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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Math experts vow to promote math education, training in public and private schools

Math experts vow to promote math education, training in public and private schools

Published Jan 18, 2026 05:29 pm

The Mathematics Trainers' Guild Philippines (MTG) will continue promoting math education and training in both public and private schools across the country
So said top MTG officials in their native Chavacano dialect: "primero uno na nuestro lista."
"It’s No. 1 on our list of priorities. We have been adhering to the same principle since the mid-1990s. It will be the same this year," stressed MTG head Dr. Simon Chua.
Chua cited MTG's successful hosting last December of the 2024 World Mathematics and Challenge (WMSC) in their hometown Zamboanga City.
"That's big deal for us because it placed our very own Zamboanga in Mindanao on the world mathematics map despite reports of natural calamities that hit parts of the Southern Philippines," he asserted.
Delegations from various nations took part in the WMSC while four others attended as observers.
The contest, MTG president Isidro Aguilar observed, "turned out to be a huge success like its counterpart in Bohol in 2005, Naga City in 2011, Taguig in 2013 and Davao City in 2017, among other MTG events.
The host Philippines topped the contest with 50 individual contest medals and 48 other team honors.
Other MTG officers said WMSC provided a platform to explore diverse cultures, exchange math initiatives and cultivate natural talents through competitive experiences.
"Overall, it fostered its goal of advancing a worldwide community of learners and educators dedicated to advancing math and science education," Joseph Wee, Manuel Kotah and Robert Degolacion added.
In 2025, there's another objective reached by MTG, Chua mentioned.
"Filipino math aces continued their winning streak abroad," he said.
Last year, MTG-trained students hauled over 375 medals, including 90 golds, 114 silvers and 145 bronzes in more than 15 foreign contests and territories like Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Filipino teams, on several occasions, also placed among the Top 3 or 5 overall finishers along with traditional math powerhouses.
Another noteworthy development was the Philippine math aces emerging as top scorers in the annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC).
"Our mathletes have been doing very well in the AMC. But in 2025, they did not only duplicate but improved on their impressive showing in the 2024 edition of the contest," Chua said.
Two years ago, nearly 700 Filipino students were among the top AMC scorers. In 2025, seven students got Priza Awards which placed them in the Top 1% of their year level while 38 others secured High Distinction Awards for being in the Top 3% of their year level.
Another 234 students received Distinction Awards, given to those in the Top 20% of their year level. 466 others got Credit Awards for being in the Top 55% of the Primary Division and Top 60 of the Secondary Division.
Meanwhile, 467 others got Proficiency Certificates for demonstrating compliance in math problem solving.
Chua referred to AMC as "one of the biggest and most challenging math adventures in the world."
He pointed out that so far, at least 17 MTG-mentored students have aced the AMC by garnering perfect scores in the event.
They all received Peter O'Halloran Awards, named in honor of the AMC founding executive director.
In another development, hundreds if not thousands of students nationwide are set to take the MTG's "12 Saturdays" math workshop in its 60-plus training centers across the country.
They would later vie for slots in MTG's team qualifiers and national contingents competing in tilts abroad.
MTG officers wished them a prolonged spell of good luck and success in their math-related undertakings.
"Dios te bendiga," said Chua as he greeted future MTG aces with God's blessings as he also advised them to strive for excellence all the time.

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