Philippines, 13 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


?Chess in Schools? program marks historical breakthrough

PhilBoxing.com




Cebu City, Philippines - Local chess aficionados marked a historical event with the implementation of the Philippines? first ?Chess in Schools? program involving the private school sector.

The Marie Ernestine School Philippine Robotics Academy will include chess into its K-12 curriculum starting next school calendar in partnership with the Cebu Chess Masters (CCM) and Cebu School of Chess (CSC).

The Cebu Chess Masters will handle the Marie Ernestine Talamban Campus and the Cebu School of Chess will take charge of the Lapu-Lapu City Campus.

Dr. Marie Ernestine Fajatin, the school founder, Therese dela Torres of CCM and International Master Kim Yap of Cebu School of Chess signed a memorandum of agreement last May 29, 2015.

National Master Merben Roque and Michael Pagaran of CCM and Carlos Moreno and Marvin Ruelan of CSC are going to teach the students to become excellent players. They will also train the school teachers who will also help implement the chess in schools program.

The agreement signing was witnessed by the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca), represented by its officers Jojo Muralla, Frank Pestano, Jun Olis, Jun Kidlat and Nick Climaco.

Dr. Fajatin said incorporating chess into Marie Ernestine School?s educational system will help the school in its mission to develop the children?s analytical and critical thinking.

Marie Ernestine School is a private educational institution in Cebu, Philippines that has been in the education industry since 1976. The school aims to foster the holistic development of its student through a dynamic curriculum and programs that are specially crafted for its studentry. The curriculum and programs are in line with international developments in education and intended to primarily serve Cebu?s multinational community.

Fajatin added that some of the benefits of chess include improving self-confidence, developing patience, maximizing focus and attention and helping prepare the children to become strategists. Chess also enhances Mathematical skills and it is an application of Geometry, Calculous, Algebra and Trigonometry.

Dr. Fajatin also said she wanted Marie Ernestine School to produce chess Grand Masters and students who will compete in chess tournaments around the country and in Asia, the way the school is competing in many robotics tournament.

Yap, who founded Cebu School of Chess in 2014, said he also wants his school to help in producing more chess masters from the Philippines. It has always been his dream to open a chess school that will help promote chess in Cebu, will provide an excellent training ground for chess enthusiasts, and will help prepare players to compete in national and international tournaments.

The Cebu School of Chess offers group and private training with trainers ranging from veteran untitled players to a grand master.

Chess in schools

Chess is incorporated in the scholastic curriculum of about 40 countries across the globe, including Brazil, Spain, Armenia, Venezuela, China, Singapore, Israel, Italy, Russia, Turkey and Greece.

One of the prime movers of Chess in Schools is former world champion Garry Kasparov, a Russian chess grandmaster who is considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time. He founded the Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF), a non-profit educational organization supported by charitable donations from concerned individuals and corporate sponsors.

In the Philippines in 2009, former Education Secretary Jesli Lapus of the Department of Education (DepEd) and National Chess Federation of the Philippines President Prospero Pichay Jr. signed a memorandum of agreement to incorporate chess in schools.

The memorandum stated that DepEd has a continuing program to scale up the academic and non-academic performance of children using traditional and non-traditional strategies and shall encourage playing chess as another strategy to promote the development of higher order of thinking skills, self-discipline, decision making and provide opportunities to practice such values on perseverance, honesty and sportsmanship among children.

The NCFP is a non-profit organization that has the expertise in building competencies of teachers-trainers and has offered it services to help build the competencies of DepEd Chess Trainers who will form the core of chess experts of DepEd.

Global studies revealed that chess is a game that improves individual organizational and analytical skills and that children exposed to this game at an early age achieve academically better than those who have not been engaged in the game. (PR)


Dr. Marie Ernestine Fajatin (seated, fourth from right) and Kim Yap (seated third from right) pose with the faculty and staff of the Marie Ernestine School after signing a memorandum of agreement that will have the Cebu School of Chessand the Cebu Chessmasters teach the sport as part of their curriculum. (Contributed photo)




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Hamzah Sheeraz Demolishes Edgar Berlanga in Stunner, Becomes Mandatory Challenger to Canelo Alvarez
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson Masterfully Tames William Zepeda to Retain WBC Lightweight Crown
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Score KO Wins in Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Yanon is PBF flyweight champ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 13 Jul 2025
  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.