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The Technological Institute of the Philippines' (T.I.P.) first spin-off company, SEBI Technologies, Inc. (SEBI Tech), is expanding its reach in the north with the introduction of its homegrown EmpowerED Lite school management system to the Bataan Heroes College (BHC). 

T.I.P. Senior Vice President and concurrent SEBI Tech President and CEO Angelo Lahoz signed a Memorandum of Agreement with BHC Administrator Laurice Faye Juarez early October, marking the start of a good working relationship between their schools. 

"This partnership aligns with our strategic thrust towards digital transformation and sustaining innovation. We see the future of work and classes as hybrid (on campus and online), so we are working towards building the capacity to do both well," said Juarez. 

BHC is SEBI Tech's latest client-partner, and is the first to use EmpowerED Lite. 

A fully integrated, customizable, ready for use school management system, EmpowerED Lite offers all the key benefits of EmpowerED at a much lower cost and shorter deployment timeframe. 

In as fast as two months, client-partners like BHC can have faster, more efficient, automated student and faculty services ranging from enrollment, grades, curriculum, and fees management, including graduation. 

"We always want to find ways to do things better. From an internal standpoint, decongesting manpower for clerical tasks will allow us to focus more on high value work, not to mention sparing our personnel from burnout. It helps boost their morale too," Juarez added. 

With BHC on the list, the EmpowerED school system now serves a combined total of 42,500 students and over 3,000 faculty and staff across different schools in the country. 

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) aims to bring about creative solutions to real-world problems through the Catalyst Collider [C²] Design Challenge – a platform for developing high-impact, technology-driven solutions to create value for industries and communities.     

The event, which was initiated by T.I.P. TechnoCoRe, is guided by the theme “Smart Applications for Safer and Sustainable Cities, Schools, and Industries.” It aims to challenge T.I.P. students and faculty to develop cutting-edge and scalable solutions which promote smarter, more sustainable cities, industries, and campuses.     

Students and faculty from the College of Computer Studies and the College of Engineering have taken on the challenge of designing impactful solutions. As part of TechnoCoRe’s thrust to provide students with real-world experiences through industry-academe partnerships, 35 partner institutions were tapped to be part of the design challenge as collaborators. These partners will mentor participants and provide insights into real-world challenges, pain points and commercialization opportunities. 

Present during the event was a diverse range of public and private entities such as Dell Technologies, Siemens, Western Digital, P.IMES Corporation, Aboitiz Power, Azvercons,  Braemac,  Computrends, Geodata Systems Technologies, Globe Telecom, Gryke Scientific Instruments, Manila GIS Center, MELCO Factory Automation Philippines (MELAP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Las Piñas Chapter (PCCI Las Piñas), Presidium, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), Rohde and Schwarz, San Miguel Infrastructure, Subic Water and Sewerage Co., (SUBICWATER), Sumisetsu Philippines, Teradyne, Wadhwani Foundation, Wurth Electronics, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The Design Challenge encourages the project teams to innovate on several key focus areas such as Smart Manufacturing, which integrates advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and analytics to enhance manufacturing operations; Smart Cities, which leverages data-driven solutions for infrastructure, sustainability, and citizen services; and Smart Campuses, to optimize campus operations, resource management, and student experiences through automation and connected devices.     

The champion will be awarded based on the Best Overall Design for the challenge. A People’s Choice Award and Special Industry Awards for standout performers will also be up for grabs.

The Catalyst Collider [C²] Design Challenge was officially launched last October 28, 2024 at the Anniversary Hall of T.I.P. Quezon City. The launch was also attended by almost 70 representatives from the participating institutions as well as representatives from T.I.P, led by Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz. 

Over the course of several months, the participating teams will create and refine their design projects, culminating in a final pitching session on Demo Day in May 2025. 

Academic institutions, public and private sector organizations, and representatives from local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) recently formed a consortium to boost the Philippine startup ecosystem through technology business incubators (TBI). 

This developed following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and manifesto of support signed between the parties during the NCR TBI Summit held last October 4 and 5, 2023 at Novotel Manila in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City. 

Five teams represented both campuses of the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) at the recent 4th Asia Pacific Conference on Industrial Engineering Operations and Management (IEOM) and prevailed in their respective competitions. 

Leading the list of podium finishers this year is the group who designed a technology-enabled service, where students may lease essential devices to their fellow learners at lower cost, so they would no longer have to buy them.

Fresh graduates Mary Jo Santiago, Christine Joy Olanosa, and Angel Shaine Martin presented this concept and called it “Helpy: A Mobile Application System for Engineering and Architecture Tools Rental Business.” It won first place in the Senior Design Project category. 

“There are times when a specific tool is required for only a short period,” noted Santiago. Hence, their proposal tries to create an opportunity for some engineering and architecture students to earn extra cash for their school expenses by renting out resources at their disposal. 

Another team composed of Thea Espinueva, Jhia Angelyck Mavy Cruz, and Vincent Matthew Labrador also placed third in the same competition with their project titled “Filtrar: A Canal Solid Waste Collector and Compactor Machine.” 

Students should not be deprived of using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their learning experiences, but faculty members must establish clear boundaries anchored on ethical considerations when integrating it into delivering quality education.

At the rate technology is changing the world these days, Filipino educators must go beyond knowledge transmission and lean more towards immersing students in real world job experiences to better prepare them with the most essential and relevant skills for the future. 

Ranking fourth out of the 3,339 hopefuls in the April 2023 Electrical Engineering board exams has filled newly-registered Engr. Bernard Vic Senillo with an overwhelming sense of “joy and gratitude,” which he extended to God and the nation that helped him reach this milestone. 

Motivated by their strong feelings against water pollution and its harmful effects on public health, three senior high school students from the Technological Institute of the Philippines in Manila are trying to blaze their own trail towards the field of green engineering. 

Grade 12 students Mark Joseph Funilas, Nichole Emmanuelle Barcelona and Ansharina Therese Laud recently got the attention of their mentors and peers after developing an idea for an anti-water pollution device called “BuzzBuzz.” 

This theoretical machine hopes to clear highly polluted streams and waterways of not only solid wastes, like plastics and other discarded objects, but also potentially dangerous microorganisms that can cause diseases. 

“It works by integrating a built-in sensor in the machine, which will be powered by solar panels and lithium-ion batteries, that could filter out water pollutants it is programmed to detect. These, in turn, would automatically be collected and disposed properly,” the group explained. 

The look of the device was partly inspired by the animated fictional character Buzz Lightyear–the legendary space ranger in the Toy Story franchise–so they decided to name their theoretical invention “BuzzBuzz.”  

Their proposed concept won the Technology Innovation Challenge from the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP) Manila Student Chapter last October 2022, which took them to the national level of the competition where they placed first runners up. 

Established in 1950, the IECEP is a non-stock, non-profit organization duly recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission with thousands of members composed of registered and globally-competitive electronics engineers in and outside the country.

A group of budding computer engineers and software developers from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.), who worked on a solution for measuring open science, emerged among the Top 35 Global Finalists in the recently concluded 2022 NASA Space Apps Challenge. 

Open science seeks to broaden public access to a number of scientific studies and statistics being published on the internet through user-friendly information and communication related technologies for the benefit of society. 

Team Loominaries composed of junior college students Neal Barton James Matira, Jeremy Reuel Cesista, Carlo Dominique Tolin, and Jomari Dungque proposed a web application that guides people in sifting through thousands of scientific research available online.

With the goal of reducing the impact that disposable utensils have on the environment, a team of senior high school (SHS) students from Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila is developing a sustainable alternative using the organic filaments of a fungus called ‘mycelium.’ 

