Makati joins world robot tilt

TWO MAKATI PUBLIC schools represented the Philippines in the Fifth World Robot Olympiad (WRO) in Yokohoma, Japan, Nov. 1-2.

The Nemesio I Yabut Elementary School (NIYES) and the Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino High School (BNAHS) emerged as grand winners in the elementary and the high school division, respectively, in the Seventh Philippine Robotics Olympiad (PRO).

The NIYES is the only elementary school that represented the country in the regular category after bagging first and second places in the PRO.

The BNAHS, on the other hand, joined the Faith High School in Batangas and the Philippine Science High School-Bicol Region in the open category.

The two teams of the NIYES, composed of Grade VI pupils, got the highest combined scores in the “Running Base” event among the elementary finalists, which earned them the right to represent the country in the WRO.

The NIYES, declared grand winner in the PRO, is composed of Christian Vanson, Clark Aarez Vidal, and Mark Wendell Ching, first place winners; and Ruth Denise Angat, Justine Paul Perenia, and Patricia May Tabojara second place winners.

This is the third time that the NIYES represented the Philippines in the WRO. In 2005 and in 2007, the NIYES represented the country in the WRO in Thailand and in Taiwan, respectively.

Declared as the grand winner in the open category-high school level for its “Benignian’s Way of Solving Global Warming,” the BNAHS competed for the first time in the WRO.

The BNAHS was composed of Mark Daniel Ching, Monard Bien Mendoza, and Mark Christopher Melo.

The teams from the two Makati public schools were accompanied by their trainers, Mr Roy Cabebe, Mr Edwin Engana, and Mr Norman Talavera.

Since the start of the WRO in 2004, Makati public schools have been representing the Philippines.

In 2005, the Makati Science High School Robotics Team grabbed the Best Presentation Award in the science fiction open category in Bangkok, Thailand, which was preceded by a fourth place win in the WRO in Singapore.

The Division of City Schools of Makati has included the robotics program in the curriculum of the city’s nine public high schools and selected elementary schools.

The inclusion aims to empower the youth of Makati to keep up with the rapid advancements in technology and its wide range of applications.