MANILA, Philippines--They deserve more than accolades for doing the country proud.

A total of 303 elementary and high school students have brought honor to the country by winning over 450 medals in more than a dozen international mathematics and science competitions in 2009.

For their exemplary achievement, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) awarded them medals and installed them in its ?roster of honorable young men and women.?

The DOST?s YES medal, short for Youth Excellence in Science, signifies ?high regard for excellence and competitiveness through the distinguished achievements of young Filipinos in international science and math contests.?

The young achievers, mostly from private schools in Metro Manila, were feted in simple rites recently at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City.

DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro called the math and science wizards an ?overflowing deluge of hope for the Philippines.?

?Our generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers are slowly taking the backseat to give way to fresher faces, fresher ideas who could sustain the gains we have achieved in the science community,? Alabastro said.

The bountiful medal haul came from international competitions, including the 5th Singapore International Math Contest, 8th China Girls Math Olympiad, China Junior High School Math Olympiad, 10th World Youth Invitational Inter-Cities Math Competition in South Africa, Wizards at Math International Competition in India, China Primary Math Olympiad, 1st Robotics International Competition in Hawaii, International Math & Science Olympiad in Indonesia, 3rd International Earth Science Olympiad in Taiwan and the 5th International Junior Science Olympiad in South Korea, among others.

The math aces capped the year by topping the 2009 Philippine International Math Competitions in November 2009 with a harvest of 100 medals, including 24 golds.

Most of the DOST honorees were wards of Mathematics Trainers? Guild-Philippines, a nonstock, nonprofit organization headed by Dr. Simon Chua.

St. Jude school tops

The group, which aims to promote excellence in math education and training, hosted the Philippine competitions.

St. Jude Catholic School in Manila topped the list of medal winners, with a total of 87 medals, including 28 golds.

The Philippine Science High School in Quezon City came in second with 71 medals, followed by Grace Christian College, also in Quezon City, with 33 medals.

Other schools which won numerous medals were Chiang Kai Shek College, with 26 medals; Xavier School, 24; St. Paul College-Pasig and San Beda College-Alabang with 23 medals each; St. Stephen?s High School, 20; Quezon City Science High School, 15; Jubilee Christian Academy and Paref-Southridge School, both with 14 medals; UNO High School, 13; Gideon Academy, 8; and Colegio San Agustin-Makati, British School-Manila and Philippine Institute of Quezon City, all with 7 medals each.

Multiple medal winners

Among the multiple medal winners were John Russell Virata from Gideon Academy; Vance Eldric Go, Arielle Elise Chua, Austin Eldrich Chua, Martin Lewis Koa, Wilford Jason Julio, Carmela Antoinette Lao, Czarina Angela Lao, Seanne Daphne Ng, Adrian Reginald Sy, Andrew Lawrence Sy, Keith Brian Yu, Abigail Sy and Mikaela Angela Uy, all students of the St. Jude Catholic School.

Justin Edric Yturzaeta, Benson Tan, Audrey Celine Lao and Jason Allan Tan, all from Jubilee Christian Academy; Adrian Raphael Co from British School-Manila; Kate Andrea Bonamy and Gisel Ong, both from Grace Christian College; Henry Jefferson Morco, Andrew Brandon Ong and Aldric Cristoval Reyes, all from Chiang Kai Shek College.

Ana Karenina Batungbakal, Kenneth Co, Amiel Sy, Elvis Jeremy Ayroso, Isaiah Paolo Lee and Joelle Sophia Peña, all from Philippine Science High School; Geraldine Baniqued and Reine Jiana Reynoso, both from St. Paul College-Pasig; James Daniel Cordon and Angelo Gabriel Llamas, both from Paref-Southridge School.

Alvin Uy-Lim and Aaron Christopher Agtarap, both from Quezon City High School; Matthew Chris Chan, John Thomas Chuatak, Julius Vincent Sy, Sterling Alvin Tiu and Dielle Tio, all from St. Stephen?s High School; Jason Joseph Fernandez and Casey Oliver Turingan, both from San Beda College-Alabang; Samuel Christian Ong and Daniel Christian Ong, both from UNO High School; Aljan Balbuena from Tenement Elementary School; and Marquis Alexandre Tan, Nathaniel Ryan Ang and Matthew Brendon Go, all from Xavier School.

Last year, a total of 215 students were awarded YES medals by the DOST.

Dr. Ester Ogena, director of DOST?s Science Education Institute, said the agency was ?ready to support the students should they decide to advance their knowledge in science and technology.?

DOST supports about 3,500 students taking up science and technology-related courses in college.