MANILA, Philippines?Young Filipino math wizards made the country proud again by winning a total of 31 medals and 11 merit certificates in the just-concluded Korea International Mathematics Competition (KIMC) in Incheon.

The math wizards, wards of the non-government Mathematics Trainers' Guild-Philippines, bagged two gold, one silver and 28 bronze medals in the 26-nation competition, according to Dr. Simon Chua, MTG president and head of the Philippine delegation.

That was good enough for a respectable fifth-place finish in the tough contest topped by powerhouse China, followed by Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong, said Chua in an e-mail to the INQUIRER early Thursday morning.

The country's gold medals were won in the team competition by Philippine elementary Team A, composed of the following students: Jason Joseph Fernandez from San Beda College-Alabang; Kaye Janelle Yao from Grace Christian College; Ma. Czarina Angela Lao and Vince Benedict Sy, both from St. Jude Catholic School; and Team B members Andrew Brandon Ong from Chiang Kai Shek College; Austin Edrich Chua from St. Jude Catholic School; Nathaniel Joshua Balete from Philippine Institute of Quezon City; and Raymond Joshua Fadri from San Beda College-Alabang.

All eight students also won individual bronze medals. Their teams also bagged bronze medals in the group contest.

The silver medal came courtesy of high school Team A, composed of Janssen Lawrence Chan from St. Jude Catholic School; Michelin Ang from Philippine Institute of Quezon City; Camille Tyrene Dee from Immaculate Conception Academy-Greenhills; and Sarah Jane Cua from Pangasinan Universal Institute.

Dee and Cua also won individual bronze medals while Chan and Ang each got merit certificates.

The other individual bronze medalists were Vance Eldric Go, Mikaela Angelina Uy and Audrey Celine Lao, all from St. Jude Catholic School; Kenneth Co and Michael Brodeth, both from Philippine Science High School-Main; Justin Edric Yturzaeta from Jubilee Christian Academy; Brandon Matthew Go from Xavier School; Miguel Lorenzo Ildesa from PAREF Westridge School; and Shawn Gabriele Cabanes from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School.

The other bronze medals were won by elementary Teams C and D and high school Teams B, C and D in the team contest; and elementary Team D and high school Team D in the group competition.

The following students, meanwhile, took home merit certificates: Magin Benedict Ferrer from the Philippine Science High School-West Visayas; Sedrick Scott Keh from Xavier School, Gen Mark Tanno from Southville International School; Miguel Luis Rivera from PSHS-Main; Aldrich Aldwin Mayoralgo from Xavier School; Julius Vincent Sy from St. Stephen's High School; Hubert Yao from Iloilo Commercial Central School; Michelin Ang from Philippine Institute of Quezon City; Janssen Lawrence Chan and Keefe Colin Tan, both St. Jude Catholic School; and Neil Jordan Chua Goy from Grace Christian College.

Chua commended the Philippine team members for making their respective schools and country proud with their achievements.

"Once again, the exemplary performance of our young math wizards reaffirms the fact that they rank among the world's best," Chua said.

Other Philippine delegation officials included, among others, Rechilda Villame, Eduardo dela Cruz, Robert Degolacion, Joseph Wee, and Manuel Kotah.

Math wizards from China plucked a total of 47 gold medals in the contest, followed by contestants from Indonesia (22), Thailand (21), and Taiwan (13).

Math teams from India, Nigeria and Zimbabwe went home without a single medal.

Other countries which took part in the competition included Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Iran, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates.

Many of the Filipino medalists were among the country's representatives to the 2009 Philippine International Mathematics Competition, held late 2009 in Iloilo City.

With a 100-medal haul, the Philippine topped the contest, followed by Thailand and Taiwan with 48 and 47 medals, respectively.

Early this month, the Philippines bagged 11 medals in the 13 Primary Mathematics World Contest and put the country on second place in the 14-nation competition, won by Taiwan.

The Filipino numbers aces tied their counterparts from China in the annual contest.

Three other MTG wards?Carmela Antoinette Lao from St. Jude Catholic School, Henry Jefferson Morco from Chiang Kai Shek College and Zheng Rong Wu from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School?won the bronze medal and honorable mentions, respectively, in the 51st International Mathematical Olympiad, held two weeks ago in Kazakhstan.