The growing popularity in the country of the number-placement puzzle game “Sudoku” got a further boost as SM Supermalls and the Manila Bulletin inked an agreement with the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG) for the holding of the nationwide 5th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge this year.

Ms. Millie Dizon, SM Supermalls vice president for marketing communications, and Dr. Simon Chua, MTG president, signed an agreement last March 19 for the holding of the regional eliminations and national finals of the contest in selected SM Supermalls all over the country.

Likewise, Ms. Paciencia Pineda, executive vice president for advertising of the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., signed an agreement with MTG to formalize Manila Bulletin’s support to the contest. Manila Bulletin will publish Sudoku puzzles in connection with the contest.

“We are very thankful to SM Supermalls for their continued support and to the Manila Bulletin for being our new partner in this nationwide contest to popularize sudoku in the country,” said Dr. Chua, the first Filipino to receive the Paul Erdos Award in Mathematics.

The regional eliminations for this year’ contest will be held at SM Supermalls in Cagayan de Oro, Dasmarinas in Cavite, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Baguio, Cebu, Pampanga, Iloilo, Lucena, Baliwag, Bacolod, Lipa in Batangas, Rosales in Pangasinan, Tarlac, Davao, Naga and Marikina. The grand finals will be held at SM City North Edsa Annex.

Since the first Philippine sudoku contest was held in 2006, the Philippines has produced world champions. Sarah Jane Cua, 15, who was again crowned early this year as the country’s sudoku grandmaster, bagged the grand prize in the Brand’s Sudoku Challenge 2008 Asia Pacific Open held in Singapore.

Last year, John Robert Valcos, a student of St. Mary’s College of Baliuag in Bulacan, and Cua were declared champion and first runner-up, respectively, in the 3rd Brand’s Sudoku Thailand International Open 2009 Princess Somsawali Cup held in Bangkok.