Taguig students bag trophies from int’l robotics competition

Meet boxing champ Manny Pacquiao and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps — in robot versions.

A group of young students from Taguig public schools successfully won two awards from the recent 2017 FIRA RoboWorld Cup held at National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology in Kaohsiung, Taiwan — the first international robotics contest they ever joined — after they successfully made a robot that knocked out another, and another one float in water.

The Taguig Robotics Team composed of Madelle Diez, Philip Leonard Diez, John David Golenia, Pierre Alan Romir Pioquid, Aron Sean Michael Pioquid from Sen. Renato Compañero Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School (SRCCMSTHS); and Samuel Tabernero from Kapt. Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School (KERIS); brought home gold and silver awards from the Cliffhanger and Mission Impossible categories, respectively, of the event that ran from Aug. 23 to 27, 2017.

The team took part in the “sumobot-like” competition called the Cliffhanger category, where they were tasked to build a robot that had to knock out its opponent out of the Dohyo or Cliffhanger ring without touching the obstacle placed at the center.

In the Mission Impossible category, the team was given three hours to build and program an 8.5 by 11.0 inches robot with the use of limited materials such as styrofoams, popsicle sticks, BBQ sticks, glue stick, microcontrollers, DC motors, paper cups, distance and ultrasonic sensors.

The robot should then be able to float while following a line path placed underwater, and finally hook a treasure chest placed at the other side.

According to Pierre Pioquid, the whole team had to undergo a “very lengthy” preparation that includes a series of seminars in designing, programming and rebuilding their robots, in order to compete in the international level.

“We didn’t expect to win especially when we learned what countries we were competing against. When we arrived [at the competition], we were intimidated and shocked with the other competitors’ robots, because ours only looked like a metal that had a motor and batteries,” Aron Pioquid said.

According to the students, some of the opposing teams came from Taiwan, China, South Korea, Iran and Malaysia, and made robots created from boards that were built and customized by the foreign students themselves, things the Philippine team didn’t have the luxury to do, since they could only afford to buy ready-made boards for their machines.

Even then, Philip Diez said they decided to persevere and continue hoping for the best, since this was the first time that they had the honor to represent not only the city of Taguig, but the entire Philippines.

“Not letting other people who are supporting us down became another motivation, because they are the important factor behind our success — the reason why there is a Taguig Robotics Team,” Pierre added.

Head Coach of Taguig Robotics Team Mrs. Sheryl Tabernero also noted that the passion and interest of members of the Taguig Robotics Team — the very reasons they are part of the team in the first place — made them perform way better than they ever imagined.

She also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the city government, which she said always supports the various academic endeavors of Taguigeño students.

In this case, the local government of Taguig shouldered all the expenses of the participants, from their plane tickets to their hotel accommodation in Taiwan.

“Rest assured that the local government will never get tired of assisting our Taguigeño students so in return, I’m asking you kids to continue to dream big and think big for our beloved city of Taguig,” Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said.

Last month, seventeen (17) public school students won medals and were recognized in the 13th International Mathematics Contest held in Singapore, while another 52 were awarded for their achievements in the International Mathematics Open for Young Achievers (IMOYA) held in Singapore from September 1 to 4.

The back-to-back achievements of Taguig students take place in an environment where education is given much premium. The Taguig government offers free education in its own Taguig City University.

In addition, students from the 36 public schools in the city receive free school supplies before the start of each school year.

In July, the allowances of scholars in the city’s scholarship programs — Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need (LANI) and Taguig Learners’ Certificate (TLC) — also saw an increase.

Because of its big investment in education, Taguig City claimed the top spot in the National Achievement Test (NAT) for the elementary and high school levels for two consecutive years, in 2014 and 2015. In 2014, Taguig also ranked first in the Big Schools Cluster while in 2015, the city was the overall No. 1, both in the Grade 6 and 4th-year levels, in the National Capital Region. ###

FILIPINO VERSION

Mga estudyante ng Taguig wagi sa pandaigdigang robotics competition

Ating tunghayan sina boxing champ Manny Pacquiao at Olympic swimmer na si Michael Phelps—sa kanilang mga robot version.

Isang grupo ng mga kabataang estudyante mula sa mga pampublikong eskwelahan sa Taguig City ang matagumpay na nag-uwi ng dalawang gantimpala mula sa kagaganap lamang na 2017 FIRA RoboWorld Cup na ginawa sa National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology sa Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Ang RoboWorld Cup ay ang kaunaunahang international robotics contest na sinalihan ng mga estudyanteng taga-Taguig. Bumuo ang mga estudyante ng dalawang robot kung saan ang isa ay nagpatumba sa kalaban nito habang ang isa ay lumutang sa tubig.

Ang Taguig Robotics Team ay kinabibilangan nina Madelle Diez, Philip Leonard Diez, John David Golenia, Pierre Alan Romir Pioquid, Aron Sean Michael Pioquid, pawang mula sa Sen. Renato Compañero Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School (SRCCMSTHS); at Samuel Tabernero mula sa Kapt. Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School (KERIS). Sila ay magkakasunod na nag-uwi ng gold at silver awards mula sa Cliffhanger and Mission Impossible categories.

Ang patimpalak sa laban ng mga robot ay nagsimula noong Aug. 23 at tumagal hanggang Aug. 27, 2017.

