The Philippines Wins Medals At The 53rd International Mathematical Olympiad

MANILA, Philippines — Once again, young Filipino math wizards brought honor and recognition to the Philippines when they won two bronze medals and an honorable mention in the recent 53rd International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) which was held on July 4-16, 2012, in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Kenneth Tan Co of the Philippine Science High School-Diliman, who was also in last year’s IMO where he obtained 12 points, and Mikaela Angeline Uy of Saint Jude Catholic School, a first timer in the IMO, scored 14 points each and took home their individual bronze medals. Henry Jefferson Co Morco of Chang Kai Shek College, a bronze medalist in last year’s IMO, obtained 13 points and secured an honorable mention.

The Philippine delegation was composed of the three winners of the 14th Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO) co-organized by the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (SEI-DOST) and the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP). They were guided by Team Leader Dr. Julius M. Basilia and Deputy Team Leader Dr. Job A. Nable, both of MSP. This year, the Philippines ranked 73rd out of the 100 countries that competed at the 53rd IMO. This year’s performance ties that of 1991, which ranks as the second highest haul of medals in our history. SEI Director Dr. Filma G. Brawner congratulated the students for again doing well in the highly competitive Mathematics Olympiad.

The IMO is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held annually in a different country every year. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with participants from seven countries. It has expanded to over 100 countries that send teams of up to six students, plus a team leader, deputy leader, and observers. The content ranges from extremely difficult precalculus problems to problems on branches of mathematics not conventionally covered in school, such as projective and complex geometry, functional equations, and well-grounded number theory.

We greet the winners of the 53rd Internationational Mathematical Olympiad Kenneth Tan Co, Mikaela Angeline Uy, and Henry Jefferson Co Morco guided by Team Leader Dr. Julius M. Basilia and Deputy Team Leader Dr. Job A. Nable. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!