“We will use it as a binder and we chose it because, as we have found in our research, mycelium is often called ‘nature's biggest recycler,’” said Mary Nicole Alejandrino, a Grade 12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) student.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) shall implement two teaching and learning modalities for its college students this SY 2022-2023: online and hyflex. 

Students of non-board courses will have their classes fully online, while those enrolled in critical board courses will use the hyflex modality wherein classes are onsite, but with an exception for students with valid reasons to attend classes remotely.  

"The decision comes from having a flexible mindset. If there is one thing that the pandemic taught us, it's to continuously explore new ways to deliver education. We remain to be open to the different possibilities so learning can be more inclusive," said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz. 

Most of the courses will still be delivered via modular approach, wherein they can be completed in 6 weeks, but some identified professional courses will be delivered within 18 weeks.  

To protect the school community, students and faculty members must be fully vaccinated and should wear the right face masks to be allowed entry on campus. 

 
As part of its health and safety protocols, T.I.P. strictly observes physical distancing and has likewise set up several hygiene stations inside school premises. 

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) is opening SY 2022-2023 with a new undergraduate degree offering — Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Analytics (BSDSA).

This comes two years after T.I.P. launched Metro Manila's first-ever Professional Science Master's Degree in Data Science (PSMDS) back in 2020. 

"The substantial number of enrollees we've had for PSMDS is not only a confirmation that the market is informed and keenly aware of the growing need for data scientists; it's also an affirmation of the relevance of the program. We, therefore, deemed it necessary to offer BSDSA," said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz. 

BSDSA is a four-year program designed to equip students with theoretical, practical, and comprehensive knowledge to manage and analyze complex data. 

It covers fundamental and advanced computer programming, predictive modeling, machine learning, statistical techniques, algorithms, methodologies, business intelligence, data visualization and its applications across multiple disciplines. 

To ensure global competitiveness, T.I.P. benchmarked its BSDSA curriculum with top universities abroad. 

"Data scientists are among the most in-demand professionals in the world today. With big data having a tremendous impact on how industries make major decisions, we need experts who can analyze and translate these numbers into positive business outcomes," Dr. Quirino-Lahoz added. 

College is one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make in life. From choosing a good school to picking your desired course, this phase requires a whole lot of preparation and planning.

If you haven't made up your mind yet, take a cue from these six inspiring alumni of the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) and their stories of grit and determination.

Reynaldo Carpio

Founder and CEO of Grand Monaco Estate Developers, Inc., Reynaldo Carpio finished Civil Engineering in T.I.P. back then. His was a rags-to-riches story. Born to farmer parents, Rey tirelessly worked his way to the top, taking on various side hustles even as a student.

Deovanni Miranda

Deovanni Miranda is a sought-after engineer abroad. He came back to the Philippines in 2019 to work on the LRT-2 line extension project and other "Build, Build, Build" endeavors of the government.

Jaime Guevarra

Jaime Guevarra is currently the Head of IT Strategic Services of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) in New York. Electrical Engineering was his undergraduate degree in T.I.P.

Nieves Villamin

Nieves Villamin took up Accountancy in T.I.P., but fate had different plans. She is now an accomplished author and vineyard and winery owner in the US. Her most celebrated work, to date, is Bittermelons and Mimosas: A Philippine Memoir.

Cercado sisters of 4th Impact

All-girl group 4th Impact — composed of Cercado sisters Almira, Irene, Mylene, and Celina — rose to fame upon joining The X Factor UK in 2016. Almira and Irene are actually T.I.P.ians, with degrees in Information Technology and Secondary Education Major in English.

Jehana Muallam-Darkis

A computer engineer by profession, Jehana Muallam-Darkis went on to become the Vice President for Academic Affairs of Sulu State College. She was awarded Outstanding Educator and Empowered Academic Leader of the Year in the 2021 Gintong Parangal.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) has signed a collaborative research agreement with Subic Water and Sewerage Co., Inc. for the project titled "Constructed Wetland for Wastewater Treatment of Effluent from a Water Provider."

T.I.P. and SUBICWATER formalized their partnership in a virtual conference led by T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz, SUBICWATER Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Antonio III, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara.

The joint venture comes as T.I.P. positions itself as a viable partner and pushes for stronger academe-industry-government linkages. The project per se—which aims to reduce the concentration of wastewater pollutants through an integrated wetland system—is funded by the DOST through its Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) program, with the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) as the monitoring agency.

"Collaborative projects such as this provide the platform for students, faculty members, and researchers to work with industry partners and government agencies, thus making learning more relevant, meaningful and impactful. Learning by doing," said Dr. Quirino-Lahoz.

For SUBICWATER, the partnership "could not have come at a more perfect time." Citing the 2018 Boracay wastewater crisis and the stricter standards set by DAO 2021-19 for water effluent, Antonio said this collaborative effort is an opportunity to create “one of the most practical and cost-efficient options that we can use to address growing issues in sewerage management in the Philippines.”

Dr. Guevara, meanwhile, noted that with increased economic activity comes the need to protect and rehabilitate the island.

"Tourism opportunities provide economic vibrance enjoyed by local industries, most notable are businesses lined up in waterways that take advantage of spectacular views. Through research and development, we'll be able to strike a healthy balance between preserving the environment and providing much needed support to private industries," she added.

T.I.P.'s venture with SUBICWATER is the latest addition to the list of DOST CRADLE-sponsored projects of the institution, spearheaded by T.I.P. Manila's Chemical Engineering Department Chair Engr. Lorraine Carrillo and TechnoCoRe Catalyst Industry Relations and Senior Project Manager Dr. Therese May Alejandrino.

TechnoCoRe is T.I.P.'s thrust towards technopreneurship and collaborative applied research. It empowers students, faculty members, and researchers to work on innovative solutions to the problems of stakeholders, including government, industry, civic organizations, and society at large.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) will be offering new scholarships for its Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) and Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (PhDCS) programs starting in the Second Semester of SY 2021-2022.

This comes after the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) certified as priority the two graduate programs now covered under its Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) Scholarship Program.

"ERDT is a dream come true for the institution. It shall enable T.I.P. to contribute further to the existing body of research and make graduate education more accessible to Filipinos, especially since the Institutes for Research, Innovation and Scholarship (IRIS) also named us as the fifth top school for engineering research in the country this year," said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

The DOST ERDT supports master's and doctoral degrees in various engineering fields. It aims to upgrade the quality of engineering colleges and professionals by implementing high-impact research agenda aligned with the Philippines' development plans.

With crime rates on the rise, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras can only do so much. Police need to catch and arrest lawbreakers, but they can't do so if they're already late for the action.

This was the challenge that the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) sought to address in the 2021 Philippine National Police - Information Technology Management Service (PNP-ITMS) Hackathon.

To help lessen authorities' screen time and to allow for more productivity, Computer Engineering seniors Jarod Augustus Austria, Adrian Galit, Joaquin Tyrone Guevarra, Kathleen Jogno, and Franklin Nazareno built 'SulyApp,' an application that monitors and alerts CCTV operators of unwanted activities real-time.

The app, which won third place, uses artificial intelligence to read body movements typically associated with criminal assaults. Once it detects a suspicious pose or stance, SulyApp classifies the scene as an emergency and immediately sounds an alarm. It also sends out an email notification to the nearest police desk.

The first of its kind in the Philippines, SulyApp can be run anywhere there are CCTVs – may it be in schools, homes, or small neighborhoods. Rather than relying on manpower and mere evidence retrieval, the app detects crimes as they happen, changing the way we do surveillance and permitting faster response time.

