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.
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 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.
CampusLocationDate FoundedCampus Director
Main Campus Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City1964Dr. Lawrence V. Madriaga
Southern Mindanao Campus Davao City, Davao del SurJuly 1988Delia C. Legaspino
Western Visayas Campus Jaro, Iloilo CityJuly 1, 1992Dr. Shena Faith M. Ganela
Eastern Visayas Campus Palo, LeyteFebruary 1, 1992Mr. Erick John H. Marmol
Cagayan Valley Campus Bayombong, Nueva VizcayaJune 1998Dr. Salvador Romo
Central Mindanao Campus Nangka, Baloi, Lanao del NorteJuly 1998Mr. Franklin L. Salisid
Bicol Region Campus Goa, Camarines SurJuly 1998Engr. Lorvi B. Pagorogon
Ilocos Region Campus San Ildefonso, Ilocos SurFebruary 6, 2002Dr. Ronnalee N. Orteza
Central Visayas Campus Talaytay, Argao, CebuMay 19, 2005Dr. Rachel Luz V. Rica
Cordillera Administrative Region Campus Baguio, BenguetJune 22, 2009Dr. Conrado C. Rotor Jr.
Central Luzon Campus Clark Freeport Zone, PampangaJune 28, 2009Theresa Anne O. Diaz
SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus Paraiso, Koronadal, South CotabatoFebruary 3, 2012
June 17, 2013 		Dr. Chuchi P. Garganera
Caraga Region Campus Ampayon, Butuan, Agusan del Norte2013Engr. Ramil A. Sanchez
CALABARZON Region Campus Sampaga, Batangas City2015Dr. Jose M. Andaya
MIMAROPA Region Campus Odiongan, RomblonApril 2016Edward C. Albaracin
Zamboanga Peninsula Campus Cogon, Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte2016Mr. Louie C. Jamora

System organization

The Board of Trustees is the highest policy making body of the PSHS System. The Executive Committee, 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. 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.
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, in Davao City, in 1988.
The PSHS System Law 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