Filipino students placed third in the International Regions Mathematics League (IRML) contest held in Las Vegas, Nevada recently.

A fourth year high school student from Zamboanga was also awarded a gold medal for being the top scorer of the Philippine team in the contest which was held at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines, said the Philippine team’s score was better than last year’s performance.

“The ARML is a warm-up of Filipino students who are slated to compete in different international math contests this year,” he said.

Chua identified the Filipino gold medalist as Zheng Rong Wu, a student of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, a Chinese school.

The Philippine delegation to the Las Vegas contest was headed by team leaders Rechilda Villame and Misael Jose Fisico, and Dr. Ofelia Sison, deputy team leader.

Chua said besides Zheng, the other members of the Philippine team were Jomar Anthony Sastrillo of Siliman University, Matthew Chris Chan of St. Stephens High School, Ralph Joshua Sarrosa of Angelicum School de Iloilo, Ricci Ryan Rojo of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Hanz Vladimir Cabanes of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Maria Moper Dionaleigh Nunez of Philippine Science High School Main, Charles Kyle Mupas of Colegio San Agustin in Binan, Laguna, Dennis Ong Betito Jr. of Philippine Science High School Main, Noelle Paola Santos of Philippine Science High School Main, Geomarie Concepcion of Philippine Science High School Main, Misaki Ueki of Canossa Academy in Laguna, John Ostin Ong of Trinity High School in Bacolod City, and Ralph Henry Kimoden of Quezon City Science High School.

MTG trains and sends Filipino students to different international math competitions including the IRML.

Chua said the IRML is part of the American Regions Mathematics League (ARML) contest. The ARML contest is for American teams while the IRML is for international teams that compete in the contest.

The IRML has two categories. The on-site contest where international teams like the Philippines take the test in the United States and the correspondence contest where international teams take the contest in their home countries.

Chua said the contest has four parts: the Team Round competition, Power Question, Individual Round and the Relay Round.

The Philippine delegation arrived in the country over the weekend.