The Imagine Cup Philippine Local Finals was held during the 15th of April, 2015 at the Blue Leaf Filipinas, Aseana City, Paranaque, Philippines where the (11) eleven national finalist teams competed for the coveted first place title for each Imagine Cup categories in order to advance to the regional or Asia Pacific Region round to the hopes of representing our country in the world finals at Seattle, Washington, USA this coming July.
The national finalist teams went on a head to head competition against one another during the first half of the day, where closed door presentations commenced with this year’s national finals judges namely Paul Pajo from Smart Devnet, Gabriel Villorente from the UPITDC, Goldy Yancha from IdeaSpace and Markku Kero from Eqela.
After the private presentation with the esteemed judges, the teams went onto the next phase- the hands-on judging, where they were given the chance to showcase their innovative projects and as well as experience it in person. The area was then opened to the general public where guests were given the privilege to know the ideas our national teams has to offer.
Team Recupera for Innovation Category comprised of members Renz Paolo M. Abergos, David John D. Ricafort, Maria Luisa J. Sebastian, and Edwill Dave N. Tan from De La Salle University with their project Recupera
Team Yondu Fondu for Games Category comprised of members John Miguel Abejero, CJ Nicole Francisco, Ma. Alissandra Louise Ong, and Heidi Tibunsay from De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde with their project entitled Change
Team Project Sing for the World Citizenship Category comprised of members Charles Justin Lim, and Sean Andrew Rafanan from Ateneo de Manila University with their app Project Sing!
Team Studio Soil for Games Category with their Project Sprout comprised of members Patricia Marie Alonzo & Juan Miguel Maningo of De La Salle College of St. Benilde and Krystel Lizzette & Justin Chester Valdez of University of the Philippines Manila
Team Mane for Games Category comprised of members Franz Buenaventura, Earl Go-Aco III, Kevin Lee IV, and Giselle Que from De La Salle University – Manila with their project Tadhana
Team Spectres Solutions for the World Citizenship Category comprised of members Therence John Resabal, Allen Moses Marzan, Ahmed Masahud, and Sheila Renei Gomez from De La Salle – College of St. Benilde with their project Our Voice
Team Outbox for the World Citizenship Category comprised of members Mark Ian Castillo, Kristian Catahan & Marcus Malabag from De La Salle University – Manila, and Kirby Vera Cruz from De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde with their project Outbox
Team GNIUS for games category comprised of members by Victor John Castillo, Mark Yves Bruce, Fumiya Azuma, and Margeline Faye Ramirez from Lyceum of the Philippines University – Cavite
Team Atomo for innovation category comprised of members Alvine Garcia Aurelio from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Philip Roimon Domingo from Far Eastern University, Bryan Anthony Garcia from Adamson University, and Yvette Watson from Treston International College for their project Talisik
Imagine Cup 2015 Philippine Local Finals Awarding Ceremony
Before the day ends, everyone gathered at the event ballroom where awarding ceremonies was held. It was hosted by Microsoft Philippines’ Audience Marketing Manager for Developer Experience, Mr. John Paul Sibug. He kicked off the event by presenting the Imagine Cup 2014 World Finals video to the attendees.
Mr. Joel Garcia, the Developer Experience and Evangelism Lead of Microsoft Philippines gave the opening remarks telling that he’s extremely humbled by the student tech innovations released that day. He looks forward to see the increase in number of participants for Imagine Cup in the next five years and closed his speech by leaving a heartfelt message to the national finalists telling that they already won in the hearts of many.
Prior to the announcement of special awardees, certificates were awarded to the members of each national finalist teams on stage.
The hands-on judging that morning was also an opportunity for the judges to hand pick the special awardees. The winners are as follows:
Best Booth: Project Sing
Team Project Sing won the prize Coloud Headset from Microsoft Philippines
EduPro’s Choice Award, Games Category: Studio Soil
EduPro’s Choice Award, Innovation Category: Recupera
EduPro’s Choice Award, World Citizenship Category: Project Sing!
The EduPro’s Choice Award winners won free training vouchers from EduPro
Before the final announcement, it was a privilege for everyone to have the Deputy Executive Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Mr. Monchito Ibrahim gracing the event for an inspirational talk. He shared his enthusiasm and congratulated this year’s mentors and student teams. He was also able to recognize other students who joined last year and expressed that he was inspired by everything he saw that day, most especially the ideas of the Filipino tech students.
He also mentioned about his hope that there’s going to be an idea from the Philippines that will disrupt the global market one day. It was then followed by a question that’s on point and relevant to today’s innovative generation: “be disrupted or be the one to disrupt?” Furthermore, he left a message to the young innovators, that creating ideas is about making real solutions to real life problems. His hopes are high towards these bright minds towards winning big in Seattle. That no matter what happens, continue and make it happen.
Then the moment we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived.
Meet the Imagine Cup Philippines 2015 Victors
Games Category: Team Studio Soil for their project Sprout, a game that teaches the value of environmentalism
Innovation Category: Team Recupera for their project of gamification for physical therapy
World Citizenship: Project Sing! for their project on making good music. Project Sing! also clinched a spot in the Top 10 (Worldwide ranking) for the Pitch Video Challenge 2015 earlier this year.
Congratulations to this year’s national finalist teams for a job well done! You have proven today that Filipinos too can make great innovation at a world-class caliber. Best of luck to the three teams who will advance to the next phase: the Regionals. They will be competing against the best teams in the Asia-Pacific Region with high hopes that all these teams will reach the finish line at the World Finals in Seattle, Washington, USA this July.
Microsoft Philippines Academic Team 