• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental emerged as the overall champion in the National Robotics Competition–Visayas 2026, securing six victories across nine categories during the event held Sept. 19 at the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) campus.
Leading the province’s winning delegation was Cabacungan National High School, which captured championship titles in two categories.
Edjay Bryle Gemotra and John Dale Bangcaya won the Sumobot 1KG–Autonomous category, while Shantelle Kate Ballesteros and Razor Chua triumphed in Line Tracing Beginner.
Deanyvien Paculanang of Escalante National High School also secured a national championship, extending his winning streak from the 6th Battle of the Bots Provincial Level Competition.
Meanwhile, Jhande Marie Teodosio and Joezel Articona of Ramon Torres National High School staged a strong comeback in the Project Innovative Prototype category. After placing fifth in the Central District Robotics Competition and third in the provincial Battle of the Bots, the team clinched the national championship.
The competition brought together young robotics enthusiasts, innovators, and student builders from across the Visayas and other regions, including Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo.
Jointly organized by Pinoy Robot Games and GabiGroup Inc., in partnership with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental through NOLITC, the event highlighted the province’s commitment to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and strengthening digital skills and innovation among young people. | GPB
