Philippines makes history with first-ever gold at International Olympiad in Informatics

Abi Sarabia M., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 07, 2026

NOI.PH – National Olympiad in Informatics Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has made history at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) after winning its first-ever gold medal in the prestigious global programming competition.

Jerome Austin Te of Jubilee Christian Academy secured the historic gold at the 38th IOI, held from Aug. 9 to 16, 2026, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Te scored 361.12 points and placed 32nd among 375 contestants, earning a spot at the official gold-medal threshold for this year’s competition.

The achievement ended an 11-year wait for the Philippines, which first participated in the IOI in 2015.

For Te, the gold medal also capped a remarkable four-year run in the competition. He first won bronze in 2023, followed by silver in 2024 and another bronze in 2025 before finally reaching the top medal tier this year.

The Philippine delegation added two more medals to its 2026 campaign.

EdRonn James “Jared” Panti of Philippine Science High School–Main Campus earned bronze after finishing 140th with 264.67 points. John Lorenz Nunez of QAT Blended Learning Middle East also secured a bronze medal.

Prince Desmond Dela Cruz of De La Salle University Integrated School Laguna completed the four-member Philippine team.

With Te’s victory, official IOI records now show the Philippines with one gold, four silver and 17 bronze medals since joining the competition in 2015.

The IOI is one of the world’s major international science olympiads for secondary-school students. It tests participants in algorithmic thinking, problem-solving and computer programming through two intensive competition days.

Unlike team-based contests, students compete individually and solve complex programming problems under strict time limits. Their solutions are evaluated based on correctness and efficiency.

This year’s edition brought together 375 contestants representing 92 participating countries and territories in Tashkent.

Te’s historic gold, along with the bronze medals of Panti and Nunez, marks a major milestone for Philippine competitive programming and adds to the country’s growing record in international academic competitions.

PH student wins historic gold in global coding olympiad – NOI.PH – National Olympiad in Informatics Philippines