MANILA: Raphael Dylan Dalida,12-year-old son of an OFW, led his fellow Filipino elementary students in bagging nine medals and awards at the recent 19th Po Leung Kuk Primary Mathematics World Contest (PMWC) held in Hong Kong.
Dalida, of St. Mary’s Academy-Pasay won a gold medal for the country by getting a perfect score in the contest, held from July 12 to 16, reported InterAksyon.
Dalida, the son of an Overseas Filipino Worker based in Croatia, reportedly said he did not expect to win as the questions were hard.
Winner of a silver medal was Filbert Ephraim Wu of MGC New Life Christian Academy in Taguig.
Bronze medalists were Evgeny Cruz of Palanan Elementary School in Makati, Enzo Raphael Chan of Bayanihan Institute in Tarlac, Chiara Bernadette Tan-Gatue of St Jude Catholic School in Manila, Kristen Steffi Teh of Grace Christian College in Quezon City and Cassidy Kyler Tan of Davao Christian High School in Davao City, said the news portal.
In the team contest, Philippine Team B, composed of Dalida, Tan, Wu and Sean Matthew Tan of Jubilee Christian Academy, bagged second runner-up while Philippine Team A, composed of Cruz, Matthew Charles Carpio of Agoo Kiddie Special School, Noel Stephen Dequito of Xavier School-Nuvali and Ethan Cedric Jao of St. Jude Catholic School, took home a merit award. The other Filipino contestant is Erin Christen Noceda of Special Education Center for the Gifted, the report highlighted.
The Philippine delegation was reportedly accompanied by team leaders Dr. Simon Chua, Renard Eric Chua and Robert Degolacion, all of the Mathematics Trainers Guild (MTG)-Philippines; and deputy team leaders Vincent Charles Go of MTG and Ma. Christina Ilaw of the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.
Dalida reportedly said he was not expecting to get a perfect score in the contest. In the individual round, contestants had to solve 15 questions in 90 minutes or just 6 minutes per question.
He was quoted as saying that he was in tears when he learned of the results. “I cried and I was really happy. It was indescribable,” said Dalida, whose father is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Croatia.
Dalida, who has been training under the MTG since 2014, said he dedicates his award “to God, my parents, MTG, my school, and everyone who supported me.”
Countries and territories that took part in the contest are the United States, Australia, South Africa, Bulgaria, China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, reported InterAksyon.