"It provides an added layer of security, especially in unguarded areas. These students really went above and beyond to contribute to the safety of their communities," said Engr. Cecilia Venal.

The more data it gathers, the smarter and more accurate SulyApp gets. Every recorded clip can likewise be saved and downloaded for review. More features are underway as the technology will be further developed.

A total of 43 diverse teams competed in the PNP-ITMS Hackathon, which aimed to boost the national police force's digital transformation in the new normal.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila captured four wins in the IEOM Society International Second Asia Pacific Conference with three of its research papers and one design project finishing at the podium.

Mental load of work-from-home (WFH) employees, Metro Manila's COVID-19 vaccination rate, and problems arising from manual labor were among the issues tackled in the studies.

"These are all hot topics, especially mental health. We endeavored to know if there really is WFH stress," said Engr. Janina Elyse Reyes, who co-authored with her students Sheeno Dasmariñas, John Margel Otalla, and Kimberly Joy Perea Ergonomic Assessment on the Mental Load of Work from Home Employees.

The paper, which won first place, validated their earlier assumption and recommended a specific timeline similar to the pre-WFH arrangement to set boundaries and avoid 'Zoom fatigue' especially for the education, IT/BPO, and financial industries.

Engr. Reyes likewise worked with a team of students for the research titled Process Improvement of Covid-19 Vaccination System by Utilizing Queuing Theory and ProModel Simulator on Vaccination Facilities in Metro Manila.

The study – conducted by Larianne Cruzado, Mary Antonette Faminiano, Unique Kate Guna, Maria Ziziana Llegos, Kyla Mendoza, and Jolly Ann Villaflores – finished second place and was able to reduce the average vaccination time per person from more than two hours to just 85 minutes and 12 seconds.

"We streamlined processes like registration and screening so people would have less waiting time and less exposure to the virus, providing a safe facility and equitable access to vaccines," said Villaflores.

Also in second place were Gavin Frederick Bautista, Nellaine Delos Santos, and Edmar Garcia for their paper Application of Proper Manual Material Handling Techniques, Six Sigma Target Equation, and NIOSH Lifting Equation for the Improvement of the Level of Safety of Workers of AMG Rice Dealer.

Their research focused on ergonomic hazards of manual labor – noting that, for anything that involves heavy lifting, one should take it one load at time on their shoulders (and not on their heads as some would do) to prevent injury and muscular-skeletal disorders. Investing in gloves, shoulder padding, and other equipment was further advised.

Completing T.I.P.'s podium wins, Val Ryan Aguilar, Racquel Tadina, and Eugene Tamba's bakelite cleaner landed third place in the senior design project competition. The device, made from scraps, automatically polishes the insulating material attached to kitchen wares called bakelite, ultimately reducing bottlenecks in the production line.

"We're gearing our students to be research/design-oriented by making it part of their academic achievement to present their papers in local and international research fora. The automatic bakelite cleaner was actually Tamba's OJT project at Marilao Alerco Industrial Corporation," said T.I.P. Manila IE Chair Dr. Maria Teresa Mendoza.

IEOM is a global non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of industrial engineering and operations management amongst countries. It holds various conferences in a year to connect students and professionals with innovative and entrepreneurial minds.

Modern problems require simple solutions.

This is what Paul Bryan Mancenido, an electrical engineering senior from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.), proved with his 4-in-1 rechargeable emergency kit built from scraps.

The device – which won him the grand prize in T.I.P.'s Environmental Fair, and which recently caught the attention of media giant GMA 7 – features a handy flashlight, lamp, electric fan, and USB charging port all rolled into one.

"My mantra has always been not to let go of scrap materials just yet. They can still be reused and recycled, especially now when we can't easily go out due to the pandemic," Mancenido said, recalling that rainy day he thought of making his novel invention.

As an only child, Mancenido grew up playing and experimenting with broken motor parts. His father is an air-conditioning mechanic, while his mother is a housewife. When he was younger, he would often repair devices for free. This hobby would continue on up to college, when Mancenido realized that he wanted to build a career and a legacy out of it.

"People would belittle my ideas sometimes, and even my parents would caution me every now and then; but I know in my heart that I've got something to give. They may not understand it now; but someday, when I'm already a full-fledged manufacturing engineer, they will," Mancenido said.

The thought of contributing largely to society did not sink in until Mancenido himself saw his work on national television. Congratulations were immediately in order for the humble student from San Mateo, Rizal. Years of failures and self-conceptualizing have somehow bore fruit, and this is just the beginning. The kid is only getting started.

As he nears graduation, Mancenido looks back on his journey as a T.I.P.ian. It was the institute's laboratories that inspired him to dream, and it's also how he envisions his future workspace to be.

Ariel Magat, program chair of T.I.P.'s electrical engineering department, lauded Mancenido's 4-in-1 rechargeable emergency kit, saying this multifunctional invention made from scraps shows that "breakthroughs doesn't necessarily mean discovering new things, it may also be about looking at improving those around us."

"Mr. Marcenido's project would definitely open up other bright ideas from our students and other young inventors out there. This would encourage them to explore integration of various concepts and technology – things that are already on hand but just waiting to be tapped and reproduced into innovative tools, gadgets, or equipment," he added.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila assumed a podium spot in the 2021 James Dyson Awards (JDA) with its non-invasive bacteria detector on wounds, an electrochemical device that identifies microbes found in wounds and other topical cuts through quick gas absorption.

Electronics engineering fresh graduates Angelica Moneth Lozano and Shania Xylene Miguel worked on the medical instrument for over a year, competing with 33 more student entries and eventually finishing runner-up in the JDA nationals.

"Our prototype gives immediate diagnosis of infectious and decaying wounds, skipping long processes of laboratory sampling which is rather costly and painful," said Lozano.

"We've tested it on diabetic patients at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center; and for results to be accurate, the device's sensors need to absorb the fumes emitted by the wound from an ideal distance of one to four millimeters only. Bacteria present will be shown through an LCD screen in less than five seconds," she added.

The goal, according to Lozano, was to make healthcare accessible to all, especially in a time of crisis.

Dr. Rommel Anacan, head of T.I.P. Manila's Math and Physics department, echoed this sentiment – noting that with its latest inventions and breakthroughs, the institution aims to create a "culture of excellence and innovation."

T.I.P.'s non-invasive bacteria detector on wounds is now advancing to the international JDA where it will go head-to-head with fellow podium finishers of other countries.

The James Dyson Awards is an annual global competition that celebrates the works of the brightest and youngest minds in design engineering.

They say that seven is a lucky number.

For the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.), indeed, it is. The institution's renowned Career Center recently marked—amidst the pandemic—seven years of successful operations, and it couldn't be any prouder.

To celebrate this milestone, the T.I.P. Career Center held a month-long series of engagement activities with the theme "Building Careers, Transforming Lives." The event saw T.I.P. students, faculty, alumni, and partners collaborate for peer advising sessions, skills and resume assessment, and virtual company tours, among others.

"The idea of having a career center was introduced to us by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE). Through the years, we have learned to nurture at the institutional level real working linkages with the best industry partners, helping jumpstart the careers and transform the lives of our students," said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

Recognized as a Model Career Center by USAID-STRIDE in 2019, the T.I.P. Career Center has produced top-notch professionals in various fields.

T.I.P., in fact, has an average employment rate of 92.5% for both its Manila and Quezon City campuses. Jobstreet's 2018 Employer Survey also ranks T.I.P. as the seventh most preferred school by employers when it comes to hiring fresh graduates and the second most preferred school by companies in the engineering industry.

