How a math contest opens a wider world for young students
On a January morning in Bali, three students from Bataraza, Palawan sat down for a pen-and-paper exam that would put them alongside some of the strongest young math minds in the region.
By the end of the Southeast Asian Mathematical Olympiad X (SEAMO X) Global Round, Kenji Millare, Rhexia Xylazine Sumanoy, and Kristina Margaux Taleon had earned Merit Awards—an achievement that marked their first time representing the Philippines on an international stage.
The trio, students of Leonides S. Virata Memorial School (LSVMS), competed against more than 1,500 delegates from 22 countries during SEAMO X’s 10th edition, held Jan. 16 to Jan. 19. For schools outside major urban centers, getting this far already meant breaking past familiar limits.
Their route to Bali began months earlier with the SEAMO 2025 Online Round, where they tested their skills against participants from around 150 schools nationwide. All three secured bronze medals in that qualifying stage, earning spots in the global round and a chance to take on problems that go beyond memorization or speed.
SEAMO X uses problems that aren’t the usual plug-and-solve type. You have to read closely, set up your approach, and work it out from scratch. The exam is done the old-school way, on paper, with no shortcuts.
Back in Bataraza, preparation meant squeezing in practice after classes and working closely with coaches Angel Llabores, Annie Gangoso, and Madel Ompad. Training focused less on drilling formulas and more on learning how to break down unfamiliar problems step by step. It was a steady process, built into regular school days rather than special camps.
“As an administrator, I am deeply proud and honored by this achievement,” said LSVMS principal Marilou Madalogdog, noting the students’ win reflects years of work beyond the classroom.
“This accomplishment is a source of pride for the entire LSVMS community,” she added.
The trip itself brought its own lessons. Competing abroad meant adjusting to a new environment, managing nerves, and sharing spaces with students from different countries who all spoke the same language of numbers. The awards ceremony came after days of exams and activities, a calm close to an intense weekend.
When the students returned home, classes resumed as usual. But the experience had widened their view of what school competitions can lead to. From a town often seen as distant from national centers, a math contest became a way to step into a larger academic world—and come back with proof that they belong there.
