12-year-old Marawi siege survivor wins medal in HK math tilt

Filipino contestants together with their coaches show the medals and trophy they won at awarding ceremony of the 21st Po Leung Kuk Primary Mathematics World Contest in Hong Kong.  Photo by MTG

A student from Marawi City who was among those who fled the city during the deadly attack of the Maute terrorist group last year has made the country proud by winning in an international math competition in Hong Kong.

Mohammad Nur Casib of My Precious Child Learning Center in Marawi City was part of the eight-man Philippine delegation to the 21st Po Leung Kuk Primary Mathematics World Contest, held from July  16 to 20, that won one silver and two bronze medals in the individual contest and two merit awards in the team contest.

Casib and Tracy Lauren Lei of Saint Jude Catholic School, both Grade 5 students, won bronze medals while Grade 4 student Jerome Austin Te of Jubilee Christian Academy won a silver medal, according to Mathematics Trainers Guild.

It was the first international competition for the 12-year-old Casib.

Recalling their experience during the Marawi siege, Casib's father, Dr Norodin Casib, said his son "saw the burning of the chapel from the balcony of our home. He heard deafening gunfire and saw the people literally running for their lives."

The Casib family fled to Cagayan de Oro on May 24, 2017, a day after the siege started, enduring a 13-hour journey with no food and water.

"It was such a traumatic experience to him that he always  cried everytime Marawi is mentioned. Mathematically speaking, according to him, it was beyond limit," the elder Casib said..

In the team contest, Philippines Team A — Ervin Joshua Bautista of Southville International School, Maria Bernadette Landicho of Stonyhurst Southville International School-Batangas, Lei and Te — won a merit award.

Also winning a merit award is Philippines Team B composed of Neo Angelo Gatlabayan of British School Manila, Adrian Guanson Soriaga of Saint Jude Catholic School, Michael Gerard Tongson of Stonyhurst Southville International School-Malarayat and Casib. —KBK, GMA News