Young designers and builders shine at 12th Philippine Robotics Olympiad

MANILA, Philippines - Unlocking scientific potential at an early age goes a long way to encouraging long-term national development in the sciences. Even simple toys can be turned into an educational experience that exercises a child’s creativity and problem-solving skills.

The 12th Philippine Robotics Olympiad is one such effort: by encouraging children all over the country to utilize a building system such as Lego to create their own robotic inventions, and enter them in a number of challenges.

“The Philippine Robotics Olympiad generates early interest in science and encourages our youth to be our future scientists, engineers and inventors from all over the Philippines. The robotics program is an exciting development in education,” said Mylene Abiva, national organizer of the Philippine Robotics Olympiad.

Entries to the competition are made from the Lego building system, and are manipulated using an NXT or RCX brick, a microcomputer that serves as their “brain.” The participants also use computers to design a program to use for the robot. The robots are then programmed via Bluetooth to accomplish various tasks.

Last Sept. 2-4, a total of 62 teams participated in the Regular category, elementary level; 94 teams in the Regular category, high school Level; 16 teams in Robot Soccer; four teams in the Open category, elementary Level; nine teams for the Open category, high school level; and one team for the college level.

Teams from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges bagged first place in the Open category in both elementary and high school levels, while Marie Ernestine School and Science and Technology Education Center won first place for the Regular category in the elementary and high school levels, respectively.

They will be among the participants in the 2013 World Robot Olympiad to be held on Nov. 15-17 in Jakarta, Indonesia. A total of 30 countries are expected to participate in this competition, where the Philippine team is set to defend its title.

The following is the list of the winners, by category:

Regular category, elementary level

1. Marie Ernestine School

2. Tibagan Elementary School B

3. Science and Technology Education Center B

4. Science and Technology Education Center A

• Regular category, high school level

1. Science and Technology Education Center- Science and Technology High School 

2. Benigno S. Aquino High School B

3. Dr. Caridad C. Labe Education CentrEx Inc. A 

4. Philippine Science High School–Bicol Campus B

• Open category, elementary level 

1. Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc.

2. Grace Christian College 

3. Sto. Cristo Elementary School 

4. Mater Dei Academy

• Open category, high school level

1. Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc.

2. Grace Christian College 

3. Claret School of Quezon City 

4. Valenzuela City Science High School

The Philippine Robotics Team is supported by the Quezon City Interactive Science Center, SM North EDSA Cyberzone, Intel, McKesters, McDonalds, Shell Pilipinas, Asia Pacific College, CDO Foodsphere, Planters Development Bank, Etihad, Cebu Pacific Airlines, Lamoiyan Corp., Astrotel, and French Baker.