A robotics trainer of the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) won in the Inatel Robotics National (IRON) Cup 2021 virtual competition, recently.
John Philip Bautista bested 50 participants from South America and Asia in the Sumo-Mini (500g) category of the international robotics competition held on February 26 to 28.
During the online awarding ceremony held Friday morning, March 12, Bautista and NOLITC were recognized for the feat, with Robot “Kidlat” dominating the competition.
The rites was attended by INATEL representative Alexandre Lugli and Rafael Mattos of RMS Virtual, both from Brazil, with Pinoy Robot Games founder Melvin Matulac, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II, who represented Governor Eugenio Lacson, and the NOLITC Robotics Team.
Bautista, who represented the country, was the lone winner from Asia.
NOLITC administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido thanked Matulac for endorsing NOLITC in the international competition.
“It’s the first time that NOLITC joined an international competition, yet we have fared well and bagged the championship,” she said.
In 2019, the province launched the first government-run robotics center in the country at NOLITC.
Under the program, students learn programming, designing, and building robots.*