Jodiel Chloe Banawa and Elisha Romarate with their medals. NCFP
TEAM Philippines completed a historic campaign in the 24th ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships, winning 83 medals to finish second overall in the tournament recently in Singapore.
Fielding its largest delegation in the competition, the Philippines collected 24 gold, 36 silver and 23 bronze medals against 672 players. Vietnam topped the standings, while India placed third.
The Filipinos earned 28 medals—nine gold, nine silver and 10 bronze—in Standard chess; 29—six gold, 17 silver and six bronze—in Rapid; and 26—nine gold, 10 silver and seven bronze—in Blitz.
Jodiel Chloe Banawa of Alicia, Isabela, the youngest member of the Philippine delegation, delivered its most successful campaign with six gold medals in the Girls Under-6 division.
Banawa swept the individual and team titles in Standard, Rapid and Blitz. She shared the three team championships with Elisha Romarate of Dipolog City and Rien Euri Villa of San Mateo, Rizal.
Romarate also won individual gold in Rapid and individual silvers in Standard and Blitz to finish with three golds and three silvers. Villa earned three gold medals from the team events.
International Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Zamboanga City swept the individual Standard, Rapid and Blitz titles in the Open Under-20 division. He also led the Philippine team to gold in Standard and silver medals in Rapid and Blitz, completing a six-medal haul of four golds and two silvers.
FIDE Master Arlan Cabe of Pangasinan ruled the Seniors 50 Standard event and earned the direct International Master title, becoming the first Filipino senior player to achieve the feat through the ASEAN+ championships.
Iana Angela Sotaridona of Iloilo won the Girls Under-16 Standard crown and earned the direct Woman FIDE Master title, subject to reaching the required standard FIDE rating of 1900.
Mar Aviel Carredo secured the direct Candidate Master title in the Open Under-16 Standard event, while Carmelita Abanes earned a Woman International Master norm in the Women’s Seniors 50 division. Abanes also captured gold medals in Rapid and Blitz after taking silver in Standard.
The campaign also highlighted the impact of grassroots programs jointly implemented by the Philippine Sports Commission and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
Palarong Pambansa elementary champion Aidh Naveen Munsing won three Open Under-12 team medals, while Mica Claire Clar earned individual bronze and team silver in Girls Under-14 Rapid.
Batang Pinoy Chess Henyo products Danry Seth Romualdez, Romarate and Rybarage Blake Entia also competed, underscoring the growing role of grassroots initiatives in developing the country’s next generation of international chess medalists.