Ang mga grupo ng estudyante ay lumahok sa “sumobot-like” sa laban na kung tawagin ay Cliffhanger category. Ito ay laban kung saan ang mga kalahok ay magsisimulang magbuo ng isang robot na may kakayanang patumbahin o ma-knock out ang katunggali nito sa loob ng Dohyo o Cliffhanger nang hindi dumidikit sa mga patibong na nakalagay sa sentro ng ring.

Sa Mission Impossible category naman, ang mga grupo ay bibigyan ng tatlong oras upang makabuo ng isang 8.5 by 11.0 inches na robot at i-programa ito gamit lamang ang mga limitadong kagamitan kagaya ng styrofoams, popsicle sticks, BBQ sticks, glue stick, microcontrollers, DC motors, paper cups, distance and ultrasonic sensors.

Ang mabubuo nilang robot ay dapat na may kakayanang lumangoy, lumutang at sumunod sa isang line path na nakapwesto sa ilalim ng tubig upang mabingwit nito ang isang treasure chest.

Ayon kay Pierre Pioquid, ang bawat grupo ay dapat na sumailalim ng mahabang proseso ng paghahanda kasama na rito ang mga seminar sa pagdi-disenyo, pag-programa at pagbuo ng kanilang robots, upang makapasok sa pandaigdigang level ng kumpetisyon.

“Hindi namin inaasahan na makakamit namin ang gold at silver lalo na nung malaman namin kung anong mga bansa ang kasali. Nung dumating kami sa aktwal na venue, medyo nagulat kami sa mga gamit na robot ng mga kalaban dahil yung itsura ng dala namin ay pawang mga ilang piraso lamang ng bakal, motor at baterya,” wika ni Aron Pioquid.

Ayon sa mga estudyante, ang mga ibang kalahok ay nagmula pa sa Taiwan, China, South Korea, Iran at Malaysia, at ang mga dala nilang mga robot ay yari sa mga customized at mamahaling mga piyesa. Samantalang sa Pilipinas ay hindi ganun kamamahal subalit palaban ang mga gumawa ng disenyo.

Ayon naman kay Philip Diez, determinado at desidido sila na manalo sa laban dahil ito ang kaunaunahang laro sa robot na kanilang sinalihan na magbibigay karangalan sa Pilipinas at sa lungsod ng Taguig na kanilang kinabibilangan.

“Ayaw naming biguin ang mga taong nagbibigay suporta sa amin kaya kami desidido, yan ang importanteng motivation kaya nagkaroon at nabuo ang Taguig Robotics Team,” wika pa ni Pierre.

Ayon naman kay Mrs. Sheryl Tabernero, head coach ng Taguig Robotics Team, ang angking interes at pangarap ng mga kabataang ito ang nagdala sa kanila na magtagumpay.

Dagdag pa ni Tabernero na nagagalak ang buong grupo ng Taguig Robotics Team sa pamahalaang lokal ng Taguig sa patuloy na suporta sa iba’t-ibang programa na sinasalihan ng mga estudyanteng Taguigeño.

Sa patimpalak na ito sa Taiwan, sinagot ng pamahalaang Lungsod ng Taguig ang suportang pinansyal ng mga kalahok na estudyante mula sa tiket ng eroplano hanggang sa hotel accommodation sa Taiwan.

Ayon naman kay Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, masaya ang city government sa nakamit na tagumpay ng Taguig Robotics Team at inaasahan pa ang mas malawak na programa para lalong mapalawig ang kaalaman ng mga estudyante sa pagbuo at pagkonsepto ng mga robot.

“Asahan po ninyo na hindi magsasawa ang pamahalaang Lungsod ng Taguig na tulungan ang mga estudyanteng taga-Taguig upang lalong makilala ang kagalingan ng Taguigeño sa ibang bansa. Patuloy nating abutin ang pangarap,” saad pa ni Mayor Lani.

Nitong nakaraang buwan ay 17 na mga estudyante mula sa public school ng Taguig ang nag-uwi ng mga medalya sa ginanap na 13th International Mathematics Contest sa Singapore. Bukod pa rito, meron ding 52 na nabigyan ng award para sa kanilang achievements sa Mathematics Open for Young Achievers (IMOYA) sa Singapore mula September 1 to 4.

Ang back-to-back na tagumpay na ito ay nakamit matapos pagtuunan ng pansin ng pamahalaan ang pagbibigay ng sapat na pondo para sa edukasyon at programang pangkaalaman. Isa ang Taguig government sa malugod na nagbibigay ng libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo sa Taguig City University.

Sa kabila pa nito, ang mga estudyante sa 36 public schools ay nakakatanggap ng libreng school supplies bago magbukas ang eskwela taun-taon.

Noong July, ang allowances ng scholars sa city’s scholarship programs—Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need (LANI) at Taguig Learners’ Certificate (TLC)—ay itinaas upang mas malaking suporta ang makuha ng mga nag-aaral.

Dahil sa malaking investment na ito, nakuha ng Taguig City ang top spot sa National Achievement Test (NAT) para sa elementary at high school level ng dalawang magkakasunod na taon, 2014 at 2015.

Noong 2014 naman, ang Taguig ay nanguna sa Big Schools Cluster habang noong 2015 ay overall No. 1 sa Grade 6 at 4th year levels, sa buong National Capital Region. ###