During the annual convention, papers on physics research and teaching are presented by the members of the Society and by invited scientists and educators. Short courses which treat a particular topic in physics in depth, along with shorter lectures and workshops on a variety of topics, are also conducted during the convention to meet the needs of the members. The PPS National Convention incorporates the National Physics Olympics and the National Physics Fair. During the group meetings, the members discuss their concerns, elect their officers and share their expertise on particular topics in physics. Merit awards are given for exemplary commitment to physics education through active participation in the PPS annual conventions, according to the following category:

ORDER OF GALILEO - at least 5 PPS annual conventions
ORDER OF NEWTON - at least 10 PPS annual conventions
ORDER OF MAXWELL - at least 15 PPS annual conventions
ORDER OF EINSTEIN - at least 20 PPS annual conventions

The members of the National Board are also elected during this time and recognition is given to deserving physicists. The Golden Service Award is the highest honor and distinction given by the PPS. It is conferred on one who has spent a lifetime of commitment and passion for service and community towards the development of physics and physics education in the country, as an offering to the Filipino people. Those who have made significant contributions in Physics are conferred the Outstanding Achievement Award. Those who have served the society and the struggle to improve physics and physics education in the Philippines for many years through lectures, workshops, and other worthy activities are given the Outstanding Service Award. Those who for years painstakingly labor in physics education – caring for, nurturing, and mentoring the youth – even at times, or always in the case of some, bring their students to attend the PPS conventions are given the National Physics Educator Award. Administrators who faithfully support and allow their teachers and students to attend the activities of the society are conferred the Outstanding Administrative Service Award.
Through the years, the PPS awardees have been:

PPS publishes the Philippine Physics Journal [formerly The (S)PPS Proceedings], for articles on physics research and teaching. From the manually typed paper-bound mimeographed sheets of manuscripts in 1979, the Philippine Physics Journal is now a better-looking journal, electronically processed, and stitch-bound with a printed cover. In her study in 2000 in Central Visayas, Dr. Asonita J. Parmisana found that in the period 1989 to 1999, of the physics articles published in the national level, 60 percent were in the Philippine Physics Journal. This is indicative of the important role of the PPJ in physics education in the country. The PPJ, by tradition, is published by the labor of love of its faithful staff. Starting with the 2008 issue, the Philippine Physics Journal has been processed at Maxino College, Dumaguete City with the assistance of its BS Physics students and those of its other physics-related courses.

PPS also publishes the PPS Newsletter, as need arises, to keep contact with its members. Originally a printed newsheet, it has been electronically incorporated in the PPS official website. Since January 2006 PPS has maintained a website (http://philippinephysicssociety. com or http://philippinephysicssociety.org) where news and information can be shared readily with all members who have access to the internet. There is also a Facebook account: Philippine Physics Society.

PPS also holds Physics Summer Institutes for upgrading physics education. The first Physics Summer Institute was conducted free of charge in cooperation with Foundation University which granted the bureau credits for the given courses during the summer of 1980. The teachers taught without compensation.

In Summer 1981, STEP in Physics (Southern Teachers Enrichment Program in Physics) replaced the Physics Summer Institute. STEP in Physics was funded by FAPE (Fund for Assistance to Private Education) and offered scholarships for a Bachelor of Science in Physics degree or a Master of Science in Physics degree at the University of San Carlos for three consecutive summers to qualified physics teachers. More than 50 physics teachers enrolled in the BS Physics program and more than ten took the MS Physics program. None of the teachers, however, decided to finish the BS Physics degree, it being a second degree for them at the baccalaureate level. Many of those who participated in the program, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, eventually finished masteral and doctoral degrees.

In Summer 1986, PPS, as a member of the Philippine Science and Math Council, was one of the organizations that conducted the FAPE-sponsored Physics Summer Science Institute at the University of San Carlos.

In October 1986 to March 1988, PPS cooperated with Silliman University in conducting the Certification Program for Physics Teachers in Secondary Schools sponsored by the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.

