Cebuanos dominate

High school and college students in Cebu won most of the awards in the 2013 Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits that carried the theme “Inventions and Innovations for Smarter Philippines.”

This was announced by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), which organized the event together with Technology Application and Promotion Institute and the Visayas Inventors Association last Sept. 21 at the Ayala Activity Center Cebu.

The contest was divided into four categories: Sibol – High School (Student Creative Research), Sibol – College (Student Creative Research), Likha (Creative Research) and Invention.

Ten out of 30 entries from the different schools in Central Visayas were declared the winners.

For the high school category, the team of Kent Ocampo, Steffy Jell Largo and Caitlin Faye Novales of Minglanilla National Science High School (MNSHS) won first place for their entry “Postprandial anti-hyperglycemic effect of an Alkaloid from Tinospora rumphii;” followed by the group of Kristine Mae Amandoron, Emily Jane Merin, Cyd Kristoff Redelosa of Philippine Science High School at second for their entry “Starch-Based bioplastic film incorporated with ZnO Nanorods against microbial attack”; and Valerie Tesing, Maria Fatima Tan and Michael Angelo Obeso of MNSHS at third for their research entitled “A model of high-pressure atomizer for increased evaporation rate.”

For the college category, winners include: Calvin Alfred Caduhada, Bea Alfeche, Cristine Pontiniela, Cassandra Giselle Gaas, Ellah Jane Abay-abay, Acetylene Bolotaolo and Charisse Chua of the Cebu Institute of Technology University for their research “Extraction and purification of bromelain from pineapple peelings using PEG-Phosphate Aqueous two-phase system” (first place); Dinah Belle Abong, Esther Ann Nacita, Marc Daniel Nisperos, Kim Sarong, Daniel Sarte, Quennie Fritzie Toralde and Pretty Villar from Silliman University for “Antibacterial activity of epidermal mucus from scarus species” (second place); and Joseph Joel Guardiario, Chong Min Park, Junver Libor and Joshua Nepomuceno from the University of San Carlos for “Power hand-drill kart” (third place).

The winners in Likha category were “Sustainable and Resilient Emerging/Floating Structure” by Cris Cyril Abbu and Myla Gador of Kora Design and Architects (first place), “Rice D51 circulating rice dryer with gravity inlet and outlet distribution and multi-fuel system” by Noro Camomot (second place) and “Sustainable and resilient collapsible-knockdown structure” by Cris Cyril Abbu and Myla Gador of Kora Design and Architects (third place).

For the Invention category, the entry of Pedro H. Delantar from Nature’s Legacy entitled “Molded coarse particle product with cast paper-based reinforcement” was the lone winner.

The first place winners in the first three categories received P20,000 cash, while the winner in the invention category pocketed P25,000. Both will automatically qualify for the national invention contest.

The second to third places got P10,000 and P5,000 respectively.

The next regional invention contest and exhibits (RICE) will be held in 2015. For details, visit the DOST website at www.ro7.dost.gov.ph.