24 Metro schools join robotics tilt

Imagine robots playing a game that is a combination of football and basketball.

Some 24 high schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces will join Tagisang Robotics (Robotics Competition), the first ever varsity-type robotics contest in the country, the Science Education Institute (SEI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) announced in a recent statement.

“Imagine robot versions of the Philippine Azkals scooping up … balls to score as other robots try to block their attempts,” it said.

DOST-SEI has teamed up with Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center for the robotic sports event, which will be held in September.

The participants, however, started working on their entries last Thursday.

Dubbed “Sikaran 2011,” the entries in the event will play a game that is a combination of football and basketball, two of the most popular games in the country.

The teams that score the highest number of goals by sending a watermelon or melon into their opponents’ goal will be declared the winners.

Fortunato T. de la Peña, DoST undersecretary, said they hope to spark a fire among high school students to “imagine, create and innovate.”

“The potential is here. What we need is a spark to start the wildfire in the hearts of our students and keep them ablaze until they reach college and pursue a science career,” De la Peña added.

Even if the competition is just a “game,” students are expected to learn a lot from the experience, Dr. Filma G. Brawner, director of DoST-SEI. said.

The best team, the school with the highest score at the end of the qualifying matches, will take home P100,000 in cash, a trophy and a gold medal while the coach will receive P30,000.

The best alliance—a team composed of three participants from different schools—will get a P150,000 cash prize, P30,000 for the coach plus a trophy and a silver medal.