Renzel Hainz A. Flores, a second year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Major in Networking student, represented the Southern Leyte State University-Sogod Campus (SLSU-SC), won the silver medal in the IT Network Systems Administration at the recently concluded WorldSkills Philippines Clark 2026, held from September 8-10, 2026 in Clark City, Pampanga.
In an exclusive interview with The Campus Headliner, Mr. Flores said that he didn’t expect to get second place because his competitors came from other regions that were already skilled or as some are already a returning competitor.
”Wa jud ko ga expect nga maka 2nd place kay pito mi kabuok, and most of them came from regions that are more advanced in this skill area. One of them was even a returnee to the nationals,” he said. “After a tiring three day competition, among mindset was, win or lose, basta we did our best.” he continued, not mattering to them if they win or lose, as long as they did their best, that’s their whole mindset throughout the three day competition.
He further added that the thing he learned in this competition is all about building connections and having friends along the way.
”One thing that I learned from this journey is sportsmanship. Bisan unsa pa kalisod ang competition, having friends and building connections is one of the best things that happened throughout this experience. Although we were competing against each other, wala mi nagtan aw as rivals, but as fellow competitors nga parehas ug goal to learn and grow.”
Indeed, their success was also through the wisdom and strength by their coaches. He was coached by two inspiring mentors, Mr. Jho Jho Rodriguez and Mr. Jorton Tagud from the Faculty of Computing and Information Sciences (FCIS) whose technical expertise, and unwavering support played a role in Flores getting this achievement.
Said delegation of Region VIII likewise delivered an impressive performance throughout the competition, they finished with two gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals, overall. This underscores the Eastern Visayas region’s achievement; the strength and skill-ready in technical and vocational skills development.
Mr. Flores and his delegation brought pride to Southern Leyte State University community and to the region, showcasing that the Mighty Kingfishers are skillful in competitions at the national level.
