VSU team bags Championship at Abanteknolohiya 3.0 Technology Pitching

A team of #ProudViscan students were hailed champions in the Abanteknolohiya 3.0 Industry-Academe Fireside Chat and Technology Pitching (Student Category) at the RDE Hall of the Visayas State University (VSU) main campus on April 16, 2026.

Rising Above Challenges Through Teamwork

Behind the team’s winning pitch lies a story of perseverance shaped by individual and collective challenges. Preparation for the regional competition was far from straightforward, as members had to juggle academic responsibilities, logistical constraints, and personal hurdles.

John Clyde Kaindoy and Geoffrey Alan Noble, were both on a BSME Power Plant tour in Cagayan de Oro. Thus, they faced significant time and resource limitations as they were preparing for the regional competition. Despite being away, they maximized their evenings after daily tour activities to collaborate remotely, sacrificing rest to ensure their presentation and poster met competition standards.

At the same time, Michael Simon Dela Cruz (BSME) , the team’s presenter, confronted a deeply personal challenge—his fear of public speaking. The competition marked his first major experience presenting before a distinguished panel. Drawing strength from the team’s trust in him, he chose to face his fears head on. What began as anxiety transformed into a focused and confident delivery, becoming one of the defining moments of their victory.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Rc Guevarra, a B.S. in Computer Science student and the team’s lead for data gathering and artificial intelligence, navigated the difficulty of sourcing reliable and high-quality economic data. By going beyond conventional references and conducting extensive research through government databases, he was able to build a cohesive and evidence-based dataset that strengthened the credibility of their technology pitch. He attributed his success in data gathering to his home department, the Faculty of Computing.

Discipline, Growth, Vision

As a group, the team identified coordination as their greatest challenge. With members working from different locations and under varying constraints, maintaining effective communication required discipline and commitment.

Despite the geographical fragmentation and the pressure of tight timelines, the team remained steadfast in fulfilling their respective roles. Their shared determination to succeed enabled them to overcome both logistical gaps and personal apprehensions, ultimately transforming these challenges into strengths.

For the team, winning the championship was more than a recognition of technical excellence—it was a testament to their growth.

“It is a very profound honor to carry the university’s name for that particular competition,” Guevarra said in an interview, reflecting on their achievement. Altogether, they highlighted how witnessing one of their members overcome his fear of public speaking became a victory in itself, symbolizing the team’s collective progress.

Following their success, the team is now focused on refining their project. The technology they presented also serves as the undergraduate thesis of several members, making the next phase of development even more crucial.

They are currently integrating feedback from the panel of experts to enhance their system’s technical aspects in preparation for their thesis defense. With a clear vision ahead, the team aims to transform their innovation from a conceptual framework into a functional, real-world solution that can deliver tangible benefits—particularly to farmers.

Mentoring Champions, Innovating for Impact

The team attributes a significant part of their success to the guidance and support of their mentors and advisers. They expressed their gratitude to Engr. Henry Gabriel Pradilla, and Engr. Cristlyn Bacariza, for their assistance in navigating competition requirements, particularly in securing intellectual property protection and facilitating the patent submission of their sorting system.

The team also acknowledged their adviser, Engr. Philip Caesar Ebit, whose technical expertise and mentorship played a crucial role throughout the project’s development.

For him, the team’s defining strength lies in their mindset. He emphasized that, “What sets the group apart is their humility and willingness to acknowledge failure—qualities that fuel their drive to improve and push boundaries.” 

Despite challenges such as conflicting schedules, he noted that the team’s ability to manage time effectively and respect each member’s responsibilities allowed them to successfully navigate the demands of the competition.

The team’s triumph at Abanteknolohiya 3.0 underscores VSU’s continuing commitment to fostering innovation, research excellence, and socially responsive technologies. More importantly, it highlights the power of resilience, teamwork, and mentorship in transforming ideas into impactful solutions.

As they move forward, the champions carry not only their title but also a deeper mission—to ensure that their innovation creates meaningful change beyond the competition stage.

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4: Quality Education; SDG No. 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG No. 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG No. 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; and SDG No. 17: Partnerships for the Goals. 

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