20/07/2025
๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ || ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐โ๐๐๐๐
From constantly pressing the buttons on a scientific calculator to confronting real-world problems, senior BS Mathematics students from the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) stepped into the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMS) at the University of the Philippines Los Baรฑos (UPLB), alongside interns from another state university, Laguna State Polytechnic UniversityโSta. Cruz Campus, for a four-week internship journeyโbringing theory to life through real-life experiences.
The internship program ran from June 16 to July 18, 2025, and required a total of 200 hours of work experience. This opportunity was made possible through the dedication of IMSโUPLB Director, Dr. Editha C. Jose, and facilitated by the Head of Research & Extension Programs Section, Dr. Allen L. Nazareno, along with the Coordinator of the Research & Extension Programs Section, Prof. Jonathan B. Mamplata; Head of the Computing Section, Dr. Jeric S. Alcala; and other faculty members of the IMSโUPLB that served as supervisors of the interns.
As the interns embarked on their journey to experience the world beyond numbers and equations, they immersed themselves in various workshops, including:
โข Python Programming, led by Assistant Prof. Gimelle B. GamillaโAmorosa;
โข Mathematical Modelling, led by Dr. Mark Jayson V. Cortez;
โข Predictive Analytics and Forecasting, led by Asst. Prof. Jonathan Mamplata; and
โข Data Visualization and Reporting, led by Assistant Prof. Emerson Rico.
These workshops allowed them to discover, learn, and experience a wide range of emotions.
๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐จ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก
Going to an unprecedented area allowed individuals to stir up a spectrum of emotion. Most of them felt the mix of nervousness and excitement for the new experience that awaited them.
Mr. Jovencio Galupo III, one of the interns, expressed his initial thoughts: โKaba, (kasi) siyempre UP na โyonโisang prestigious school dito sa Pilipinas. Kinabahan at natakot ako.โ
โBaka mataas โyung standards nila at โdi ko maabot ang expectations nila sa โmin. And excitement, kasi pakiramdam ko it opens a new door for opportunityโto explore new knowledge and experiences sa ibang school or workplace,โ he added.
But contrary to their worries, some fears turned out to be far from intimidating.
โPero during the internship, ang babait pala ng mga supervisorโvery accommodating, as in wala na talaga kaming masabi,โ Mr. Robert John Vetonio, another BS Math intern, confessed.
In every expression of fear, thrill, or quiet determination, the interns learned: sometimes, itโs not the numbers that matterโbut the courage to face whatโs unknown.
๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ก๐ง๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฅ
Even before their internship officially began, challenges had already started to appear. Just like taking an exam with a scientific calculator, keep getting a syntax error in a fast-paced and heightened emotional state.
โAn [mga] challenges namon na na-encounter before the internshipโkay an amon mga requirements. Kadamo kasi san need namon ig-comply para matuloy la kami,โ explained Mr. Vetonio. โAlso, the financial problem,โ he added.
During the program, they encountered some personal and technical hurdles. They had to navigate an unfamiliar environment, adapt to new tools, and face challenges outside the routine they're used to following.
"During the internship, una ay kailangan namin mag-adjust sa environment dun," Mr. John Renzo Brase, a fellow intern, expressed.
"Then yung mga task is yung iba ay bago pa lang sa amin and kailangan gamitan ng machine learning kaya kailangan naming matuto ng mga bagong techniques [sa machine learning] at mag-adjust sa mga bagong task... overwhelming siya sa una pero kinakaya naman," as he went on reliving his experience in the internship program.
Yet, no challenge proved too difficult when tackled together. Through guidance and camaraderie, they learned to debug more than just a code.
"I cope with those problems po by seeking guidance sa aming supervisor, learning from resources, at staying organized. Para magawa ko yung task effectively and also with the help of my co-interns and supervisor," Mr. Brase explained.
Despite all the setbacks and doubts, life will always need to move forward, and it is crucial to know how to solve every decimal of problems being faced, because at the end of it, they will be able to find a new lesson in life to carry forward.
๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ก๐ง
Throughout the journey, it's not all about learning new systems, machines, or mathematical tools; the most profound lessons were something personal.
"For me, is huwag matakot mag take risk lalo na kung para sa sarili mo naman ito at para sa iyong pag-grow," Mr. Vetonio emphasized. "Also, huwag matakot na magkamali dahil part ito ng progress," he noted further.
"One valuable lesson I gained is โyung importansya ng adaptability at continuous learning; natuto akong maging open sa mga challenges, learn from failures, at stay curious and proactive in expanding my skills and knowledge," Mr. Brase expressed.
Their experience taught them that in life, just like in math, errors are inevitable. But those very errors bring discovery.
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ก๐ฆ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐
Metaphors ran deep in the minds of math students who saw their internship journey as more than a school requirement, hence it became a visual representation of growth:
"Para sakin, I would describe my internship as a limit because it helped me see how much I can still grow and improve. Just like in math, a limit is something you keep getting closer to. Maybe Iโm not there yet, but I keep learning and getting better, one step at a time," Mr. Vetonio said.
"Sig**o ma dedescribe ko siya as a tangent line na once la nag touched sa curve or it has a single point. So same lang ito to my internship journey na it was a once in a lifetime experience na kahit papa'no nagkaroon ng significant role sa ako life para mas mag-grow ak," Mr. Galupo said.
Meanwhile, some see this as a sort of direction.
"Ma-de-describe ko โyung internship experience (ko) as convergence of vectors, kasi yung various skills, knowledge, experiences I gained ay pinopoint ako sa direction na nakakapagresulta ng (matibay na) pundasyon sa aking future career," Mr. Brase expounded.
But for the SIPP Coordinator of Mathematics Department, Mrs. Bea Pedamato, who was among the students who also went to UPLB, "Ini nga opportunity nga makapag internship sa UPLB is extremely valuable and meaningful for our students," she expressed.
"Overall, this internship experience not only sharpens their knowledge and skills but also broadens their perspective, builds their network, and prepares them for the demands of their future careers as mathematicians, data analysts, educators, or researchers," Coord. Pedamato concluded.
As their four-week internship capped off with a closing ceremony, where they awarded certificates and were given a chance to present their hard-earned outputs, UEP BS Math interns did not just walk away from the grounds of IMS-UPLB; they will carry more than just the technical knowledge, but with renewed confidence in their ability to adapt, overcome adversities, and thrive.
In the language of math, growth is not always found in numbers and equations; sometimes it lies in the limit you test, the slope you trace, and the lessons you graph into your life. โณ
Words by Niรฑo Balawang | The Modem
