CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Following their 17-medal win in the national round, 17 Senior High School STEM students from Valencia National High School (VNHS) are finalizing preparations to represent the country at the International Science Olympiad Competition of Southeast Asia (ISOCSEA) finals in Goyang, South Korea, set for Dec. 18 to 22.
Travel and logistics costs for the upcoming trip are estimated at ₱100,000 to ₱150,000 per delegate, covering airfare, accommodations, visa processing, and competition registration fees.
According to VNHS STEM Coordinator Ace B. Cardeño, trip expenses are currently unfunded by official subsidies. "Expenses to Goyang, South Korea will be shouldered by parents," Cardeño said.
While no campus-wide fundraising campaigns have been launched yet, Cardeño noted that faculty members are working with families to seek external backing. "So far, no fundraising drives are done. The teacher shall assist students in outsourcing for financial assistance," he said.
Because budget constraints prevent the full faculty team from traveling, parent volunteers will step in as official chaperones. "Since not all teachers can join, students will be chaperoned by the parents," Cardeño explained.
Logistical preparations are moving forward, with delegates holding valid Philippine passports while several process their South Korean visas.
Academic & Climate Readiness To prepare academically, Cardeño and the STEM faculty established a review plan aligned with the competition syllabus, which covers physics, chemistry, biology, and earth and space science.
"Topics in the international round are covered by their current elective subjects, and so what we need is to supplement their elective subjects," Cardeño said, noting that review sessions are scheduled to complement standard coursework.
The school is also scheduling pre-departure orientations to help students adjust to South Korea's winter season. "There will be pre-departure orientation and activities to better prepare the students for the winter in South Korea," Cardeño added.
VNHS Principal Dr. Angelina Acao Cacharo emphasized that the trip supports both student achievement and long-term academic quality.
"Our goal is to bring additional medals and to further improve STEM teaching in Valencia National High School," Cacharo said.
The qualifying delegation includes:
Gold: Gebriel Mark Q. Babon, Zaijan Tim G. Dumaguete, Nove Princess G. Balo, Kelsey Margaret T. Bayotlang, Cyrelle Myr Belarma, Geoffrey Kyle B. Embate, Kenzi Cassielle O. Ponce, Francis Gabrielle Ricablanca, Khyrah Zyrene M. Visitacion, and Juhn Eoin S. Besañez.
Silver: Myrtle Amber E. Eduave, Menard G. Palutao, Noeme C. Salvador, Kline Franz H. Bodiongan, and Cielo Venice B. Conol.
Bronze: Johnryl C. Borbon and Blessed Aira S. Villahermosa.
A Growing Global Track Record The upcoming competition in Goyang marks another major international milestone for Valencia National High School in South Korea this year.
Earlier, Cardeño guided three VNHS student developers—Kent Dave R. Pilar, Pshych Earl B. Caleñada, and Thomas Kyle L. Galo of Team PhsynTak—to Seoul for Krafton’s BETTER GROUND 2026 international summit. Selected among 17 finalist teams out of more than 1,000 applicants across Asia, the trio showcased "GENOMORPH," an original eco-themed mobile action RPG that integrates real-world biological science into gameplay.
"What makes me proudest is seeing them evolve from individual student coders into a self-reliant development unit," Cardeño said of the team's performance in Seoul.
With VNHS students competing internationally in both game development and scientific fields under Cardeño's coordination, the school continues to build a strong presence on global academic stages.
