Philippines to compete in 1st online Int'l Math Olympiad

The Philippines will be competing in the first ever online International Math Olympiad.

In a statement, the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP) announced that the national team will participate in the 61st IMO, which was originally scheduled in July in St. Petersburg, Russia, but pushed through a first-ever online competition due to travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Philippine representatives will include:

1. Immanuel Josiah Balete from St. Stephen's High School
2. Sarji Elijah Bona from De La Salle University Integrated School Manila/Palawan Hope Christian School
3. Raphael Dylan Dalida from Philippine Science High School Main Campus
4. Vincent Dela Cruz from Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science
5. Andres Rico Gonzales III from De La Salle University Integrated School Manila
6. Bryce Ainsley Sanchez from Grace Christian College

The online international competition will be held worldwide on September 19-28, 2020. 

Team Leader Christian Paul Chan Shio from Ateneo de Manila University, and Deputy Team Leader Carlo Francisco Adajar from the University of the Philippines Diliman will be mentoring the national bets.

The national bets were selected at the end of the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Camp (MOSC), a rigorous training program serving as selection phase among the national finalists and winners of the Philippine Mathematical Olympiad (PMO).

The MOSC was also done online in the past months.

The six national team members were victorious at the first-ever Cyberspace Mathematical Competition (CMC) held online last July 13 and 14 organized by the American Mathematics Competitions that served as preparatory test for the team. Dalida, Dela Cruz, Gonzales III, and Sanchez clinched bronze medals while Balete received an Honorable Mention.

Sanchez, Balete, and Gonzales III last year won bronze medals each at the IMO where the Philippines also ranked 31st out of 112 countries. — LA, GMA News