Philippine Science High School System

Philippine Science High School
File:Pshssystem logo.png
Information
Type	Public specialized high school
Established	1964
Executive Director	Dr. Josette T. Biyo
Number of students	2,821 (school year 2004-2005)
Campus	Diliman, Quezon City (Main Campus) San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur (Ilocos Region) Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (Cagayan Valley) Baguio City (Cordillera Administrative Region) Clark Freeport Zone (Central Luzon) Goa, Camarines Sur (Bicol Region) Iloilo City (Western Visayas) Argao, Cebu (Central Visayas) Palo, Leyte (Eastern Visayas) Baloi, Lanao del Norte (Central Mindanao) Davao City (Southern Mindanao)
Affiliation	Department of Science and Technology
Website	www.pshs.edu.ph

The Philippine Science High School System is a specialized public high school system in the Philippines that operates as an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology.

The PSHS System offers scholarships to Filipino students who are gifted in the sciences and mathematics. Admission to the PSHS is by competitive examination only, 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 upon 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 various 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 Taiwan International Science Fair, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, International Math Olympiad, International Junior Science Olympiad and International Physics Olympiad.

A movie has also been released in honor of Philippine Science. Entitled "Pisay", the movie has acclaimed not only national recognition but also 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. Several graduates of Philippine Science High School have attained scholarships in prestigious international universities such as Harvard University, Princeton University, Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and California Institute of Technology.

Campuses and system organization

Campuses

For 24 years, the PSHS was a single campus located at Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City where the top 240 examinees in a National Competitive Examinations 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.

PSHS Main Campus

Currently, PSHS has ten regional campuses in addition to the main campus.

Campus	Location	Date Founded	Campus Director (* - Officer-in-Charge)
Main Campus	Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City	1964	Mrs. Virginia P. Andres
Southern Mindanao Campus	Davao City, Davao del Sur	July 1988	Mrs. Delia C. Legaspino
Western Visayas Campus	Jaro, Iloilo City	July 1, 1993	Ms. Shena Faith M. Ganela
Eastern Visayas Campus	Palo, Leyte	April 10, 1994	Dr. Pedrito G. Padilla
Cagayan Valley Campus	Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya	June 1998	Dr. Salvador Romo
Central Mindanao Campus	Nangka, Baloi, Lanao del Norte	June 1998	Mr. Jose Marlon A. Caumeran
Bicol Region Campus	Goa, Camarines Sur	July 1998	Mrs. Elsie G. Ferrer
Ilocos Region Campus	San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur	July 14, 2003	Dr. Larry L. Cabatic
Central Visayas Campus	Talaytay, Argao, Cebu	May 19, 2005	Dr. Florita A. Pontillas
Cordillera Administrative Region Campus	Baguio City, Benguet	June 22, 2009	Dr. Conrado C. Rotor Jr.
Central Luzon Campus	Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga	June 28, 2009	Directress Lilia Habacon
CALABARZON Region Campus	Tagaytay City, Cavite	To be established	Dr. Pedrito G. Padilla (OIC)
Zamboanga Peninsula Region Campus	Zamboanga del Sur	To be established	To be named

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, which coordinates the implementation of these policies and guidelines.

PSHS campuses are headed by directors who are members of the ExeCom.

History

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.

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.

By the end of the eighties, PSHS started to spread across the nation. The first regional campuses were built, starting with the Mindanao Campus (now Southern Mindanao Campus), located 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”.

Academics and admissions

Admissions process

Roughly 17,000 students take the Philippine Science High School exams annually. Those who achieve the highest scores are admitted to the PSHS Main Campus, located in Quezon City. They may however opt to study in a regional campus; The rest are admitted to campuses in other parts of the Philippines.

Admission to the PSHS System is through the PSHS System National Competitive Examination (PSHS-NCE). The screening consists of tests in Verbal, Abstract Reasoning, Science and Mathematics. To be eligible for admission, applicants must be Filipino students who must belong to the top 10% of the graduating class or must have special aptitude in science and math.