"From peer and faculty advising, on-the-job training, internship, apprenticeship, to cooperative education, the T.I.P. Career Center works round the clock to bring T.I.P.ians closer to the career of their dreams, providing them opportunities, experiences, and connections way beyond the usual realm of possibilities in higher education," Dr. Quirino-Lahoz added.

Careers in the Post-Pandemic Era

Capping the T.I.P. Career Center's seventh anniversary celebration was Dr. Farouk Dey, Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design of Johns Hopkins University.

In his talk, Dr. Dey called on T.I.P.ians to be "unconventional, brave, and audacious" about their future, especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

"The biggest startup successes happen in moments of crisis because these are times when rules are suspended, and you have the opportunity to try things out. Don't just rely on luck; be strategic on how you make luck work for you. Ideate, build, and test your prototype to people who can give you honest feedback," he said.

Dr. Dey likewise stressed the need for students and professionals to continuously upskill, citing massive changes in the workplace as reported by global economic groups.

"Jobs you may have planned for yourselves may no longer exist in the future, as they're already being displaced by automations and machines. Take a moment to pay attention to what is changing around you. If you allow your vision to be guided by outcome and data, you are more likely to succeed."

Despite the pandemic, the T.I.P. Career Center remains committed to ensuring the success of its students and graduates. To know more about its services, check out facebook.com/TIPCareerCenter.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) secured another podium finish in the Impact 5G Hackathon, placing second runner-up this time in the climate change category.

T.I.P.'s e-commerce app 'Larang,' which means equilibrium in Filipino, wowed the judges enough to beat 22 others in the competition. Its premise lies in connecting consumers to the nearest supplier of fresh, healthy, and local produce, thereby reducing the country's overall carbon footprint.

"A person's diet dictates the amount of carbon footprint he emits. Through Larang, people can have access to the cheapest and freshest local products in the market," said student researcher Ayeesha Mhae Amburan.

Powered by artificial intelligence, Larang allows users to choose from a wide variety of produce complete with prices and nutrition count. The app likewise permits them to select from a list of the closest suppliers in town. Both pickup and delivery options are available.

"By cutting travel distance, we hope to meet the equilibrium and lessen our contribution to climate change. This way, we also add to our gross domestic product or GDP," Amburan added.

What started as a quarantine passion project for Amburan and fellow T.I.P. freshmen Kenny Alvez, Jeremy Reuel Cesista, Neal Barton James Matira, and Carlo Dominique Tolin is now up for incubation under Impact 2050.

Mentor and faculty researcher Cris Hate credited the team's success to each member's innate empathy and problem solving skills.

"Talent and empathy is a winning combination not so common among students; but to be able to do something good and significant to the community, you must first have to feel — it's one of the values we instill among T.I.P.ians from the onset," he said.

Impact 5G Hackathon is the longest-running hackathon in the country. A flagship program of Impact Hub Manila in collaboration with Smart and PLDT, it aims to decentralize opportunities and create impactful digital solutions for health, education, climate change, good governance, food and agriculture, indigenous people, and smart cities.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) was hailed as the fifth top school for engineering research in the 2021 IRIS (Institutes for Research, Innovation, and Scholarship) Philippine University Research Rankings.

In a webinar last July, IRIS revealed its beta list of 106 public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) ranked in the engineering, sciences, and health sciences fields based on cumulative publications and citations from Thomson Reuters and Elvesier.

IRIS also cited T.I.P. as one of the fastest growing universities in the sciences category, jumping from 37th to 28th in the last five years.

T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz welcomed the results as "good news," saying "affirmations such as this one inspire us to further contribute to that critical mass in research and innovation."

The IRIS rankings provide a stepping stone for local HEIs aspiring to earn international standing.

Dr. Carlos Primo David, who presented the list, stressed the importance of tracking university research performance "as these institutions are the primary seedbeds for knowledge creation." He also noted that "there's a good correlation between a vibrant research culture and high quality instructions at the tertiary level."

IRIS is a private educational organization that seeks to create pathways for collaboration among Filipino researchers, educators, and innovators in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and agro-fisheries.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.)'s Cleenvent solar-powered ventilation system bagged second place in the 2021 Youthpreneur in Action (YPIA) competition organized by Indonesia's Podomoro University.

A startup venture under the T.I.P. Nurture Innovation Technology Revolution Office (NITRO), Cleenvent promises "a better air environment for a better home," providing continuous proper ventilation in households and establishments by sucking indoor air out and bringing cooler air in.

"Good air quality allows for a healthy and more productive life, so Cleenvent is really a need especially this time when everyone's learning and working from home," said mechanical engineering senior and Cleenvent co-founder Raven Anot.

Anot and his team – composed of T.I.P. students, alumni, and industry partners – spent more than a year developing the automated ventilation system. Unlike typical exhaust fans commonly found in kitchens and restrooms, Cleenvent works on a wider scale and can be installed on walls, ceilings, or attics with zero operating costs.

"Cleenvent uses the sun's radiation to decrease temperature and humidity buildup inside our homes. It's powered by renewable energy so it does not contribute to consumers' electricity bills," Anot explained.

For T.I.P. Technopreneurship Coordinator Engr. Shearyl Arenas, Cleenvent is proof that there is no age requirement for being an entrepreneur. "If you have a great idea, pursue it. You can have your own venture even before graduation. It doesn't mean that you're a student, you can't create something impactful to the community," she said.

As part of the T.I.P. TechnoCoRe ecosystem, T.I.P. NITRO serves as the school’s incubation arm focused on bolstering, optimizing, and readying disruptive ideas into market-ready businesses. It is one of the 32 technology business incubators (TBI) established nationwide by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).

An annual business idea pitching competition, YPIA brings student entrepreneurs from all over the globe to overcome world problems with innovative and practical solutions. More than 500 student teams joined this year's virtual event.

A group of industrial engineering seniors from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Quezon City nabbed 1st place in the IEOM Society International First Central American and Carribean Conference with their undergraduate research paper titled "Minimizing the Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic as One of the Supply Chain Disruption in a Timber Trade Sector."

Using secondary data analysis, researchers Christienne Austin Bernardo, Celenina Grace Cruz, Kate Antonette Dy, Hector Jamero, Norvin Mindoro, and John Russel Tan assessed the current state of the furniture industry, noting a tremendous decrease in sales and productivity because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their recommendation: maximize the use of digital technology and online marketing strategies.

"This undertaking, apart from being a class requirement, was a test on the students' resilience and creativity. They had to make use of the available data given the circumstances," said research adviser Engr. Romalyn Galingan.

For T.I.P. Industrial Engineering Program Chair Engr. Arriane Palisoc, bagging first prize showcased the immense knowledge and capabilities of T.I.P. engineers.

"We always try to be responsive to the needs of the times; and since the pandemic is the most pressing issue as of late, conducting the research was only fitting and necessary," she said.

IEOM is a global non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of industrial engineering and operations management amongst countries. It holds various conferences in a year to connect students and professionals with innovative and entrepreneurial minds.

Six groups battled it out in the undergraduate research category.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) has signed a collaborative research agreement with Subic Water and Sewerage Co., Inc. for the project titled "Constructed Wetland for Wastewater Treatment of Effluent from a Water Provider."

T.I.P. and SUBICWATER formalized their partnership in a virtual conference led by T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz, SUBICWATER Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Antonio III, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara.

The joint venture comes as T.I.P. positions itself as a viable partner and pushes for stronger academe-industry-government linkages. The project per se—which aims to reduce the concentration of wastewater pollutants through an integrated wetland system—is funded by the DOST through its Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) program, with the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) as the monitoring agency.

"Collaborative projects such as this provide the platform for students, faculty members, and researchers to work with industry partners and government agencies, thus making learning more relevant, meaningful and impactful. Learning by doing," said Dr. Quirino-Lahoz.

