Taguig student wins gold in math contest

Farrell Eldrian Wu, a Grade 5 student of MGC New Life Christian Academy in Taguig City, has won the Philippines’ lone gold medal in the just-concluded 14th Primary Mathematics World Contest in Hong Kong.

The 11-year-old Wu—the youngest member of the 16-member Philippine math team—also took home a silver medal in the competition.

The country’s math team also bagged four more silver and four bronze medals as well as two merit awards in the annual contest sponsored by the 131-year-old Po Leung Kuk, Hong Kong’s oldest social service organization.

Dr. Simon Chua, president of the non-government Mathematics Trainers’ Guild-Philippines who headed the country’s delegation to the event, relayed the good news to the Inquirer Sunday morning. Fifteen nations joined the contest with the finals held on Saturday.

In an e-mail, Chua said the country’s silver medalists were Andrew Lawrence Sy of St. Jude Catholic School, Claude Wesley Ang of Chiang Kai Shek College, Jasper John Segismundo of Pasig Catholic College and Gen Mark Tanno of Southville International School.

Andrea Jaba, also of St. Jude Catholic School; Juan Mario Esplana of Elizabeth Seton School-south; and Jimuel Lara of UP Integrated School also brought home bronze medals for the Philippines.

In the team competition, Philippines Team A—composed of Frederick Matthew Corpuz of Colegio San Agustin-Makati, Sedrick Scott Keh of Xavier School, Andrew Brandon Ong of Chiang Kai Shek College and Jaba—bagged the bronze medal.

On the other hand, Philippines Team D composed of Wu, Ang, Sy and Ethan Zachary Chua from Xavier School won two merit awards.