We share in the joy of Argao student Barly Dinalo, who won a bronze medal in a math competition abroad.
He bested more than 100 elementary and high school students around the world to rank among the top 3 in the International Mathematics Wizard Challenge in Hong Kong last Aug. 9 to 12. That was no mean feat.
It’s not only Dinalo who exceeded expectations to win in the prestigious tournament. He is part of the Philippine contingent that won 12 gold, 37 silver and 80 bronze medals to rank second only to China in the competition.
Dinalo’s achievement didn’t come cheap as he and his father told the Provincial Board (PB) in last Monday’s session.
Their story is just one of many that illustrates how Filipinos overcome adversity and emerge on top.
Dinalo’s father Benedicto said they had to sell one of the family’s cows to help pay for the trip to Hong Kong because the Philippine Science National High School, where Dinalo studies, doesn’t have the funds to pay for the trip.
Their story echoes similar stories of other students in the province whose parents had to sell their carabaos, the family’s prized farm possession, just to realize the dream for their children to finish their studies or, as in Dinalo’s case, travel abroad to compete with the best young minds around the world.
And thankfully for him and his family, he didn’t disappoint.
At a time when news stories report of Cebuano youths being taken advantage of by foreign predators, Dinalo’s victory shows that there are young achievers whose triumphs need more attention.
As recounted by dyAB station manager Leo Lastimosa in his news program, the Philippine National High School in Argao was battered by the October 2013 earthquake and Supertyphoon Yolanda. One month later they had very little chance to rebuild, let alone provide adequate facilities for their students.
But like Ma. Regene Grace Caballero Palatan of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) who still managed to land in the top 16 of the country’s nursing board exams despite having transferred to temporary accommodations due to the dismantling of the city hospital, Dinalo showed that he is made of sterner stuff.
It was but a small thing for the provincial government, through the Vice Governor’s Office, to award a P9,000 cash incentive to Dinalo.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said she would also look for a way to replace the cow sold by Dinalo’s father as compensation for his sacrifice.
We hope Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, whose hometown is Argao, will improve on that generosity.