For SUBICWATER, the partnership "could not have come at a more perfect time." Citing the 2018 Boracay wastewater crisis and the stricter standards set by DAO 2021-19 for water effluent, Antonio said this collaborative effort is an opportunity to create “one of the most practical and cost-efficient options that we can use to address growing issues in sewerage management in the Philippines.”

Dr. Guevara, meanwhile, noted that with increased economic activity comes the need to protect and rehabilitate the island.

"Tourism opportunities provide economic vibrance enjoyed by local industries, most notable are businesses lined up in waterways that take advantage of spectacular views. Through research and development, we'll be able to strike a healthy balance between preserving the environment and providing much needed support to private industries," she added.

T.I.P.'s venture with SUBICWATER is the latest addition to the list of DOST CRADLE-sponsored projects of the institution, spearheaded by T.I.P. Manila's Chemical Engineering Department Chair Engr. Lorraine Carrillo and TechnoCoRe Catalyst Industry Relations and Senior Project Manager Dr. Therese May Alejandrino.

TechnoCoRe is T.I.P.'s thrust towards technopreneurship and collaborative applied research. It empowers students, faculty members, and researchers to work on innovative solutions to the problems of stakeholders, including government, industry, civic organizations, and society at large.

A Computer Science senior from The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila finished first runner-up in the education vertical of the Impact 5G Hackathon with his essay grading app, Eassay.

Ardy Ubanos represented the institution to compete alongside a team of students and professionals from across the country.

"Hackathons usually judge winners based on their work's innovativeness and not just relevance. This is what differentiated Eassay and eventually captured the interest of the jury," said T.I.P. Information Technology Program Chair Dr. Alexander A. Hernandez.

Powered by artificial intelligence, Eassay reads and grades essays based on input keywords. The more keywords an essay satisfies, the higher the score it gets. The app can be used in both classroom and workplace settings.

"We have automated test checkers for multiple choice exams but none for essay types. Based on research, teachers just usually look for keywords. Eassay does that job and instantly rates a printed or online paper, saving instructors time and energy. Companies can likewise use it for job hiring and customer service initiatives," Ubanos explained.

Eassay, which Ubanos developed for the whole three days of the competition, is now up for incubation under Impact 2050 for further improvements.

Impact 5G Hackathon is the longest-running hackathon in the country. A flagship program of Impact Hub Manila in collaboration with Smart and PLDT, it aims to decentralize opportunities and create impactful digital solutions for health, education, climate change, good governance, food and agriculture, indigenous people, and smart cities.

Eight years ago, the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) published a book entitled Teacher Teacher as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. The book gave honor and praise, not just to the teachers who had been with T.I.P. since the beginning, but also to all the teachers who are working hard to educate generations and generations of Filipinos, so they too, can have a better future.

T.I.P. founders Engr. Demetrio A. Quirino and Dr. Teresita U. Quirino started out as teachers themselves before they acted on their vision of doing more for the Filipino youth by founding an engineering educational institution. Since 1962, T.I.P. has been transforming students into graduates with full competence in their fields of studies and who also possess Filipino values, industry-desired values, and global citizen values.

Teachers are the most significant component of any educational institution’s success. The book Teacher Teacher is T.I.P.’s way of giving thanks and showing appreciation for its teachers’ tireless efforts to meet the vision of the T.I.P. founders: to make T.I.P. the leading professional technological institution in the Philippines and to produce graduates who contribute to the welfare of society.

With the shift to the new normal, T.I.P. understands that it is not just students who are experiencing challenges but teachers as well. The re-release of the book Teacher Teacher hopes to bring more inspiration to educators to continue giving their best in educating their students so they too can also be the best version of themselves.

T.I.P. shares this book with everyone.

Six groups of senior high school students from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila brought home three golds and three silvers from the 1st Manila Intellectual Property Innovation and Business Incubation Expo 2021.

Five of the six entries focused on creating solutions for the country’s problem in water hyacinth invading large bodies of water like the Pasig River while the other one concentrated on utilizing pineapple stem, one of the waste products in pineapple production.

These researches of the 44 senior high school students of T.I.P. Manila aimed to reduce the growth of water hyacinths while taking advantage of its usefulness and introducing its viability of becoming a source of income for a community. Their hard work produced a variety of innovative products made from water hyacinth and pineapple stem. The six entries are as follows:

• Utilization of Pineapple Stems (Ananas Comosus) in Producing Starch-Based Bioplastic (gold) by student researchers Kimaru Cerda, Arnie Gerome De Guzman, Almira Caryl De Mesa, Rizza Mae Mamangon, Jade Niño Nemis, Kayla Santelices, and Syl Norman Vidal.

• Vegan Leather: The Reinforcement of a Sustainable Manufactured Products Using Water Hyacinth Stems as Raw Material (gold) by student researchers Shania Pumicpic, Yves Jun Barcenilla, Jamie Amandaleigh Enriquez, Gene Paolo Espiritu, Lloyd Martin Hollero, Jana Marie Sadicon, Edward Louis Eisen Saga, and Ann Kassiel San Jose

• Utilization of Water Hyacinth (E. crassipes) Fibers as Yarn for Production of Organic Gloves (gold) by student researchers Enrique Raphael Bondoc, Kyle Leo Sartorio, Vince Matthew Ignacio, John Marco Coralde, Carl Andrew Palabasan, Nomer Sadiasa, and Paolo Miguel Bulanon.

• Feasibility Study of Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Board as a Sustainable Innovation (silver) by students researchers Jylcian Paul Asauro, John Jerwin Bautista, Yasmaine Abigail Maraña, John Patrick Peros, Samantha Pauline Ramos, and Alethea Erika Vargas.

• Source of Energy: Utilization of Water Hyacinth as a Main Component of Charcoal Briquette (silver) by students researchers Mark Aldrin Santos, Rob Ryan Baluyot, Ludwig Liam Hapor, Ryndle Carl Obar, Matthew James Pilar, Samuel Sandoval, Rod Jacob Brent Tapang, and Vhinze Aarinze Zoleta.

• Launching of HyaTerminatre v1.0: A Collector of Seed and Stolon from Eichhornia crassipes (silver) by student researchers Rhea Mae Bucio, Maui Christ Ierathel Flores, Jessie Israel Vladimir Grados, Harvin Leyran, Dhan Marie Karl Lomanog, Joshua James Pagaoa, Ricardo Puri, and Sophia Shane Robles.

Three of the six groups also received special awards from the competition: Special Honour of Invention (Organic Gloves and Starch-Based Bioplastic), Manila Seal of Excellence (Organic Gloves); and Best Video and Top 3 Product Innovation (HyaTerminatre).

Winning three golds and three silvers was a big accomplishment to T.I.P. Manila’s Senior High School department. Dr. Glorielyn Lucas-Camerino, Principal, said, “T.I.P's mantra of lifelong learning, problem-solving, and innovation made our student representatives win. From the onset, T.I.P.ians are trained to become research-oriented to find solutions to social and environmental problems and help champion sustainable development goals.”

Mr. Jose Antonio B. Orcine, Mathematics and Research Teacher, introduced the existing problem of water hyacinth invasion to the researchers. He proposed the application of Problem - Based Learning, the teaching method in which real-world problems are used to promote student learning, to be the framework students used for their researches.

A total of 65 groups participated but only 19 qualified for the finals in the student category of the competition. The students virtually presented to a panel of judges from different organizations like JCI Makati and Ayala Foundation.

MIPIBIEx is a division-wide competition organized by the Division of City Schools-Manila Innovation Council in partnership with the City Government of Manila and other stakeholders.

