RP tops 21-nation math competition

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino math whiz kids lorded it over their counterparts from 21 countries, bagging a hundred medals and winning for the Philippines the overall championship in the just-concluded Philippine International Mathematics Competitions (PIMC) hosted by Iloilo City.

The Philippines bested perennial math olympiad champion and last year’s Thailand International Mathematics Competitions overall champion, China, when its 76 delegates to the PIMC turned in a medal haul 24 golds, 32 silvers, and 44 bronzes.

Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines, which prepared the Filipino math whiz kids to the math olympiad, was elated over the resounding triumph of his wards.

“I’m very proud of the performance of our students. They showed that with the proper training and support, they can stand out in mathematics even in international tournaments,” Chua, the lone Filipino Paul Erdos International Awardee for Mathematics Excellence.

The PIMC, held from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, was divided into two competitions — the 2009 Philippine Elementary Mathematics International Contest (PEMIC) for elementary school students, and the 2009 Asia Inter-Cities Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad (AITMO), for high school students.

In the final tally, Thailand wound up second place overall with 48 medals including 20 golds followed by Taiwan with 46 medals, China, 42; Indonesia, 39, South Korea, 22; Malaysia, 17; and Hong Kong and Bulgaria with 10 each.

Winning the country’s 24 gold medals were sisters Carmela Antoinette and Czarina Angela Lao, Mikaela Angela Uy, Seanne Daphne Ng, Adrian Reginald Sy, Austin Edrich Chua, and Vance Eldric Go, all students of Saint Jude Catholic School; Amiel Sy of Philippine Science High School-Main, John Russell Virata of Gideon Academy, Aldric Cristoval Reyes of Chiang Kai Shek College, Alvin Uy Lim of Quezon City Science High School, Justic Edric Yturzaeta of Jubilee Christian Academy, Deany Hendrick Cheng of Grace Christian College, Timothy James Tan of Trinity Christian School, and Sterling Alvin Tiu and Dielle Tio, both students of St. Stephen’s High School.

The silver medalists are Geraldine Baniqued, Zheng Rong Wu, Henry Jefferson Morco, Elvis Jeremy Ayroso, Kenneth Co, Miguel Sebastian Santos, Neil Chua Goy, Samuel Christian Ong, Arielle Elise Chua, Adrian Raphael Co, Michael Brodeth, Gisel Ong, Marquis Alexandre Tan, Hubert Yao, Andrew Joelle Caguntas, Ana Karenina Batungbakal, John Thomas Chuatak, Prince Michael Balanay, Jason Joseph Fernandez, Jason Allan Tan, Aljan Balbuena, Daniel Christian Ong, James Daniel Cordon, Martin Lewis Koa and Karli Ang.

The bronze medalists are Audrey Celine Lao, Matthew Chris Chan, Kate Andrea Bonamy, Camille Tyrene Dee, Brendon Matthew Go, Julius Vincent Sy, Sarah Jane Cua, Jerome Claude Palaganas, RJ Lawrence Tiu, Joelle Sophia Peña, Paolo Manuel Iyulores, Casey Oliver Turingan, Aaron Christopher Agtarap, Ostin John Ong, Aldrich Aldwin Mayoralgo, Alvin Ian Chan, Nathaniel Ryan Ang, Ma. Christiana Guillermo, Reine Jiana Reynoso, Wilford Jason Julio, Angelo Gabriel Llamas, Allen Cedrick Domingo, Andrew Brandon Ong, Trisha Nicole Aman, Andrew Lawrence Sy, Jean Leonardo Abagat, Deanne Rochelle Abdao, Raenelle Ean Ngo, Jason Carlo Carranceja, Steve HK Ng, Abigail Sy and Benson Tan.

Besides the Philippines, the countries that participated in the PIMC are China, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong,Indonesia, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Mongolia, Romania, Cyprus, South Africa, Brunei, Nigeria, Iran, India, Macau, Nepal and Kazakhstan. –Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star)