BACOLOD CITY: Students from two public high schools in Negros Occidental won top awards in the just-concluded 9th World Innovative Technology (WIT) Challenge held at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea. The WIT, through the competition on Nov. 2 and 3, is dedicated to nurturing the development and advancement of innovative and creative technologies among young students.
According to Philippines News Agency, Erich Joy Grande and Marciela Valdez of Ramon Torres National High School (RTNHS)-Main in Bago City took home the gold medal in the symposium category for their project, “Deploy, Discover, Declare: A Multi-Device System for Comprehensive Monitoring and Data-Driven Protection of Irrawaddy Dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in Bago City.” Lettynia Mellisze Sorongon and Jorge Nathalie Dequilla of Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School (DMLMHS) in Silay City bagged the silver medal in the same category with their robot, “AmBOT: Autonomous Marine Robot for Oil Spill Cleanup with Integrated De
salination System.” Lyn Piedad and Akysha Nicole Grande received the bronze medal for their project, “FiFee: Solar Powered Automatic Fish Feeder with Real-time Water Condition Monitoring and Response System.”
Before competing in this year’s WIT Challenge, the Grade 10 science, technology, and engineering students from Negros Occidental participated in the innovative project ideas category of the Provincial Robotics Competition: 4th Battle of Bots 2024. This competition was organized by the provincial government-run Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) and Pinoy Robot Games (PRG), as well as in the PRG’s National Robotics Competition.
NOLITC vocational school administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido stated that the success of the Negrense students highlights the growing impact of the provincial government’s robotics program on the international stage. “We are truly proud of the robotics teams from Bago and Silay who made a sweeping victory in the international competition in South
Korea,” she told the Philippine News Agency. Orbecido emphasized that the innovative project ideas category was introduced this year to inspire young Negrenses to devise solutions for community challenges. The achievements of these students, she noted, are a testament to their dedication, the guidance of their mentors, and the support from the local community.
Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo expressed his pride in the accomplishments of the students and their coaches from RTNHS, acknowledging the city government’s support in their participation in the 9th WIT Challenge. “At their young age, we see the big potential of these students. All they need is just an exposure and a break to discover that they are world-class,” he remarked.