A group of IT students from the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) Manila bagged second prize from the Accessibility and Empowerment Prize Track Category of HooHacks Hackathon 2021, an international competition organized by the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Second-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) students Manuel James Morillo, Melchizedek Recalde, Ciandra Pancho, and James Bonnel Reyes with the guidance of their coach Ms. Jenelyn Aranas bested other teams from across the world with their sign language translator application called SignTech, an app designed to make communication easier and possible between deaf and mute people and people who can speak.

The SignTech app is divided into four parts: the Learn Section which contains a number of Youtube video tutorials and articles on sign language; the Maps which shows deaf-and-mute-friendly establishments nearby; the Sign Language Translation which users can use to translate sign language by video recording it; and last is the Speech-to-Text section which translates spoken words into text for a mute and deaf person to read. These components of the app make it accessible for both speaking and mute-deaf users.

The four T.I.P. participants understand the importance of communication in everyday life and are keenly aware that not all people can communicate as easily as others, particularly deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. With the desire to assist people with this specific disability, the group decided to compete in the Accessibility and Empowerment track where they showcased SignTech. The group believes the app shall not just benefit people with disabilities, it shall also help everyone else understand sign language, bridging the communication gap between deaf-and-mute individuals and non-disabled people.

T.I.P. students have been winning and joining competitions for many years now and each achievement shows how successful the institution is in honing the knowledge and skills the students need in their chosen field of expertise. The institution supports and encourages T.I.P.ians who want to showcase their skills in their field of study by participating and competing in local and international competitions; believing each experience is essential to their growth as students and as professionals.

Dr. Jonathan Caballero, Dean, College of Information Technology Education (CITE) and concurrent Program Chair, Computer Science, noted, “Winning in the hackathon proves that T.I.P. students are well prepared to solve real-life complex computing problems using innovative techniques and tools as well as showcasing the problem-solving skills in designing the solution learned from T.I.P.’s computing program.”

2020 was historic for the Philippine education system. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing everyone to stay at home and to practice physical distancing, education around the country had to evolve quickly. Like all other schools, T.I.P. was forced to trade the familiarity of physical classrooms for the safety of remote learning. Education could not stop and its continuity was paramount.

As a 59-year old institution, T.I.P. has surpassed various challenges that shaped it into one of the country’s top engineering schools. Meeting this new challenge of the pandemic head on, T.I.P. implemented online and flexible learning for all its students across Senior High School, College, and Graduate Programs starting March 2020.

Fortunately for T.I.P.’s students, the school was no stranger to online learning.

Even before the pandemic, T.I.P. 's students and teachers had already engaged in non-traditional learning methods to augment face-to-face classes. All these efforts were consolidated starting the 2nd Semester of School Year 2019-2020, with T.I.P. officially tapping Canvas as its exclusive learning management system (LMS). During the Summer 2020 term, T.I.P. was one of the few institutions in the country and in the National Capital Region to offer fully online learning.

By mid 2020, just a few months into the pandemic, T.I.P. reengineered its education ecosystem to fit the unique needs of online learning and online service delivery to its students. The T.I.P. culture of continuous improvement and its track record as an accomplished engineering institution allowed the school to be steadfast in this new educational climate.

Aggressive in-service training in all levels, across all levels, was conducted. Teaching personnel were especially trained for platform-appropriate educational delivery. Even T.I.P. services were recalibrated and the processes were redesigned. Moreover, the school created student-centric learning policies to make remote learning as welcoming as possible for the entire community.

All these efforts further ensure that though the modality may be different, the outcomes shall remain the same: T.I.P.ians enjoy the same quality, relevant, and responsive education that empowers them towards a successful future. In fact, with the job market undoubtedly tougher during this pandemic, T.I.P. is further driven to provide its students with the best industry-relevant education they deserve. What this means is T.I.P. students shall graduate with full competence in their fields of study, equipped with the desirable traits highly sought after by employers.

This is what T.I.P. ultimately seeks to accomplish—its sole purpose since its inception in 1962: to provide a better life for Filipinos by empowering its students with the best globally competitive technological education.

For a year now, the school has vigilantly innovated its online and flexible learning modality under the banner of T.I.P. LEADS—Learning Experience using Alternative-Design Systems. T.I.P. LEADS is the collectivity of all these student-centric efforts undertaken to make the remote learning experience better for T.I.P.ians.

The components of T.I.P. LEADS include a re-engineered education ecosystem; strengthened IT infrastructure; a synergistic delivery of student services through the online T.I.P. Student Well-being Program; the transition of its Career Center into a virtual one, a modular delivery of courses for undergraduate students; free online tutorial and study group service; and a very accessible online library service.

Furthermore, T.I.P.’s online learning pace has been made to be more student-friendly. Now, T.I.P. students experience just the right amount of live class hours and weekly school requirements for a better student-life balance. Not to mention the introduction of regular academic breaks—called T.I.P. Academic Breathers— every other Friday whenever possible, to provide T.I.P.ians an extra day of rest.

Still, T.I.P. shall not rest in its continuous improvement initiatives. Rather, T.I.P. is evermore driven to continuously innovate itself for the betterment of its students’ lives, to preserve global excellence, and to continue being a leading provider of engineering, computing, and technological education in the Philippines.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) and partner Wadhwani Foundation last February 20, 2021 concluded the 4-month virtual incubation program of T.I.P.’s technology startups. Incubated under the Department of Science and Technology-funded (DOST) T.I.P. Nurture Innovation Technology Revolution Office (NITRO) program, the incubation program cohorts were composed of T.I.P. undergraduate students, alumni, and industry professionals.

Dubbed the T.I.P. NITRO Cohort 2 Demo Day, the event saw the six teams pitching to judges from esteemed organizations based locally and abroad.

The six cohorts’ technology startups cover a wide variety of industries and applications. They include: (1) Cleenvent, a startup that aims to provide better air quality inside homes; (2) Dalipay, a contactless payment option utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain security, and palm vein biometrics; (3) Fine, a social networking platform dedicated to mental health support and services; (4) Juanify, an AI-powered food delivery services aggregator for small and medium enterprises; (5) LabaGo, a mobile application for laundry pickup and delivery services; and (6) Space-saver Furniture, a developer of various types of multi-functional and space-saving furniture designed for small living spaces.

On top of receiving valuable feedback and insights from the judges, this momentous event also served as an opportunity for the cohorts to network with guests and partners to further grow their respective businesses.

“We would like to thank all our partners and mentors for going through this journey with us. Enabling and empowering such innovative ventures is one of the core mantras of our new T.I.P. TechnoCoRe thrust. On top of active applied research collaborations with industry, T.I.P. TechnoCoRe develops technopreneurs who can identify societal problems, ideate possible answers, develop real-world solutions, and bring these out to market,” said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

T.I.P. NITRO is one of 32 technology business incubators (TBI) to be established by the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) nationwide as of 2020. As part of the T.I.P. TechnoCoRe ecosystem, T.I.P. NITRO serves as the school’s incubation arm focused on bolstering, optimizing, and readying disruptive ideas into market-ready businesses.

“DOST-PCIEERD supports T.I.P. NITRO’s initiative in building an enabling innovation ecosystem to nurture tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups from conception to commercialization. I hope NITRO becomes a rallying point for all the innovative initiatives that are coming from T.I.P. by way of the creativity and resourcefulness of the school’s students and faculty members,” said DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit.

