Alumni Spotlight · SY 2019–2020
The Philippine Science High School — or Pisay for short — is one of the most respected and selective schools in the country. Admission is extremely competitive: in Jayden's year, more than 20,000 students applied, and only about 5% of examinees passed. To even take the exam, applicants must rank in the top ten percent of their class and have a final grade of 85 or higher in Math and Science.
Here at Eastbridge, we are incredibly proud of our history of producing Pisay passers almost every year. In School Year 2019–2020, that passer was our very own Jayden Isaac Pondoc — who also qualified for Quezon City Science High School.
20,000+
Pisay applicants that year
~5%
of examinees passed
1st
NAPSPHIL title for our Math Team
Always prepared
During his time at Eastbridge, Jayden proved himself every bit the capable student, in academics and extracurriculars alike. A consistent honor student and a capable dancer, he always showed a good work ethic in and out of the classroom.
Math is his best and favorite subject, but he credits his excellence to staying focused at all times. He describes himself as the type of student who is always prepared — constantly reviewing his lessons and returning to the topics he first found difficult. That attitude helped him and his teammates win the Regional Math Competition championship — and Jayden went on to lead our Math Team to Eastbridge's first-ever NAPSPHIL (National Association of Private Schools in the Philippines) title.
"You need to keep adding to your knowledge."
— Jayden Isaac Pondoc
"Difficult but manageable"
That is how Jayden describes the Pisay entrance exam, which gave examinees about an hour for each section. Apart from hours of serious study in the week before the exam, he says his math training made all the difference.
The coach behind the math
Jayden trained under Teacher Rolyn Perez, then our interim school principal. Using Singapore Math and his characteristic firm but focused approach, Teacher Rolyn trains his students to think quickly and critically, and to tackle problems with creative solutions.
More than academics
Beyond the classroom, what Jayden appreciates most about Eastbridge is how it develops students in many directions at once.
"I like how they hold many events for the students and how they teach them a lot of things to help them become more developed in different ways."
He also holds a great fondness for the school's spiritual formation.
"I became closer to God, more spiritual, and more hardworking [during my time here]."
Dreaming forward
Jayden dreams of becoming a computer engineer like his dad. He hopes to succeed so he can help his sister with her studies — and one day be able to support his parents so they no longer have to work to pay the bills. With his hard work and selflessness, we know Jayden will go a long way.
And his sister? Years later, Julia Elise Pondoc followed in her brother's footsteps — passing the Pisay exam in School Year 2024–2025. Two Pondocs, two Eastbridgers, two Pisay scholars.
Then and now
In one meeting between parents and Eastbridge administrators, Jayden's mother shared a wish: that Jayden could have stayed at Eastbridge — if only Eastbridge had a high school.
Today, it does. Eastbridge Junior High now carries students forward past Grade 6 — in the same small classes, with the same teachers who know them by name.
Photo credit: Rolyn Perez
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