Taguig public schools take home medals from int’l science expo

Students from three public schools in Taguig City bagged gold and silver medals at the 2016 Kaohsiung International Invention and Design Expo in Taiwan for developing low-cost and eco-friendly products from recycled materials.

At the international event organized by the World Invention Intellectual Property Associations (WIIPA) from December 9 to 12, the team from Taguig Integrated School (Grade 5 students Jaisa Julene L. Mataac, Kenth Andrew F. Gallardo, and Ken B. Benavente) and the team from Taguig Science High School (Grade 10 students Jerome A. Sombilon and Anna Beatriz A. Suavengco) both won gold medals.

Ruth Paula P. Buhion, Ma. Erin Daphne D. Raton, Adrian Klein T. Comia, and Kevin Brian C. Orge from Sen. Renato Compañero Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School (SRCCMSTHS) won a silver medal.

The science teams, which are part of a science training program for Taguig public schools, competed against over 500 other entries from more than 20 countries.

Taguig Integrated School's winning piece was an antibacterial and antifungal bath soap made from PLC (Papaya, Lemon and Coconut Oil) for the Life Science category, while  SRCCMSTHS invented a correction fluid which uses egg whites as raw material called “Alburase” for the Office Category product.

Meanwhile, Taguig Science High School won a gold medal with their “Remediation of Heavy Metal Ions in Synthetic Contaminated Effluent by Calcium Carbonate found in Asiatic Clams or Tulya Clams” proposal for the Biotechnology category.

The students' research, aided by their advisers, has been in development for one to two years.

“This international competition showcases the exceptional skills of our students and their interest to expand their capabilities in the field of Science. This success is a concrete testament of the improved quality education in the public school system of our city,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said.

According to Taguig Integrated School principal Dr. Joselito Mataac, the school has already received invitations from other countries for similar competitions, including one in Hong Kong this January, one in Japan in July, and one in Canada in August.

Last month, groups of public school students from Taguig City won several gold, silver and bronze medals at international mathematics competitions held in Thailand, Singapore and India as part of the city's intensive mathematics training program for public schools. — Bianca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News