STI Students Rank 1st Runner-up in UNILAB's Ideas Positive

Determination and passion to be of service to the community proved to be a strong driving force for STI Team Kabalikat when they won 1st runner-up in the UNILAB Ideas Positive: Transforming Communities with the Filipino Youth, a project created to address key issues concerning the health and wellness of the Filipino people.

STI Team Kabalikat championed Hitong Buháy Hitong Búhay, a proposal that focuses on raising catfish or hito as a means to create positive impact to the community. The winning group is composed of five students from STI College – Global City: BS Nursing students Ray Rowan Marva and Aileen Romero, BS Information Technology student Ahrjo C. De Guzman, and BS Hotel and Restaurant Management students Ma. Emerita Rallyn Andolero and Justin Vaughn Ancheta. Guiding them along the way as their coach is Mr. Voltaire Revilla.

 

 

 

 

The competition started with 56 promising entries from various universities and colleges nationwide. In the semifinals, it was further trimmed down to 11 teams. These teams were required to participate in a boot camp where the students were trained by notable practitioners in the field of social marketing such as 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, Gawad Kalinga’s Anna Meloto-Wilk, radio personality and founder of Rock Ed Philippines Gang Badoy, and Asia’s foremost authority in marketing Dr. Ned Roberto.

And after the three-day boot camp, only five teams remained, including STI Team Kabalikat.

On September 17, 2011, STI went up against University of Batangas, University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, and two teams from UP Diliman in the final round, held at the M.K. Tan Hall, Bayanihan Center, Unilab, Mandaluyong City. All five teams presented their projects, for the last time, to a distinct panel of judges comprised of experts from the academe, business, social, and civic organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

As 1st runner-up, STI Team Kabalikat took home the following: PhP75,000 as seed money to start their project, PhP30,000 cash for the students, and PhP5,000 honorarium for the coach.

Mr. Revilla shares, “We are so overwhelmed! After months of study, grueling preparation, and hard work, we now have the chance to make our project a reality and help more people. We are very happy! Thank you for all the support.”

The competition, running on its second year, is aimed to promote health awareness and provide opportunities for the youth to turn their ideas into reality. This is the first time that STI has joined this event.