National MTAP Challenge winners named; 53 finalists from 34 schools

Fifty-three of the country’s top young math geniuses competed during the national finals of the 2015 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC) on March 14, 2015 at the Metrobank Plaza Auditorium in Makati City.

Out of more than 500,000 students who joined the elimination round and the 1,200 students who competed in the regional finals nationwide, 53 students successfully met the “hurdle rate” in their scores leading them to advance to the final leg of the competition.

 

Grade 6 and 4th Year high school students competed in two categories—individual and team orals. The challenge consists of solving complex mathematical problems within 15 seconds using mental calculation and another round of 30-second and one-minute questions using pen and paper calculation.

 

The competition maximized the use of social media. Math questionnaires during the competition were posted and shared online and real-time via the Facebook page of the program engaging social media users while the competition is ongoing. Tablet computers were used by the national finalists in giving their answers. This innovation made MMC one of the first mathematics competitions in the Philippines to use electronic gadgets in the conduct of its competition.

 

This year’s national finalists come from 34 schools composed of 18 public and 16 private schools. Out of the 34 schools, 19 are first-time national qualifiers:
 

 

Steven Reyes of St. Jude Catholic School (City of Manila) was the first placer in the Grade 6 Individual Competition, while Angelo Vince Perez of De La Salle Lipa and Aiman Andrei Kue of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (Zamboanga City), were second and third placers, respectively.

 

For the Grade 6 Team Competition, Richmond Louie Lim and Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Grace Christian College (Quezon City) were the first placers. Guillermo Andres Refina and Marcus Gene Ancheta of San Beda College-Rizal placed second and Trisha Daphney Lim and Lance Xavier Castro of Philippine Christian Gospel School (Cebu City) were at the third spot.

 

For the 4th Year Individual Competition, Ezekiel Christian Ong of Uno High School (City of Manila) was the first placer, while Highryll CJ Tan of Statefields School, Inc. (Bacoor City) was at second spot, and Gene Go, Jr. of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (Zamboanga City) took the third spot.

 

For the 4th Year Team Competition, Jan Reggie Dela Cruz and Jade Kathleen Yu of Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science were first placers, while Sherlyn Calangian and Alberto Siton, Jr. of Batasan Hills National High School (Quezon City) were second placers, and Bert Joseph Prestoza and Paul Jeremiah Naraval of BHC Educational Institution, Inc. (San Fernando City, La Union) placed third.

 

Winners were awarded by Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV and Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro, who also delivered inspirational messages before the young audience; Metrobank Foundation president Aniceto Sobrepeña, Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) President Sr. Illuminada C. Coronel, First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC) First Vice President and Group Head of Strategic Support Atty. Nimfa Pastrana; and Metrobank Foundation executive vice president Elvira Ong-Chan.

 

National winners received trophies, medals, and cash prizes of P25,000 for the 1st placer, P20,000 for the 2nd placer, and P15,000 for the 3rd placer for the elementary level while P50,000 for the 1st placer, P40,000 for the 2nd placer and P30,000 for the 3rd placer for the fourth year level amounting to a total of P540,000 worth of cash prize. Half of the cash prize received by the winners has allowed them to open an account through the Metrobank Fun Savers Club, a special savings account designed for kids 17 years and below.

 

Now on its 14th year, the annual math competition is organized by the Metrobank Foundation, Inc., the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP); and the Department of Education (DepEd), in cooperation with First Metro Investment Corporation (FMIC). Itemhound, Switch, Quantum, and Primer Group also served as partners.

The annual Math Challenge produces national winners who get to compete and eventually win in international competitions.

To name a few are Adrian Reginald Sy, 2011 MMC 1st placer Grade 6 Individual Category and Farrell Eldrian Wu, 2012 MMC 1st placer Grade 6 Individual Category, who reaped silver and bronze medals, respectively during the 55th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Cape Town, South Africa. Carmela S. Lao, 1st placer of the 2011 MMC 4th Year Individual Category, also reaped a silver medal during the 51st International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), becoming the first Filipina silver medalist.

 

Recently, MMC took home an Award of Merit in the 2014 Philippine Quill Awards given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines for its math tutorial program entitled “Operation MATHew”. The program addressed underperforming Grade 5 students in selected schools by engaging past MMC winners who served as peer tutors and mentors in learning sessions spanning seven (7) Saturdays.  — Metrobank Foundation news release