ILOILO City – Young robotics enthusiasts from Iloilo Scholastic Academy (ISA) have earned the right to compete on the world stage after capturing major honors in an international robotics tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, securing two coveted slots in the MakeX Global Robotics Competition in China in January 2027.
Competing against teams from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico and the Philippines, the ISA RoboticTs Club emerged among the top performers in the 2026 MakeX Robotics Competition – Asia Intercontinental Tournament held from October 2 to 4.
The ISA delegation brought home six medals and one trophy, highlighted by second- and third-runner-up finishes in the MakeX Starter: Signal Rise category, along with gold and silver awards in the tournament’s robotics Skill Set competition.
Leading ISA’s impressive campaign were Sean Christian Pagulong and Kenneth Cai of ISA RoboticTs Club 1, who secured second-runner-up honors in the Signal Rise category.
The pair also received the Skills Quest Silver Award in the Starter Category, demonstrating their technical proficiency and ability to execute robotics challenges under competitive conditions.
Not to be outdone, ISA RoboticTs Club 2, composed of Kersei Saraquel Ong and Janae Elianna Ahhi, clinched third-runner-up honors in the same category.
Ong and Ahhi further distinguished themselves by capturing the Skills Quest Gold Award in the Starter Category, adding another major achievement to the school’s international campaign.
The accomplishments of both teams earned them qualification for the MakeX Global Robotics Competition scheduled in China in January 2027, where they will face another round of international competition.
Their qualification represents a significant breakthrough for ISA, placing its young robotics talents in contention for higher honors at the global level.
The MakeX competition challenges young participants to design, program and operate robots to accomplish specific tasks, testing their knowledge of engineering, programming, problem-solving, strategic thinking and teamwork. The Signal Rise category introduces young innovators to robotics through challenges requiring technical precision, coordination and effective robot operation.
ISA’s achievements contributed to a broader medal haul by participating Philippine teams at the Bangkok tournament.
According to the tournament results shared by the Philippine delegation, the country’s participating teams collectively captured 18 medals — eight gold, seven silver and three bronze — along with two trophies.
For Iloilo Scholastic Academy, the Bangkok victories underscore the growing potential of young Ilonggos to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), particularly in the increasingly competitive field of robotics.
Beyond the medals and trophies, the school’s qualification for the global competition presents an opportunity for its students to further develop their technical capabilities and gain exposure to international standards of robotics innovation.
With their next challenge set for January 2027, Pagulong, Cai, Ong and Ahhi now carry not only the aspirations of their school but also the pride of Iloilo as they prepare to represent the Philippines on the world robotics stage./PN
