Team Philippines Wins Gold at First Asia-Pacific AI Olympiad Hosted by Ateneo de Manila University

Members of Team Philippines celebrate a historic showing at the first Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, earning one gold, one silver, two bronze medals, and a shared 6th place finish among 18 participating countries.

• Historic Finish: The Philippine national team secured one gold, one silver, two bronze medals, and two Honourable Mentions to finish tied for 6th place at the inaugural Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, competing against more than a hundred of the region's brightest secondary school students.
• World-Class Challenge: Hosted locally at Ateneo de Manila University's BUILD laboratory, the six-hour competition tested advanced machine learning, mathematical modeling, and algorithmic problem-solving under tightly monitored international conditions to ensure fairness for all participants.
• Filipino Excellence: The strong performance highlights the growing strength of young Filipino talent in artificial intelligence and reflects the combined efforts of students, coaches, schools, families, and supporters working together to elevate the country's presence on the regional stage.

The Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (APOAI 2026) has given the Philippines another reason to celebrate the achievements of its brightest young minds. An eight-member national team proudly represented the country at the inaugural regional competition, bringing home one gold medal, one silver medal, two bronze medals, and two Honourable Mentions while securing a historic tie for 6th place overall against more than a hundred outstanding secondary school students from 18 participating countries.

The milestone marks a strong debut for Team Philippines in what is expected to become one of the region's premier competitions for young artificial intelligence talents. Beyond the medals, the achievement showcases the growing capability of Filipino students to compete in one of today's fastest-evolving scientific and technological fields.

A Demanding Test of AI Knowledge and Skill

The Philippine leg of the competition was hosted at the Ateneo Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) of the John Gokongwei School of Management at Ateneo de Manila University.

Held on Saturday, 27 June 2026, from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM, the examination challenged participants through an intensive six-hour session covering machine learning, mathematical modeling, and algorithmic problem-solving. Contestants worked continuously under strict international examination conditions, with no scheduled breaks and independent onsite invigilators overseeing the entire event.

Following the competition, the APOAI International Scientific Committee completed a full score audit before releasing the official verified rankings.

Fair Competition Across All Countries

Maintaining fairness was a major priority throughout the inaugural Olympiad.

All official competition sites across participating countries were monitored simultaneously through live Zoom streams coordinated by the IOAI China Organizing Committee. Every contestant also worked using the same high-performance AI GPU cloud environment, ensuring equal access to computing resources regardless of where they competed.

This standardized setup allowed students to focus entirely on demonstrating their abilities without differences in hardware or infrastructure affecting the outcome.

Filipino Students Deliver Outstanding Results

Leading Team Philippines was Noe Nathan Y. Arreza of Philippine Science High School, CALABARZON Campus, who ranked an impressive 8th overall and earned the country's lone gold medal.

Troy Dylan T. Serapio of Philippine Science High School, Main Campus, followed with a silver medal after placing 23rd overall.

Two Filipino students secured bronze medals. Daphne Eunice U. Acena of De La Salle University Dasmariñas High School finished 42nd overall, while Jhareign S. Solidum of the University of Mindanao Ilang High School placed 52nd.

Meanwhile, 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, finished 95th. Both received Honourable Mentions for their performances.

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 placed 114th overall.

Together, the eight students helped secure the Philippines' shared 6th place finish in the regional standings, an encouraging result in the country's first appearance at the competition.

A Merit-Based Path to National Representation

The students earned their places through a rigorous national selection process organized by the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence Philippines (IOAI PH).

Participation in IOAI PH is offered free of charge to students. The program aims to ensure that opportunities to represent the country are based on talent, preparation, and performance rather than financial capacity.

This approach allows capable students from different schools and communities to compete on equal footing while encouraging broader participation in advanced artificial intelligence education.

A Strong Foundation for the Future

For the organizers, the team's performance represents more than an impressive medal haul. It also reflects the collective effort behind every student who reached the international stage.

Martin Gomez, Executive Director of IOAI PH, emphasized the significance of the achievement.

“This historic performance establishes a powerful baseline for the country. 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.”

The results also reinforce the growing depth of Filipino talent in artificial intelligence, an area that continues to play an increasingly important role across science, education, industry, and everyday life. The inaugural APOAI provided an opportunity for the country's young innovators to demonstrate that they can compete alongside some of the best students in the Asia-Pacific region.

Support Behind Team Philippines

The Philippine delegation's participation in APOAI 2026 received local support from Joy-Nostalg, Times Paint Corporation, and the Tiu Family, while testing operations were hosted by Ateneo BUILD.

On the international level, the Olympiad was supported by Taobao of Alibaba Group, Jane Street, and DP Technology.

As the first edition of the Asia-Pacific Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence comes to a close, Team Philippines returns home with medals, valuable experience, and renewed confidence. Their performance not only places the country among the competition's strongest inaugural participants but also sends an encouraging message that with sustained support, preparation, and opportunity, Filipino students are well positioned to make even greater achievements in the rapidly advancing world of artificial intelligence.