In Summer 2003, a cooperative program among Siquijor State College, the Philippine Physics Society, the Silliman University Center of Development in Physics and Ateneo de Davao University Physics Department was initiated. The program offered a three-summer course leading to Master of Arts in Science Teaching (Physics) which required thesis. About 20 Physics teachers participated in the program. In June 2005, a special graduation ceremony held at Siquijor State College granted the degree Master of Arts in Science Teaching (Physics) to ten of the participants and the degree Master in Teaching (Physics) to three of the participants. A second run of the program, this time with the inclusion of the Master of Science in Science Education (Physics) was held in Summers 2011-2013 through the collaboration of Siquijor State College, the Philippine Physics Society, and Maxino College, with the latter as instructional venue. Eight graduated with the degree Master of Science in Science Education (Physics) and one with the degree Master in Teaching (Physics). The former requires a thesis. Both require 26 graduate units of Physics content courses, four units of research, and six units of thesis. Teaching methodology is integrated into the courses. The third and final run of the Tri-Summer Graduate Physics Program was conducted from 2015 to 2017. Of the six initial enrolees, four graduated with the degree of Master of Science in Science Education (Physics Teaching).

The year 1986 illustrates the vitality of PPS: upgrading seminars on various topics in Physics held in Cebu City (2); Binalbagan, Negros Occidental; Dumaguete City; Iloilo City; Butuan City; Musuan, Bukidnon; Bacolod City; Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental; and Kabankalan, Negros Occidental. At present, with many active PPS chapters, upgrading seminars have become regular yearly activities in many provinces and cities of the Visayas and Mindanao areas. In 1990, PPS held the very first Physics Seminar in Vigan City at the Divine Word College of Vigan under the sponsorship of the UNESCO University Physics Project in the Philippines.

To cite another example, from the renewed vitality of community life emerging from the 24th PPS Convention at Silliman University in April 2002, a Regional Upgrading Seminar On Electricity, Optics and Modern Physics was held for the first time in Siquijor in August 2002. This resulted in the formation of the PPS -- Siquijor Chapter. In October 2002, at the invitation of Adamson University, PPS held its first upgrading Physics seminar in Electricity, Optics and Modern Physics in Metro Manila, indeed, the First Luzon Conference. The seminar was well attended by physics teachers from schools all-over Luzon and resulted in the formation of six new chapters. Not to be outdone, the Negros Oriental Chapter had its own Physics upgrading seminar on Electricity and Optics in Tanjay City in November 2002. In July 2005, a similar physics upgrading seminar was conducted at Aklan State University resulting in the establishment of the Aklan PPS Chapter and Boracay PPS Chapter.

Although many PPS conventions and seminar-workshops had been conducted in Region VIII, the first PPS seminar-workshop cum regional convention in Southern Leyte was held on October 22, 2013 at St. Joseph College, Maasin City. This was the Region VIII Convention and Seminar-Workshop on Physics Laboratory Instrumentation for All. This was also the maiden public presentation of some apparatus from the Technology Incubation Unit of Maxino College.

In 1980, PPS started its Laboratory Extension Assistance Program (LEAP) in the Negros- Siquijor Area. In LEAP, any Physics teacher who has difficulties in his laboratory may request for assistance from PPS. Requests for such assistance must be made in writing to the PPS National President. A LEAP team will then visit the physics teacher. The LEAP team repairs equipment when possible and shows the teacher how to use the equipment found in the school’s laboratory. LEAP services are free. The expenses of the LEAP team are supported by the PPS membership fees. A physics teacher of Sacred Heart Academy of Bais City was the first to avail of this service. The LEAP is now being reinvigorated with the support of the Physics Education Center of Maxino College, Bagacay, Dumaguete City. On account of financial limitations, however, services are restricted at the moment to areas near the serving station, unless of course travel expenses will be shouldered by a sponsor. An example of this was the seminar-workshop conducted by PPS and Maxino College at Trinity Christian Academy, Bacolod City. The workshop involved experiments using pieces of apparatus produced by the Technology Incubation Unit of Maxino College. These laboratory equipments enhanced the Physics Labratory of the host schools.

Since many schools have poorly equipped physics laboratories, PPS encourages capable physics teachers to make low cost physics equipment to be sold at cost to their fellow PPS members after they have undergone a short course using the equipment. PPS provides seed money for this construction but requires that no teacher will be allowed to buy unless he has undergone the short course associated with this equipment.

In 2017, PPS and Maxino College worked with the Schools Division of Negros Oriental in conducting the Physics Teachers Enhancement Program of Negros Oriental Division which was held for six Saturdays or a total of 48 hours. PPS and Maxino College provided the trainors, resource persons, and training materials. Participants went back to their schools with a number of free physics laboratory equipment.

