Innovators will see more support from big players in the field of science, technology, and innovation as the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) has signed a memorandum of agreement with Honda Cars Philippines Inc (HCPI), C&E Publishing Inc (CEPI), and Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) in the 6th edition of the imake.wemake:create.innovate.collaborate science competition.
The signing ceremony, held on March 13 at the Sequoia Hotel-Manila Bay in Parañaque City, kicks off this year’s events for the imake.wemake competition, which is making its in-person comeback after two years of virtual runs.
The imake.wemake innovation competition empowers schools and universities to build communities of learners who also value resource and knowledge sharing, as well as a dynamic and collaborative approach towards creating solutions.
Through the partnership, 20 finalists of the imake.wemake competition will have the chance to receive the C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions (ALS) Innovation Award, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation Young Scientist Award, and three Youth Innovation Prize awards, each with a P200,000 cash grant courtesy of HCPI. This would be after a build period of about 90 days allotted for finalists to design, build, and complete their working prototype, including test deployment in their chosen community.
DOST-SEI Director Dr. Josette T. Biyo expressed her gratitude to the partners investing in young Filipino innovators. “I believe that through our partnership, more opportunities will be opened, and more young people will be primed to become scientists and innovators—creating and collaborating for a better future,” she said.
HCPI vice president Atty. Louie Soriano congratulated DOST-SEI for the continuous success of the imake.wemake competition, and affirms its oneness with the advocacy of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the country.
“Honda Cars is honored to be a part of the imake.wemake program. What you are doing here truly resonates with us. As the students use their creative energies and smart ideas to craft solutions to many of society’s problems, Honda, the Power of Dreams, is unwavering about greater value through superior safety and environmental performance. We appreciate how this program promotes the application of science and technology in creating solutions and pursuing big dreams,” Soriano said.
Asela V. Javier, CEPI business development and product marketing senior manager, was on hand to deliver CEPI COO John Emyl Eugenio’s message of support and gratitude. Graciela E. Mendoza of GBF, which has been DOST-SEI’s partner in the competition since 2021, also graced the event and honored the young Filipino innovators’ role in forwarding innovation and boosting the country’s human resource capital in S&T.
After the signing ceremony, the top 20 school teams from all over the Philippines also began their first day in the 6th imake.wemake “Bootcamp: Interfacing with the Arduino Platform and Electronics.”
This year’s run of the imake.wemake received a total of 89 project proposals from public and private high schools nationwide—the biggest number of proposals since its debut in 2017.
This year’s finalists
The finalists for the 6th imake.wemake are:
o Alabel National Science High School-Regional Science High School for Region XII
“Project Hamowg: Automated atmospheric potable water generator from fog, cool, and warm air”
o Alaminos City National High School
“Automated drying and quality controlling system for rice varieties”
o Babag National High School
“Corned: Communication offline response network during emergency disasters”
o Bansud National High School-Regional Science High School for Mimaropa
“Poxifier: An assistive medical screening device for selected skin diseases using machine learning ensemble embedded in a mobile application”
o Cavite Science Integrated School
“Project Kalinga: Geolocation estimation of forest activities using triangulation and sound classification”
o General Santos City National High School
“Barangay automated medicine machine: A solar-powered dispensing device for barangay health centers”
o Iligan City National High School
“Pyre-Ranger: A hybrid eco-friendly and power-sufficient portable incinerator for personal protective gears and plastics”
o Jose Panganiban National High School
“Triton: Underwater drone for detection and removal of Crown-of-Thorns starfish”
o Kidapawan City National High School
“Sagipmoko: Emergency search and rescue robot”
o La Consolacion College Bacolod
“Project Mhaya (Maintenance and harvest automation using YOLO algorithm): A solar-powered hydroponic mushroom farming device”
o Lala National High School
“Automated calamansi harvesting robot”
o Luis Palad Integrated High School
“Deep Learning ALPS: An ensemble model device for the detection of rice blast disease (Magnaporthe oryzae) and rice field soil amendments with SMS alert reporting system”
o Mamali National High School
“School-based four-wheeled cellphone-controlled firefighting robot”
o Narvacan National Central High School
“Go, Grow, Glow: Green tech aquaponics”
o Philippine Science High School-Calabarzon
“Samgiop: Development of an IoT-based sensory device for the monitoring of leaf damage and abiotic factors in cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) using Raspberry Pi”
o Polangui General Comprehensive High School
“Prototype Arduino-programmed Agribot”
o Tabalong National High School
“Project Appra (Automatic pick and place robotic arm with the combination of EV3 and Arduino)”
o Tanauan City Integrated High School
“Project Hexads: Automated IoT-based intelligent capturing and rearing device for endangered sardinella tawilis (Herre, 1927) conservation in ex situ captivity”
o University of Saint Louis-Tuguegarao
“Project Flame: Flood alert monitoring and eco-conscious vessel powered by Arduino system”
o Vinzons Pilot High School
“E-quia: Remotely operated electrostatic collector of microplastics and other pollutants in freshwater environments” (Story and photos courtesy of HCPI and DOST-SEI Media Relations)
Captions:
Shown, from left, Biyo, Soriano, Javier, and Mendoza
The competition finalists with DOST-SEI, HCPI, CEPI, and GBF officials on the 1st day of boot camp.