Following her conquest in the recent 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang, Malaysia, Apayao chess prodigy Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian was recently lauded for her feat in her home province in Apayao.
Sebastian recently won a bronze medal in the individual Girls U-20, helping the Philippine national chess team deliver a strong performance in the competition where they brought home 13 medals.
Competing against over 360 players from 20 countries across Southeast Asia, the Filipino woodpushers bagged five golds, four silvers, and four bronzes — all in the standard event.
Governor Elias Bulut, Jr. on Tuesday, July 29, recognized the latest international feat of Sebastian during a courtesy call.
Bulut commended the 19-year-old athlete, now officially a Woman FIDE Master (WFM) who is also the reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the Women’s Chess Division of UAAP Season 87.
Sebastian meanwhile expressed gratitude to the Governor for his sustained support to her pursuit of higher titles, as well as to emerging athletes in the province.
The young master likewise paid a courtesy visit to Vice Governor Kyle Mariah Chelsea Bulut-Cunan and members of the 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan, where she received words of encouragement for her next goal – a Woman International Master (WIM) title.
Currently, only about six Filipina players hold the WIM distinction. Sebastian hopes to join that elite group through more international competitions in the coming months.
Prior to his Malaysia stint, Sebastian placed second in the 2025 National Junior Women Chess Championships held in Cebu City in June this year.
After a rough start, Sebastian came back strong, scoring six wins and a draw in the last seven rounds. Her draw in the eighth round came against Woman FIDE Master Ruelle Canino, a fellow University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) High School Most Valuable Player (MVP). Roderick Osis
