consideration of the BOT. The Executive Committee is chaired by the Executive Director, who coordinates the implementation of these policies and guidelines.[7] PSHS campuses are headed by directors who are members of the ExeCom.

History

Establishment and early years

The Philippine Science High School was established through Republic Act 3661, authored by Congressman Virgilio Afable, and signed into law in 1963 by President Diosdado Macapagal. This charter mandates the PSHS “to offer on a free scholarship basis a secondary course with emphasis on subjects pertaining to service with the end in view of preparing its students for a science career”. The school started operations in 1964.[8]

National scientist Dr. Gregorio Velasquez led the PSHS through its first three years. The campus started in a small rented GSIS-owned property along the Quezon Memorial Circle. In 1970 PSHS started building on a 75,000 square metre lot along Agham Road in Diliman, Quezon City.

Expansion and establishment of the PSHS System

By the end of the 1980s, PSHS started to spread across the nation. The first regional campuses were built, starting with the Mindanao Campus (now Southern Mindanao Campus), in Davao City, in 1988.

The PSHS System Law (R.A. 8496) was signed by President Fidel V. Ramos in 1997 that established the PSHS System and unified all the existing campuses into a single system of governance and management. Thus, the PSHS continues fulfilling its mandate “to offer, on a free scholarship basis, a secondary course with special emphasis on subjects pertaining to the sciences, with the end view of preparing its students for a science career”.

Notable alumni
  • Cielito Habito (Batch 1970): former Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority
  • Joseph Emilio Abaya (Batch 1983): former Congressman, 1st district of Cavite, Secretary, Department of Transportation and Communication
  • Reynaldo Vea (Batch 1969): President, Chief Executive Officer & Board Director of Mapua University
  • Hermogenes Esperon (Batch 1970): General; Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines
  • Vicky Tauli-Corpuz (Batch 1969): Indigenous People's rights advocate; Chair, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
  • Anna Bayle (Batch 1974): entrepreneur and Asia's first international supermodel
  • Auraeus Solito (aka Kanakan Balintagos) (Batch 1986): filmmaker, director of the internationally acclaimed "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros", "Tuli", "Pisay", "Busong: Palawan Fate", and "Baybayin: The Palawan Script"
  • Butch Dalisay (Batch 1971-A): writer, editor, columnist, Palanca awardee
  • Jessica Zafra (Batch 1982): fiction writer, columnist, editor, publisher, former television and radio show host, Palanca awardee
  • Atom Araullo (Batch 2000): television host, reporter and newscaster now with GMA Network.
  • Jeffrey Hidalgo (Batch 1994): singer, songwriter, former band member of Smokey Mountain group

Network]].

  • Ricardo Novenario (Batch 1996): writer of award winning 'Ang Huling El Bimbo' and 'Kafatiran' plays.

References
  1. "Mandate and Officials". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. A 'Pisay' for changing times, Rappler
  3. Cinemalaya Archives 2007 Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Arroyo inaugurates Philippine Science High School in Cebu, Inquirer.net Archived May 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. PSHS opens two new campuses, Philippine Star
  6. PSHS-SRC opens for the pioneer batch
  7. System Organization Archived March 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  8. The History of PSHS System Archived March 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
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