GENERAL SANTOS City — Comebacking Batang Pinoy chess player Woman FIDE Master Ruelle ‘Tawing’ Canino of Cagayan de Oro achieved an unprecedented feat, sweeping the first five gold medals at stake in the 17-under girls division of the 2025 Batang Pinoy Chess National Finals.
The highly decorated Canino, who skipped last year’s Batang Pinoy action due to a series of international events abroad, dominated the standard, rapid and blitz events during the first weekend.
She then added two more individual golds on Tuesday in the rapid random 960 and blitz random 960 events.
This makes her the winningest “pawnpusher” among thousands of students and out-of-school youth participating in the national competition.
Canino, who earned a spot on the Philippine team for the 2024 World Chess Olympiad after winning the national women’s championship, remains the heavy favorite to also rule the ASEAN chess rapid and ASEAN chess blitz events now underway at the second floor of Gensan's Robinson's Place.
Meanwhile, International Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, representing Zamboanga City, secured three gold medals in standard chess and the random 960 rapid and blitz competitions.
Also sharing the spotlight is the lesser-known Arena International Master Miykael Jerahmiel Lapad, from Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, who also delivered three gold medals in the normal rapid and blitz, and random 960 blitz in the 12-under boys level.
