UP Cebu students Hackathon champs

CEBU, Philippines — For designing an app that could help people manage waste, students from the University of the Philippines-Cebu won as champion in the 2024 Cebu Interschool Hackathon competition last Friday at the Cebu City Hall Executive Building.

Team DEBMAC which consists of Wince B. dela Fuente, Refino Kashi Kyle Estudillo, and Lizter Angelo Abrau won the competition with their innovative app SmartCycle.

According to the UP Computer Science Guild, SmartCycle is a smart waste management platform featuring garbage truck scheduling, live garbage truck tracking, and a Smart AI waste helper.

“This app ultimately addresses the problem of waste management and improper waste disposal,” they said.

Dela Fuente, a third-year Computer Science student, said they made the SmartCycle App in about eight hours during the competition.

“It feels great especially since napildi mi sa same competition last year and now na-redeem namo amo selves,” said Dela Fuente, who is also Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay South Poblacion, City of Naga.

The team received ?30,000 as prize. Silliman University from Dumaguete City won second place with ?18,000; and Cebu Technological University won ?10,000 at third place.

According to the Cebu IT BPM. Organization (CIB.O) 20 teams from various schools across the region competed in the hackathon they organized in partnership with the Cebu City government through the offices of Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and Councilor Jaypee Labella. Other event partners were the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Talleco/Job Target, Lexmark Research and Development Corporation, and FPT Software.

The competition challenged the teams to address pressing issues in categories like health, traffic management, education, environment, and community development. Each team then had 12 hours to develop and present their proposed apps and Smart City solutions to a panel of judges, comprised of industry leaders, tech experts, and academic professionals.

“Events like the Cebu Interschool Hackathon are crucial in cultivating the next generation of tech innovators. We are excited to see what creative solutions these young minds will bring to the table," said Labella, chairman of the ICT Committee of the Cebu City Council.

“We believe in the power of youth and their potential to drive technological advancements. The Cebu Interschool Hackathon is a testament to our commitment to nurturing young talent and encouraging a culture of innovation," said CIB.O trustee Darwin John Moises, also chairman of the upcoming CIB.O Transformation Summit and Expo.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia delivered the opening inspirational message saying: “The Cebu Interschool Hackathon was more than just a competition; it is an opportunity for students to network with peers, learn from industry veterans, and gain hands-on experience in software development, project management, and teamwork.”

CIB.O Executive Director Buddy Villasis said this event is part of Cebu's celebration of National ICT Month 2024 this June to be highlighted by the Transformation Summit, the annual signature event for the ITBPM industry, which will be held at the Marco Polo Plaza on June 28.

“We are grateful for the highly-valuable enthusiasm of the Cebu City government and the academe in being one with us in fostering our Triple Helix collaboration in developing local talents and promoting Cebu's ITBPM industry,” Villasis added. — (FREEMAN)