The event’s judges included Paula Mills, CEO of Australia-based Academy of Entrepreneurs; Christopher Peralta, CEO & Founder of US-based Silicon Valley HQ; Johnson Lam, Founder and Owner of Malaysia-based Kakidiy.com; Dr. Luis Sison, Director of the University of the Philippines Technology Transfer and Business Development Office; Mona Yap, Officer-in-Charge of the Quezon City Small Business Cooperatives Development Promotions Office; and Alwyn Rosel, Head of the Startup Development Program of IdeaSpace & QBo Philippines.

Also present during the event were Ankit Macchar, Program Head of the Wadhwani Foundation’s National Entrepreneur Network; Cris Delgado, Program Manager of Wadhwani Foundation Philippines; Engr. Edward Paul Apigo, Senior Science Research Specialist of DOST-PCIEERD; Atty. William Bierce, Managing Attorney and Co-Founder of Bierce and Kenerson, PC; Engr. Armand Ursal Vice President of Engineering of Quest Broadcasting, Inc and former Vice President for External Affairs of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP); Engrs. Romulo Agatep and Ornan Vicente, both former Presidents of IECEP; Jhaze Asuncion, CMO and Co-Founder of Blackbook Solutions Inc.; and Marrione Pol Camacho, Academy Manager of Draper Startup House Manila.

Three Electronics Engineering students from the Technological Institute of the Philippines Quezon City (T.I.P. QC) won 3rd place in the recently concluded Institute of Electronics Engineer of the Philippines (IECEP) Quiz Bowl, besting 40 other teams of Electronics Engineering students from different schools from across the country.

Angelito Deocadiz (3rd year), Raiña Isaiah Javier (3rd year), and Michelle Satumbaga (5th year) with backup member Jon Rae Romanillos (2nd year) finished the national competition in the third spot under the guidance of Engr. Chlarisse Dianne Sanchez, earning them certificates, a cash prize, and a scholarship in Excel Review Center per member.

The IECEP Quiz Bowl is an annual event organized by the Institute of Electronics Engineer of the Philippines (IECEP) Quezon City Student Chapter. This year was the IECEP Manila Student Chapter’s first-ever Quiz Bowl event.

All participating teams in this year’s IECEP Quiz Bowl went through an elimination process wherein each member of a team answered a different set of examinations within two hours. Teams were then ranked according to the sum of each member’s scores and only the top 10 teams moved on to the final round.

Since the T.I.P. team ranked 4th in the elimination round, they proceeded to the final round where each team was placed in a breakout room to discuss their answers to the quiz that was divided into easy, average, and difficult rounds.

As an engineering school, T.I.P. actively joins annual competitions such as the IECEP Quiz Bowl to challenge and enhance the technical and analytical skills of its students. Javier, one of the IECEP Quiz Bowl participants, said, “Joining the competition gave me an opportunity to test the knowledge I gained during my years of schooling. Winning the competition helped me realize how near I am towards my goal.”

Engr. Sanchez, the team’s coach, further shares what she wants her ECE students to gain from this annual event, “I want to bring out the best in them, to take them out of their comfort zones, to help them take risks, and open opportunities for them.” She added, “Their success is our success, and winning is just a bonus.”

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) successfully gained another set of international recognition, this time from the ASEAN University Network - Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) for T.I.P. Manila’s Architecture and Business Administration programs and T.I.P. Quezon City’s Accountancy and Secondary Education programs. The AUN-QA program assessment was fully conducted virtually by a team of AUN-QA assessors last February 8-12, 2021.

“Since 2013, T.I.P.'s 20 engineering and computing programs have enjoyed international validation of their quality from the US-based ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC). Now, our programs in Accountancy, Architecture, Business Administration, and Secondary Education are also internationally assessed through the AUN-QA system. This latest accomplishment is proof that these four programs are up to par with the educational quality standards in the entire ASEAN region,” commented Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

During the 5-day virtual assessment, the four programs of T.I.P. were found to have adequately fulfilled the 11 criteria set by AUN-QA. The full implementation of the criteria by T.I.P. was supported by evidence which reflected consistent results by the institution.

The ASEAN University Network is an international organization that promotes cooperation among higher education institutions in the ASEAN region. Its assessment arm is AUN QA, responsible for educational standards and continuous academic improvement of ASEAN schools. AUN QA assessors are composed of chief quality officers appointed by AUN member universities.

Currently, T.I.P. is also an associate member of AUN-QA, and to date, is one of only 16 schools in the Philippines to have such a status with the assessing body.

“This assessment is a value-adding effort done ultimately for the benefit of T.I.P. students. Through their programs’ local and international accreditations, T.I.P. students are ensured that they are getting high-quality education that molds them into well-rounded and comprehensively skilled individuals—ones who can make a difference once they step outside of the classroom and join the workforce or set up their own business,” concluded Dr. Lahoz.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) closed out 2020 with a consultancy and training engagement with the Conservation International Philippines’ (CIP) green-gray infrastructure capacity building program. The environmental sustainability partnership between the two organizations was formalized last September 1, 2020, with the training sessions happening October and November last year.

As one of the country’s top technological schools, T.I.P. lent its civil engineering and architecture expertise in CIP’s training sessions attended by LGUs, municipal engineers, and construction contractors who are currently implementing green-gray solutions in their respective communities. Specifically, the program focused on efficient green-gray infrastructure (GGI) designs which take into account the unique ecosystems, processes, and construction materials available for each locality.

Participating in the training program were representatives from: the Provincial Governments of Batangas, Iloilo, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, and Oriental Mindoro; the Iloilo municipalities of Ajuy, Batad, Concepcion, and Estancia; Department of Environment and Natural Resources IV-A and IV-B; Department of the Interior and Local Government IV-B; Department of Public Works and Highways; National Economic and Development Authority IV-A and IV-B; and the Iloilo Caucus of Development Non-Government Organizations, Inc. (iCode).

GGI designs are hybrid solutions that combine the restoration of natural systems (such as forests, mangroves, and wetlands) with conventional, man-made solutions (such as water treatment facilities, seawalls, and dams) to deliver climate change resilience and adaptation benefits for both ecosystems and communities. Nature is preserved and protected from further damage, while communities are made much more resilient against floods, storms, droughts, and other effects of global warming.

“Everyone has a big role to play in humanity’s fight against climate change. As an engineering school, one of the ways T.I.P. contributes to this battle is through sharing its expertise in and insights on sustainable engineering and architecture practices. In being a consultant and trainer, T.I.P. helps lay the foundation for a future where such green initiatives are the standard and the norm throughout the country. T.I.P. is thankful and humbled to have been tapped by CIP for this significant endeavor,” commented T.I.P. Senior Vice President Angelo Lahoz.

The Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) and the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) formalized their partnership via a virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing held last January 25, 2021. The PAASE-T.I.P. partnership shall entail the training of future science and technology leaders as well as close cooperation in T.I.P.’s innovation center projects.

Representing the two organizations were PAASE President Dr. Gisela Concepcion and T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz. Serving as witnesses were PAASE President-Elect 2022-2023 Dr. Mariano Sto. Domingo; PAASE Founding Member and 2nd PAASE President Dr. Jose Cruz; T.I.P. Senior Vice President Angelo Lahoz; and T.I.P. Quezon City Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Cynthia Llanes.

“This MOU is a milestone for PAASE. It is our first agreement to be signed with a higher education institution—T.I.P.—to offer Filipinos the highest quality of STEM education. T.I.P.’s aim to likewise promote science and engineering research, development, and entrepreneurship also resonates well with our mandate and goals at PAASE. The collaboration between PAASE and T.I.P. is very likely to succeed and to yield positive outcomes,” commented PAASE President Dr. Gisela Concepcion.

