A total of 2,114 Filipino students who won medals in various international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competitions last year were honored by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) in its annual Youth Excellence in Science (YES) awards.
This number exceeded the previous record of 1,802 awardees in 2022, according to DOST-SEI.
This also marked the first time in the recognition program’s 16-year history that it surpassed 2,000 YES awardees.
The YES medals were bestowed to students from all over the country who showed exemplary achievement in the international STEM contests by the DOST Secretary or the DOST Regional Director.
The following are the numbers of awardees per region:
- National Capital Region – 1,012 awardees
- Calabarzon – 203 awardees
- Central Luzon – 147 awardees
- Bicol Region – 110 awardees
- Ilocos Region – 86 awardees
- Western Visayas – 79 awardees
- Eastern Visayas – 78 awardees
- Northern Mindanao – 73 awardees
- Zamboanga Peninsula – 68 awardees
- Central Visayas – 58 awardees
- Davao Region – 47 awardees
- Cagayan Valley – 41 awardees
- Caraga – 38 awardees
- Soccsksargen – 29 awardees
- Cordillera Administrative Region – 24 awardees
- Mimaropa – 21 awardees
In the awards ceremony, which coincided with the 2023 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week held at the Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City last Nov. 22, DOST Secretary Dr. Renato Solidum lauded the youth awardees from the Western Visayas for being the pride of the country.
“May your successes always lead you to the path of compassion and empower you to uplift the lives of the Filipino people by taking the helm of research and development,” said Dr. Solidum.
Both DOST-SEI Director Dr. Josette Biyo and DOST VI Regional Director Engr. Rowen Gelonga recognized the students’ initiative and innate potential in the fields of STEM and likewise encouraged them to pursue STEM careers and serve their region and the country in the future.
“May this day encourage you to become like the veterans in science that you idolize – willing to share their gift of knowledge and open to train and shape the next generations for a more innovative and technologically-advanced future,” Dr. Biyo said.
Meanwhile, Reysheil Anne Doromal, one of the 2023 YES awardees from the Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas Campus, advised fellow medalists to remain passionate amid the challenges they experience in balancing life.
She added that while STEM students like her are also prone to burnout, they must learn to appreciate the small victories and enjoy the process of what they do.
“Trust me. If you love something, the stress is worth it,” Doromal said. – cf
