Filipino delegates win bronze, 2 excellence medals at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 29, 2026

Photo courtesy: Philippine News Agency

MANILA — Three Filipino competitors earned international recognition at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China, led by a bronze-medal finish in Hotel Reception.

Carlos Antonio Delos Reyes of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas won bronze in the Hotel Reception category and was also named the Philippines’ Best of Nation, according to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The Best of Nation distinction is awarded to the competitor whose performance best represents excellence among each participating country or region. WorldSkills confirmed Delos Reyes as the Philippines’ recipient for the 2026 competition.

Two other members of the Philippine delegation received Medals for Excellence.

James Cavin Sayago, an engineering student from Camarines Sur Polytechnic College, earned the citation in Electrical Installations, while Hannah Krystelle Caintic of TESDA Regional Training Center-NCR received the same recognition in Graphic Design Technology.

TESDA said the Medal for Excellence is given to competitors who reach at least 700 points on the official WorldSkills grading scale but do not place among the gold, silver or bronze medalists.

TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez said the competitors’ performance could encourage more Filipinos to pursue careers in technical-vocational education and training.

“More than the medals and distinctions, their performance is a source of inspiration for other Filipinos pursuing careers in technical-vocational education and training,” Benitez said.

He added that TESDA would continue providing Filipino skills competitors opportunities to compete internationally and benchmark their abilities against global standards.

The Philippines fielded 11 competitors across 10 skill areas in Shanghai: Bakery, Beauty Therapy, Electrical Installations, Graphic Design Technology, Hotel Reception, ICT Network Infrastructure, Mechatronics, Plumbing and Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and Restaurant Service.

WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 was held from September 22 to 27, bringing together about 1,400 competitors from nearly 70 countries and regions across 64 skills competitions.

TESDA said the country’s participation forms part of efforts to strengthen the global competitiveness of Filipino workers and raise technical-vocational training standards in the Philippines.