About 3,000 young mathematics prodigies from public and private schools across the country will vie for slots in math teams that will represent the Philippines in several global competitions this year.
The mathematically-gifted students are currently undergoing special training on algebra, geometry and problem-solving techniques, among other numbers topics conducted by the Mathematics Trainers' Guild Phils. (MTG).
The NGO, which has been mentoring young math wizards since 1995, is holding the 12 Saturdays Math Challenge for Filipino Kids Training Program in its 60-plus centers nationwide. Eleven centers are based in Metro Manila while 33 are in Luzon, 15 in the Visayas and 7 in Mindanao.
The program, which is covered by a July 2012 agreement between the Department of Education and MTG, aims to further develop the students' math skills to be at par with international standards.
It also sought to provide math-inclined learners in public schools the same math training with their counterparts in private schools.
Former DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro had said students "will be given a chance to further enhance their math skills through a series of intensive training to optimize their full potential."
Those who passed the qualifying examinations "shall be eligible to enrol as trainees in the 12 Saturdays program where they can earn the chance to take part in international math contests."
The competitions lined up for Philippine math teams this year include the following: Po Leung Kuk Primary Math Contest and World Math Olympiad, both in Hong Kong; India International Math Competition; International Math Competition Singapore; Asia Math Olympiad in South Korea; International Math Challenge in Indonesia; International Math Open for Young Achievers, also in Singapore; Australian Math Competition; International Math and Science Olympiad in China and the Global Hope Peak Challenge in Macau, among others.
Last year, MTG-trained teams won over 300 medals from various contests abroad, bringing their five-year medal haul to 6,857.
Even during the recent pandemic, the Filipino math wizards wrapped up the Covid years on a high note, garnering a total of 1,007 gold, 1,655 silver and 2,826 bronze medals in several virtual math tilts.
MTG head Dr. Simon Chua said they are confident of the skills of the students especially after their notable performance in the previous years.
"We hope they will continue to make the nation, as well as their respective schools and families proud by taking home more medals from math tilts abroad," he added.
Like Chua, MTG team leaders Isidro Aguilar, Robert Degolacion, Manuel Kotah, Arvie Ubarro, Renard Eric Chua and Aldwin Sahirul hope and pray "2025 will be another year of triumphs for Filipino math wizards."