At about the same time the members of the Powerade-Team Pilipinas led by coach Yeng Guiao were sweating it out in their games in the 25th FIBA Asia World Championship in Tianjin, China, our country's young mathematicians faced their counterparts from China, Hongkong, Macau, Singapore and Taiwan for the 2009 China Junior High School Math Olympiad held on August 5 to 9, and the 2009 China Primary Math Olympiad for elementary pupils last August 9 to 13.
Of the country's 46 student-participants in the primary level from among the 37 Mathematics Trainers' Guild (MTG) centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, two (2) are Boholanas: twelve-year old AJ Wincielou Johanna "Cielo" Araoarao Gabin and 10-year-old Eloisa Jean "Jean" Sarmiento Remoreras. Both are products of the MTG - Bohol Center under Dr. Jose Caberte and Omar Remendado. Like the other qualifiers and alternates from the other MTG centers in the country, the two young Boholanas have been selected based on their consistent impressive performance during the training programs.
Upon arrival, Cielo and Jean were fascinated with the system at the Beijing Capital Airport. Together they admired and appreciated the blend of the eastern and western cultural influences evident in the city's edifices. The two had been roommates in the boarding house in Marikina City when they attended the April 15 to May 15, 2009 intensive math training from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at the DEECO Technological Institute in Pasig City, together with Silliman University's Anchelle Grace Ho and Katrina Alexandra Renacia, who fortunately, also qualified for the international competition.
Gabin, a Grade 6 pupil of Holy Spirit School (HSS) when she first joined the MTG training program sessions last school year and now a first year HS student of Tagbilaran City Science High School (TCSHS), is the only child of Engr. Jerome John, Senior Trade and Industry Development Specialist of the Department of Trade and Industry - Bohol and Fiel Angeli, City Information Officer of the City Government of Tagbilaran. Remoreras, on the other hand, currently a Grade 5 pupil of the Victoriano D. Tirol - Advanced Learning Center (VDT-ALC), is the eldest child of Engr. Emerito, a civil engineer working in a firm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Josefina, a University of Bohol - College of nursing clinical instructor, who was also with the Philippine delegation.
While in China, they had the chance to visit Beijing's new "wonders" - the world-famous Bird's Nest, the National Stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games designed by Herzog and de Meuron and "The Egg," the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), literally, the National Grand Theatre, designed by French architect Paul Andreu. Of course, Beijing tour would not be complete without the visit to the Tiananmen Square ("Gate of Heavenly Peace") initially constructed during the Ming Dynasty in 1368 A.D.- 1644 A.D. But, even with the presence of the other magnificent sites, the Great Wall of China ("Wan-Li Qang-Qeng" or "Chángchéng," literally "long city or fortress") remains to be the top tourist destination. Built over 2,000 years ago by Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China during the Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty in 221 B.C - 206 B.C., popular beliefs ranging from "Ripley's Believe It or Not!'s" cartoons from 1930s, claimed that the Great Wall is "the mightiest work of man, the only one that would be visible to the human eye from the moon."
In terms of urban population, Tianjin (Chinese: ??; pinyin: Tianjin; postal map spelling: Tientsin), is the sixth largest city of the People's Republic of China. In urban land area, it is ranked the fifth largest in China, after Beijing,Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. By administration, it is one of the four established municipalities (1927) that have provincial-level status, reporting directly to the central government.
August 11 was marked as the most crucial day - examination day. The participants hurdled the individual contests, soduko and group relay contests which challenged their mathematical ability and enhanced their giftedness. Thanks to coaches Man Fai Anthony Ang, MTG public information officer; Dr. Archie Rodriguez and Lowela Mupas who conditioned the participants to prepare for all those grueling exercises.
Finally, August 12 was the day of reckoning. The 46 Filipino young mathematicians, together with their coaches, parents and other traveling companions, gathered at the Tianjin Yaohua Binhai School auditorium. After, the announcements were made, everyone in the Philippine delegation rejoiced for the 6 second place winners and 40 third place winners. Cielo and Jean also had their share of the third place honors in their respective individual categories. Months of laborious efforts and intensive training in math reaped good harvest afterall, as the country collected a total of 89 medals.
According to Dr. Simon Chua, MTG president, its student-trainees have won over 1,300 medals in various foreign math contests for the past 14 years. This November, MTG-Philippines will host the 2009 International Math Competition in Iloilo City. Senator Alan Peter Cayatano is the honorary chair of MTG. - the Bohol Chronicle
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Topic: Bohol Kids Win China Math Olympiad (Read 1546 times)