Filipino students bag 35 awards at Math contest in South Africa

MANILA, Philippines— Elementary and high school students from the Philippines once again brought pride to the country after winning 35 awards at a competition in South Africa.

A total of 26 Filipino math wizards emerged triumphant after battling contestants from 27 countries and regions at the 2019 South Africa International Mathematics Competition (SAIMC) held from August 1 to 7 in Durban City. 

The Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines said the 26-member Philippine team brought home a gold, five silver and 15 bronze medals, and five merit awards in the individual competition. 

Two of the Filipino students were also named first runners-up and seven of them bagged the second runners-up trophies in the team and group contests.

The Filipino winners for each category in the SAIMC appear below:

Gold Medal

• Filbert Ephraim Wu - Victory Christian International School (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

Silver Medal

• Mohammad Nur Casib - My Precious Learning Center (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Neo Angelo Gatlabayan - British School Manila (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Adrian Guanson Soriaga - St. Jude Catholic School (2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Luke Sebastian Sy - Grace Christian College (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Raphael Adrian Galang - Manila Science High School (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

Bronze Medal

• Ervin Joshua Bautista - Southville International Schools and Colleges (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Tracy Lauren Lei - St. Jude Catholic School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Miguel Cayetano - Tuguegarao West Elementary School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Gadriel Symone Dalangin - Stonyhurst Southville International School-Malarayat (2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Anika Gayle Tan - Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Patric Xamwell Legaspi - Vel Maris School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Andrei Lenard Chan - Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Keean Nathaniel Tang - UNO High School (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Matthew Eugene Chua - British School Manila (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Lance Chrysler De Jesus - Caloocan National Science and Technology High School (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• James Martin Young - Philippine Science High School-Western Visayas (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Enzo Rafael Chan - Bayanihan Institute  (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Cassidy Kyler Tan - Davao Christian High School  (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Sean Matthew Tan - Jubilee Christian Academy (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Kristen Steffi Teh - Grace Christian College  (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

Merit Award

• Muhammad-Farouk Tan II - Silangan Elementary School  (2nd runner-up, group contest) 

• Casey Lauren Bernardo - St. Jude Catholic School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Franze Micah Castañeda - St. Jude Catholic School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Francis Rafael Flor - Silangan Elementary School (2nd runner-up, team contest) 

• Noel Stephen Dequito - Xavier School-Nuvali (1st runner-up, team contest; 2nd runner-up, group contest)

The winning students competed against over 500 participants from Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Gold medalist Wu of Victory Christian International School was very grateful of his victory citing that he dedicate this to the country.

“The contest is known as one of the most challenging high school math competitions. I knew that it was beyond my current math skills. MTG’s trust and my brother’s support convinced me to take the challenge. I never really expected to win or even just aim for a gold medal in this competition,” Wu said.

“I am beyond grateful for this unexpected sole gold medal award that I won for the Philippines,” he added. 

The Philippine team was accompanied by Brenda Nazareth-Manzano, undersecretary for Regional Operations of the Department of Science and Technology, Pasig City Schools Division Superintendent Dominico Idanan, and MTG officers Simon Chua, Isidro Aguilar, Robert Degolacion, Minerva Bianca Avecilla, Joel Edward Cardinal, Aldwin Sahirul and Renard Eric Chua during their feat.

They arrived in the country last Wednesday.

Earlier this year, Filipino students also won at the 22nd Po Leung Kuk Primary Mathematics World Contest in Hong Kong, 13th Asian Finals of the World Math-Fusion Olympiad (WMO) and 10th Global Finals of SPEAK International Competition in Malaysia, and the 15th International Mathematics Contest in Singapore.  —Rosette Adel

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