PPS has initiated and propagated the Physics Olympics in the Philippines, if not in Asia. The first Physics Olympics was held in Dumaguete City in December 1983. Now, the Physics Olympics is held in many places in the Philippines. The first National Physics Olympics for teachers was held during the 10th PPS Convention at the Divine Word University of Tacloban in Tacloban City on April 6-9, 1988. Since then, the National Physics Olympics has been a regular feature of the annual PPS Convention. PPS conducts training in organizing the Physics Olympics. For example, a well attended Physics Olympics Congress was held on September 19, 2007 at La Consolacion College in Bacolod City.

In 1997, PPS handled the technical aspects of the First TRITECH Inter-Regional Physics Olympics sponsored by the Tri-Sectoral Forum for Technology Excellence (TRITECH) at SM, Cebu City. The 2nd TRITECH Inter-Regional Physics Olympics was held on July 26, 2000 under the sponsorship of TRITECH and DOST-Visayas Cluster (led by Region VII).

The Physics Olympics has really taken roots in the country. Now, during this annual national event, three categories are kept: high school students, college students, and professionals/teachers.

Since 1993, at the University of Negros Occidental - Recoletos, Bacolod City, PPS has conducted the National Physics Fair during the annual PPS Convention. Here, investigatory projects, inventions, and exhibits are presented by teachers and students in all levels. Mentoring in research is done during the Physics Fair.

Through the efforts of Dr. Robert Wild, PhD, PPS received a donation of about 3600 volumes of books and journals which were shipped to the Philippines free of charge from the United States of America through the Operation Handclasp of the U.S. Navy. These books and journals were turned over to requesting schools, among which was Silliman University, on a first come-first served basis after sharing the costs of transporting the books from Subic Bay to the recipient’s place.

PPS feels a sense of honor when at its 45th Year, at the 41st Annual National Physics Seminar-Convention at Maxino College, the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) generously served as the honored Guest Speaker, speaking on “DOST and the Three Pillars: Malasakit, Pagbabago, at Kaunlaran”. His parting words to the PPS members are very inspiring: “It is therefore my fond hope that the members and prime movers of the Philippine Physics Society, on the occasion of its 41st Annual National Physics Seminar- Convention, shall be forever committed to develop lifelong learners who are logical, analytical, creative, and critical thinkers who can share their talents and skills toward national development and inclusive growth. May the PPS continue to advocate effective educational practices in Physics. Most of all, may you accompany the quest for nature’s fundamental laws with the concerted search for relevant applications benefiting the whole of Philippine society.”

VI. CONCLUSION

Founded in 1974, the Philippine Physics Society now stands gratefully and proudly on fifty years of service for the improvement of Physics and Physics Education in the country, as well as the growth and development of its thousands of members. Spread throughout the country -- in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao -- PPS is not only the longest existing but also the largest Physics association in the country today. Such is no mean accomplishment. Now we can proudly claim that the Philippines has have a long lasting Physics organization with concrete accomplishment, including a Physics journal that has outlasted many in similarly placed countries. The praise should fall on all PPS members who have spent time, effort, and resources to build up a community of service-oriented and friendly persons. To this also belongs the affirmation and confirmation and validation of a philosophy by which the PPS has lived since its moment of birth:
1.  Self-reliance -- meaning we have the capability to succeed and that the improvement of Physics and Physics Education in the country depends on us; that there is nobody else more interested than us in the improvement of Physics and Physics Education in the Philippines.
2.  Sharing -- This means that by putting together the little that each of one has, we can make significant, relevant, and appropriate changes.
3.  Indigenization -- This means that we sould not blindly copy, that we should look at problems, needs, resources, and solutions with Filipino eyes.
4.  Hominization -- This means that in our pursuit and journey, we should not be confined only to material things, that we should also imprint the human spirit into our tasks; that man, as matter and spirit, reflects his unity in the pursuit, application, and communication of Physics.
5.  Community Building -- This means that we can accomplish better the task we have set for ourselves if we let grow the Physics and larger communities; that community leads us to the accomplishment of our aims and goals.

Thanks to all members of the Philippine Physics Society for their devotion to the improvement of Physics and Physics Education in the Philippines and for their firm resolve to be together as a community for years and years to come!