27 countries join RP international math contest

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of math whiz kids from 27 countries are expected to arrive in the country to participate in the Philippine International Mathematics Competition (PIMC) which will be held in Iloilo City from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.

Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines, said that the Philippines was all set to host the tournament that is seen to bring more than 1,000 people from 26 other countries to Iloilo City.

“We are ready to welcome the contestants and their coaches to the contest,” said Chua, whose group had also trained the Filipino math whiz kids for the tournament.

The MTG is organizing the international math contest along with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the DOST Science Education Institute.

The PIMC, touted as one of the biggest math competitions in Southeast Asia, will draw participants from China, South Korea, Singapore, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Netherlands, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

With the huge number of participants, Chua said that they were grateful to companies and individuals who had come to their aid in organizing the international event namely Ayala Foundation, Shell Philippines, GMA Network, and Phoenix Publishing in cooperation with SHARP Calculators, SM, Coca-Cola, Saint Jude Catholic School and parents, Pilot pens, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Iloilo, Mr. and Mrs. Alfredo Lao and family, Ambassador Alfredo Yao (special Philippine envoy for tourism) and Mr. and Mrs. Rito Carlos and Sarah Peña.

The PIMC will have two major contests: the 2009 Philippine Elementary Mathematics International Contest (PEMIC) and the 2009 Asia Inter-Cities Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad (AITMO).

Three all-Filipino contests will also be held simultaneously. These are the Parallel National Mathematics Competition, MTG-Sharp Math Trail Competition and the MTG-Sharp Whiz Kid Challenge. – Rainier Allan Ronda