RP advances to world robotics championship

Tuesday, 31 March 2009 12:41 PM Sabrina Oliveros

After the award-winning exploits of the Philippines' first anti-terrorist robot, there's a new locally-devised mechanical character giving Filipinos something to cheer about.

P.I. MAC, meet Larry Labuyo.

Larry Labuyo, the Philippines' lone entry in the For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competition Hawaii Regional, helped the national squad garner the Rookie All Star and Highest Rookie Seed awards at the event and advance to the World Championships in April.

Dubbed Team Lagalab (“flame”), the squad beat 30 other schools from Hawaii, the mainland United States and Mexico to qualify for the finals in Atlanta, Geogria. The team is composed of 32 junior students and three coaches from the Philippine Science High School and eight mentors from the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University.

The three-school Blue Alliance and Waialua High School from Hawaii and the crew from SIA Tech in San Jose, California also made the final round.

Team Lagalab captain Catherine Angcangco said that “they are very thankful for all those who supported them during the competition, as well as those who prayed for their success,” reported abs-cbnnews.com. Science Education Institute (SEI) director Dr. Ester B. Ogena also congratulated the team, noting that “the Filipino has once again proven their talent and skills in any science field.”

She had earlier expressed confidence that the Philippines would excel in the competition that entailed designing, building and driving the robot as well as various activities in computer animation, programming, research, fundraising, public relations and marketing.

“We are confident that Team Lagalab with their robot, Larry Labuyo, are at par with the students and mentors in the international community,” she was quoted as saying by mb.com.ph before the team left for the competition held from March 26 to 28. “Our ingenuity and versatility as a team will help us win in the FRC.”

According to hawaiireporter.com, students were “given a common engineering problem to solve using a standard kit of parts and a common set of rules.” They were then given six weeks to build a robot that they later pitted against their oppoinents in a competition entitled “Lunacy” in honor of the 40^th anniversary of Apollo 11's historic moon mission. In a series of matches where the students had to simulate driving on the surface of the moon, they “maneuvered their robots on a game field 'crater'” while trying to score by throwing balls into opposing teams' trailers.

Founded in 1989, FIRST aims to show that technological fields provide many career and learning opportunities and that science, math, engineering and invention are exciting and interesting. At least nine other countries from North and South America, Europe and Asia compete in the 41regional events of the FIRST Robotics Competition.