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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider PH women's chess championship set in Bulacan

PH women's chess championship set in Bulacan

Published Jan 17, 2026 01:43 pm

At A Glance

  • National women's coach Jayson Gonzales said they will be staging the Philippine National Women's Championship where 16 of the country's top players, including all the members from that historic squad in the Hungarian capital, are joining the meet set Feb. 1 to 11 in Malolos City, Bulacan.
Following their participation in the 33rd SEA Games last December, the Philippine Women’s Chess Team paid a courtesy call to Hon. Mayor Atty. Christian D. Natividad of Malolos, Bulacan. The visit also served as part of the team’s preparation for the 2026 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship titled “The Battle of the Women’s Masters.” From left are GM Eugene Torre, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Ruelle Canino, Hon. Atty. Christian D. Natividad, Mayor of Malolos City, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza, WIM Bernadette Galas, WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego, GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP CEO, IA Reden Cruz, NCFP Rating and Administrative Officer.
Following their participation in the 33rd SEA Games last December, the Philippine Women’s Chess Team paid a courtesy call to Hon. Mayor Atty. Christian D. Natividad of Malolos, Bulacan. The visit also served as part of the team’s preparation for the 2026 Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship titled “The Battle of the Women’s Masters.” From left are GM Eugene Torre, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Ruelle Canino, Hon. Atty. Christian D. Natividad, Mayor of Malolos City, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza, WIM Bernadette Galas, WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego, GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP CEO, IA Reden Cruz, NCFP Rating and Administrative Officer.
The country hopes to form the best women’s team possible in the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan where it aims to eclipse -- or at least replicate -- its 24th-place finish that sealed it the Group B gold medal in Budapest, Hungary two years ago.
National women’s coach Jayson Gonzales said they will be staging the Philippine National Women’s Championship where 16 of the country’s top players, including all the members from that historic squad in the Hungarian capital, are joining the meet set Feb. 1 to 11 in Malolos City, Bulacan.
“We’re also calling it ‘The Battle of the Women’s Masters,’” said Gonzales, who is also a Grandmaster and National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief executive officer.
The event is hosted by the squad’s regular patron in Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad and will be participated by a group headed by Budapest veterans Janelle Mae Frayna, Ruelle Canino, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Shania Mae Mendoza and Bernadette Galas.
Also seeing action were Marie Antoinette San Diego, Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian, Kate Nicole Ordizo, Queen Rose Pamplona, Heart Padilla, Maria Kristine Lavandero, Apple Rubin, Allaney Jia Doroy, Vic Glysen Derotas, Bonjoure Fille Suyamin and Cherry Ann Mejia.
That gold in Budapest was the first by the country since the squad of Sherrie Joy Lomibao, Catherine Pereña, Sherily Cua and Beverly Mendoza topped Group C in the 2006 Turin edition.
The Nationals also came close to surpassing their best finish in the biennial event that came in 1998 when the brave pack of Girme Fontanilla, Mila Emperado and Cristina Santos-Fidaer ended up 22nd in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Samarkand event is set Sept. 15 to 28.
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