Notable alumni

Natural sciences

• Luis Tupas, Ph.D. (Batch 1979): National Program Leader for Global Change and Climate for the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the US Department of Agriculture.
• Rodel Lasco, Ph.D. (Batch 1977): multi-awarded and highly respected scientist in the field of natural resources conservation and environmental management; Gawad Lagablab Awardee for Agroforestry (1998)
• Rosalia Mercado-Simmen, Ph.D. (Batch 1969): one of the world’s leading researchers in the biology of reproduction, having been published and recognized widely for her work on reproduction, endocrinology, physiology, and biophysics
• Maria Corazon Abogado de Ungria, Ph.D. (Batch 1985): Gawad Lagablab Awardee (2008) for promoting the development of forensic DNA technology in the country. Awards include The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service in Science (TOWNS) in 2007, and The Outstanding Young Men award (TOYM) in 2005.
• Reinabelle Reyes, Ph.D. (Batch 2001): Astrophysicist from Princeton University, having co-authored articles in several publications - Space Density of Optically Selected Type 2 Quasars (The Astronomical Journal, 2008); Improved Optical Mass Tracer for Galaxy Clusters Calibrated Using Weak Lensing Measurements (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2008); Confirmation of general relativity on large scales from weak lensing and galaxy velocities (Nature, 2010).
• Clarina Dela Cruz, Ph.D. (Batch 1996): highly respected scientist in the field of Physics. Her work is published by Nature International Weekly Journal of Science (Magnetic order close to superconductivity in the iron-based layered LaO1-xFxFeAs systems, May 2008). She is presently working at The Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, US.

Engineering and information technology

• Delfin Jay M. Sabido IX, Ph.D.: named one of the 50 Great Men and Women of Science by DOST in 2008 and one of the 18 Luminaries of Philippine ICT by the Metropolitan Computer Times in 2002
• Reynaldo B. Vea, Ph.D. (Batch 1969): President, Mapúa Institute of Technology and former Dean, UP College of Engineering; elected Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 2001; one of DOST's 50 Great Men & Women of Science (2008); Gawad Lagablab awardee for Science and Technology Education (1993)
• Mary Rose Judith S. de la Cruz: Chief Operating Officer, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Stratpoint Technologies, Inc. A venture capital backed (by Dado Banatao and Paco Sandejas' NarraVC) Software StartUp Accelerator Firm.

Medicine

• Ernesto Baello, M.D. (Batch 1969): one of the country's top cardiologists, recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Philippine Heart Association, Inc.-Philippine College of Cardiology in 2001
• Irene Reyes-Santos, M.D.: pediatrician and child TB expert
• Rafael Consunji, M.D., M.P.H. (Batch 1983): general and trauma surgeon at the Philippine General Hospital with additional training in surgical critical care and public health from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Awardee for Community Service and Medicine in 2006; Gawad Lagablab awardee (2008)

Academe

• Adolfo Jesus R. Gopez, Ph.D.: President, FEATI University; awarded Outstanding Metallurgical of 1995 by the Philippine Regulatory Commission and the Philippine Technological Council
• Efren F. Abaya, Ph.D. (Batch 1972): Chair, UP Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering; awarded Most Outstanding Electrical Practitioner in Education by the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines; Gawad Lagablab awardee (1993)
• Rowena Cristina Guevara, Ph.D. (Batch 1980): first woman Dean of the UP College of Engineering
• Victoria Espaldon, Ph.D.: Dean, UP Los Baños, School of Environmental Science and Management
• Zosimo Lee, Ph.D. (Batch 1970): Dean, UP College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
• Jose Danilo Silvestre: Dean, UP College of Architecture
• John Paul Vergara, Ph.D. (Batch 1982): Vice President for the Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University
• Rafael P. Saldana (Batch 1977): former Director, PSHS Main Campus and associate professor of Mathematics, Ateneo de Manila University

Politics, law, and governance

• Cielito Habito (Batch 1970): former Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority
• Joseph Abaya: Congressman, 1st district of Cavite
• Mario Taguiwalo (Batch 1969): Department of Health Undersecretary (1986–1992), political theorist, and occasional actor
• Rhais Gamboa (Batch 1969): former DOH Undersecretary
• Karlo Nograles (Batch 1993); Congressman, 1st Congressional District of Davao City

