The Philippines held its first Virtual Robotics Challenge amidst lockdown via teleconferencing, with Owen Justin Gocheco of Quezon City Christian Academy winning first place.
The country is the first World Robotic Olympiad member to successfully host such a competition with over 1,500 viewers from as far as Italy, USA, and Canada who watched the live broadcast on the iCreate Cafe Manila Facebook page.
The Virtual Robotics Challenge was held last April 30, 2020, with participants staying at home due to the community quarantine.
Learners applied their problem solving, creative critical thinking, computer programming, and engineering skills on the theme “Climate Squad”.
The challenge for the learners was to program their virtual robots to bring emergency supplies to a village hit by a severe typhoon with no electricity and navigate through the virtual playing field. Missions accomplished by the virtual robot were given specific points.
No remote control was used and participants were given virtual robotics training before the competition began.
Owen Justin Gocheco from Quezon City Christian Academy won first place on the 1st Philippines Virtual Robotic Challenge.
Since participants and winners cannot receive their trophies and certificates for the meantime, they were given a virtual certificate of participation and winners were awarded virtual trophies.
The physical certificates and trophies will be given to participants and winners during the 19th Philippine Robotics Olympiad Awarding Ceremonies scheduled for October 2020.
Mylene Abiva, President/CEO of iCreate Cafe Manila and FELTA Multi-Media Inc. and the lead organizer of the competition confirmed that the Philippines is the first to successfully hold such a robotics competition amidst lockdown. “And we know that Virtual Robotics will continue to be part of the New Evolution Technology in schools even after home-stay quarantine,” Abiva added.
The Philippine Robotics National Team of Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc. (DYCI) in Bulacan created LEGO automated robot alcohol dispensers to help people with proper handwashing techniques while in the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.
Good News Pilipinas young advocate Agnes Hannah Balibay used Minecraft to build hospitals and to give tips on what you should do to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
WATCH the winning robotics entry here and SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Owen Justin Gocheco from Quezon City Christian Academy and the team behind the 1st Philippine Virtual Robotics Challenge!
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