Justine Aaron Co Wins Gold in the PPhO National Finals
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On his first attempt at the national stage, Justine Aaron Co of IBDP 1B captured a gold medal in the country’s most prestigious physics competition, the Philippine Physics Olympiad (PPhO). Meanwhile, Wins Keinrich Chen of IBDP 2A earned an honorable mention, and Reilyn Abbigayle So of Grade 10C competed as a national finalist.
The journey to the PPhO national finals is far from easy. Out of 627 participants in the qualifying round, only 32 advanced to the national stage held last March. From this elite group, only half received awards: three golds, one silver, three bronzes, and eight honorable mentions. The competition also serves as the selection ground for the Philippine team to the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), which will be held in Bucaramanga, Colombia this July.
Justine’s victory marks a historic milestone, as he becomes the first Judenite to win a gold medal in the PPhO. In previous years, Alvann Walter Paredes Dy secured a bronze medal in 2024, while Shaun Mannix Yap and Wins Keinrich Chen each earned silver medals in 2025. Meanwhile, the last Judenite to represent the Philippines at the IPhO was Steven Reyes, who achieved back-to-back silver medals.
Earlier this year, Justine also secured a spot on the national team for the International Geography Olympiad, set to be held in Istanbul, Türkiye, further highlighting his distinction as one of the most well-rounded Judenite academic Olympians.
The Judenite delegation was coached by Mr. Russel Odi, whose mentorship supported the students throughout their PPhO journey.
Congratulations to Justine on this remarkable achievement. Commendations as well to Wins and Reilyn for their outstanding performance at the national level.