Military

• Hermogenes Esperon (Batch 1970): General; Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Rogelio Calunsag (Batch 1970): Navy Chief Vice Admiral

Social sciences

• Antonio Tujan (Batch 1969): Ibon Philippines executive director and civil society leader
• Roberto Verzola (Batch 1969): computer scientist and social critic
• Vicky Tauli-Corpuz (Batch 1969): Indigenous People's rights advocate; Chair, United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Arts and humanities

• Anna Bayle: entrepreneur and Asia's first international supermodel
• Arnee Hidalgo (Batch 1998): singer
• Atom Araullo (Batch 2000): television host, reporter and newscaster of ABS-CBN
• Auraeus Solito (Batch 1986): filmmaker, director of the internationally acclaimed "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros", "Tuli", and "Pisay"
• Butch Dalisay (Batch 1971-A): writer, editor, columnist, Palanca awardee
• Fidelito Cortes: writer
• Jake Verzosa (Batch 1996): fashion & lifestyle photographer
• Jeffrey Hidalgo (Batch 1994): singer-composer and former vocalist of Smokey Mountain
• Jessica Zafra (Batch 1982): fiction writer, columnist, editor, publisher, former television and radio show host, Palanca awardee
• Joel Navarro: composer
• Lore Reyes (Batch 1969): multi-awarded film and TV director, film producer, Palanca Awardee
• Luis Katigbak (Batch 1991): writer, multiple Palanca Awardee
• Marc Gaba (Batch 1995): writer, Palanca awardee
• Nestor Jardin (Batch 1969): President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
• Ralph Galan (Batch 1989): writer
• Ric Fernando (Batch 2000): writer, Palanca awardee
• Richard Paras (Batch 1999): Pinoy Big Brother Contestant
• Juan Paolo de Guzman (Batch 2008): painter, Young Belgian Painters awardee, Painter of the Year
• Adrian Dela Cruz xD (Batch 2015): Author of the year by the New York Times, Author of "The Tilwani Syndrome"

Business and finance

• Jaime del Rosario: former SGV partner and Accenture CEO
• Rodel Rodis (Batch 1970): former San Francisco utilities commission president; noted San Francisco lawyer and civic leader
• Francis Napoleon Buencamino (Batch 1993): Part owner, Ambienergy Enterprises, LPG conversion
• Adrian Dela Cruz (Batch 2015): President, National Tilwani Fans' Club xD (NTFC)

Religion

• Fr. Jaime Achacoso (Batch 1970): Canon Law expert and Opus Dei priest

Academic grading system

The Philippine Science High School uses a grading system similar to the major universities in country. Grading is cumulative, taking two-thirds of the grade earned for the current quarter (i.e. the transmuted grade, such as 1.25) and adding it to a third of the transmuted grade from the previous quarter.

Grade	Percentage Range	Equivalent Range
1.00	96 - 100	98 - 100
1.25	90 - 95	95 - 97
1.50	84 - 89	92 - 94
1.75	78 - 83	89 - 91
2.00	72 - 77	86 - 88
2.25	66 - 71	83 - 85
2.50	60 - 65	80 - 82
2.75	55 - 59	77 - 79
3.00	50 - 54	74 - 76
4.00	41 - 49	71 - 73
5.00	Below 40	Below 70

Note: The percentage range is used in actual computations while the equivalent range is used to translate grades for external usage.

Director's List

A student who garners a weighted average of 1.500 or better qualifies on an honor roll known as the Director's List each quarter. Note: The distinction of 1.500 is important as only three decimal places are considered. If the weighted average is actually greater than 1.500, even by just a thousandth, the student does not become part of the list.

External links

• PSHS System official website
• PSHS Foundation, Inc.
• PSHS National Alumni Association
• Pisay the movie by Auraeus Solito
• Year 2006 pictures of the school
• Websites and mailing lists of
• Sink or Swim: ‘Pisay’ graduates are accused of overconfidence and academic delinquency in college, a Newsbreak special report (a PSHS graduate's rebuttal can be found at Crimson Crux)
• A high-yield public investment - Philippine Daily Inquirer article by Cielito Habito