PH Students Conquer Int’l Science Contest in HK

Students of two Science High Schools in the Philippines recently toppled international opponents in the Hong Kong Students Science Project Competition (HKSSPC) held at the Hong Kong Science Park on March 10, 2018.

Neil David Cayanan and Lucia Dizon of Angeles City Science High School (ACSHS) in Pampanga were awarded first prize in the International Division for their project entitled, “Verde: An Edible Alternative to Plastic Cutlery.”

Felix Arthur Diosos and Coleen Quirim, students of Philippine Science High School-Southern Mindanao Campus (PSHS-SMC) in Davao also won first prize for their project entitled, “Pectin-carboxymethylcellulose Biocapsule for Potential Colon Targeted Oral Drug Delivery.”

Another group of students from PSHS-SMC, Harriet Elaine Limpot and Yyoni Xandria Marie Tiu, bagged the second prize in the same division for their project, “GIS-based Suitability Analysis of Possible Nesting Sites of the Pithecophaga jefferyi at Apo Forests.”

“We are thankful to our students, as well as their teachers, for bringing pride and honor to the country especially in the field of Science and Technology. Your innovations and inventions are proof that our schools do not only teach you to memorize facts and formulae, but to think critically and logically so that you will be able to analyze and provide solutions to the problems that plague our society. Our warmest congratulations,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones enthused.

Jointly organized by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the Education Bureau, and the Hong Kong Science Museum, and supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, the said competition has been one of the core government-supported programs for fostering the innovation and technology culture in Hong Kong since 1998.

On its 20th year, HKSSPC added the International Division to foster academic exchange between global and local young Science talents. With the theme “From theory to practice: Develop Science potential,” the competition enabled budding scientists to demonstrate investigative/inventive projects which shall be original, innovative, and applicable in real life.

The Philippine delegates bested their competitors from Thailand, USA, Singapore, Turkmenistan, Macau China, and other participating countries.

Two other teams from ACSHS also participated as finalists: Shaira Gozun and E’van Relle Tongol , and Francine Icban and Ana Sofia Diaz with their projects entitled “Urban Vertical Farming: An Automated Hydroponics System for Vegetable Crop Production,” and “Screening of the Anti-Quorum Sensing Property of Bioluminescent Bacteria Against Hospital-Acquired Pathogen Pseudomonas Aeruginosa,” respectively. (DepEd)