PAASE is a non-profit organization composed of scientists and engineers of Philippine descent who have distinguished themselves in scholarly and research related activities. It has over 230 members from all over the world specializing in diverse fields of study, including physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, mathematics, computer science, and engineering.

The MOU paves the way for T.I.P. to tap PAASE members as visiting professors who shall teach online courses in the school’s undergraduate and graduate programs. The first priority under this term of the partnership is for PAASE industry experts to serve as online guest lecturers in T.I.P.'s Graduate Programs, such as in the PhD in Computer Science and Professional Science Master’s in Data Science programs.

“A primary objective of PAASE is to promote contacts and collaborations among Filipino scientists the world over, and to help the Philippines in her efforts to advance science and engineering teaching and research in our country. Today's MOU directly supports this aim,” explained Dr. Jose Cruz.

“Raising the economic welfare of the Philippines and the well-being of Filipinos would be more likely to occur with wise application of science, technology, and innovation. This means a need for more computer scientists and data scientists. Formal degree programs in these fields are the quickest ways to reach critical mass in this sector of the workforce,” Dr. Cruz added.

Additionally, T.I.P. may also tap PAASE members to serve as Research Fellows and Research Consultants for projects under T.I.P.’s innovation center called T.I.P. TechnoCoRe. As the engineering school’s technopreneurship and collaborative applied research thrust, T.I.P. TechnoCoRe enables T.I.P. researchers and faculty members to participate in nation-building and solution-generating efforts with the full support of the school. T.I.P. TechnoCoRe has most recently worked with eminent PAASE member Dr. Vince Faustino, an Intensivist at the Yale University School of Medicine, and other civil society groups for the SiglaVent Automated Emergency Ventilator project.

“Collaboration is the only way to go. This was the case before the pandemic, but now, even more so, during the pandemic. PAASE and T.I.P. have a common thrust in strengthening science and engineering teaching and research in the country. With our two organizations coming together, the possibilities are endless. I am in awe of PAASE’s credentials and I look forward to a fruitful, working partnership with its members,” concluded T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) and Applied Machining Corporation (AMC) are in the final phase of producing a Filipino-designed temperature scanner that can be integrated with a company’s attendance monitoring system. Called the duoSENSE, the T.I.P.-developed device shall enable more efficient health monitoring and COVID-19 contact tracing efforts initially in AMC’s headquarters in Biñan, Laguna.

The engineering school’s duoSENSE device is a contactless elevated skin temperature scanner that uses two infrared sensors. Unlike conventional scanners which lack calibration features, duoSENSE can be calibrated based on certification standards, allowing it to take highly accurate body thermal readings despite varying environmental temperatures. This allows it to be reliable in the long run without becoming less and less accurate over time, as is the risk with conventional infrared thermometers.

Moreover, duoSENSE was developed to work with AMC’s existing attendance monitoring system, a feature absent on traditionally standalone temperature scanners. The data from T.I.P.’s device can automatically be recorded, gathered, transported, and integrated with a company’s existing systems and databases.

“The T.I.P. duoSENSE solves the inefficiency and accuracy issues of common infrared thermometers, ensuring that companies can keep their workforces safe in our continuing battle against COVID-19,” commented T.I.P. Senior Vice President Angelo Lahoz.

“On top of integrating traditionally separate health monitoring and attendance systems, duoSENSE also enables employees to report into work much quicker without being hindered by manual logging processes. Companies also save valuable resources and can facilitate better contact tracing because they do not have to manually consolidate attendance and temperature records. We thank AMC for trusting T.I.P. with this significant endeavor,” Mr. Lahoz further explained.

The T.I.P. duoSENSE project was designed and developed over the course of seven months by T.I.P.’s team of expert engineers in close cooperation with AMC. This timeline involved circuit design, device prototyping, performance evaluation, and product iterations to ensure that duoSENSE is reliable, accurate, can be certifiably calibrated, and is seamlessly integrated with AMC’s attendance system.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) recently gained Department of Science and Technology (DOST) funding for its DRIVER.PH project, an endeavor that aims to help improve the skills of Philippine truckers through the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. The partnership was formally inked in a virtual MOA signing last February 23, 2021, with Quicktrans Cargo Moving, Inc. serving as DRIVER.PH’s first technology adopter.

DRIVER.PH is T.I.P.’s 2nd project conducted through the DOST Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) program under its Science for Change Program (S4CP). Monitored by the DOST - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), it is also the 9th project granted to T.I.P. through the DOST Grants-In-Aid research fund since 2014.

The DRIVER.PH or “Drivers Roadworthiness Improvement Verification Education and Readiness for the Philippine Logistics Industry” project is an end-to-end solution that utilizes software and hardware solutions tied together through IoT, AI, and data analytics.

“Supporting research and development is always in DOST’s agenda because these make positive changes happen. We are driven to foster collaborations between private companies where we can accelerate tech production and materialization. After all, it is only when research becomes useful and tangible that we consider R&D to be completed,” stated DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara.

DOST PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico Paringit added, “We see a huge potential in this endeavor and we want to see it to fruition. Because what you can do with a truck, you can do for other transportation networks. The potential coming out of this project is limitless. We’re hopeful that this will be successful and become very much relevant.”

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) last February 24, 2021 held its inaugural TechnoCoRe Brown Bag Sessions. This is a virtual event where its researchers and faculty members share their experiences in collaborative applied research and projects with the school’s industry partners. It was witnessed by T.I.P.’s management and academic community from its Quezon City and Manila campuses.

T.I.P. TechnoCoRe is the school’s thrust towards Technopreneurship and Collaborative Applied Research. It empowers T.I.P.’s researchers, faculty members, and students to work on innovative solutions to the problems of stakeholders, including government, industry, civic organizations, and society at large.

“At its very core, TechnoCoRe exposes our researchers and faculty members to experience-based skills development and knowledge application with our partners. It gives them vast opportunities for real-life problem solving, which then translates into better insights and mentoring of their students in the classroom. They are the ones educating and equipping our nation’s future workforce. Therefore, it is in our best interest to put them at the intersection of theory and practice,” said T.I.P. Senior Vice President Mr. Angelo Lahoz during the event.

A total of 12 T.I.P. project teams presented during the TechnoCoRe Brown Bag Sessions, each sharing their experiences, learnings, and insights from working on applied research projects and consultancies with T.I.P.’s partners. These projects cover various fields of expertise, including: software development; enterprise resource planning; product design, system design, and development; automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics; power and energy engineering; and environmental and sanitary engineering.

Some of the industry partners for these endeavors include the following: ADEC Innovations Healthcare Incorporated, Almedah Food Machineries Corporation, Applied Machining Corporation, Conservation International Philippines, JGenTech, Metercor, SiglaVent, and SubicWater.

T.I.P.’s in-house Applied Research Unit, Technical Operations Unit, and Technology Business Incubation Unit also shared their roles in enabling TechnoCoRe’s various completed and on-going efforts. On top of these projects, T.I.P. TechnoCoRe also has a growing portfolio of other collaborative applied research activities across various stages of completion.

“As an engineering school, our ability to help stakeholders solve problems through innovative and collaborative applied research is our strong suit. The quality, depth, and breadth of the work we have done and are currently doing with our partners is our contribution to national development. We will always be an open and willing partner of Filipinos, for Filipinos,” concluded Mr. Lahoz.

Joined by representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), its Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE) Program, the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) formally launched its Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Degree in Data Science in a virtual ceremony last September 10, 2020.

Also present during the launch were partners from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Emerson Philippines, and CloudSwyft Global Systems, Inc.

T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz welcomed the international and local partners with good news, saying, “Despite these challenging times and despite the program’s quick incubation period, we have a total of 27 pioneering students and counting for our brand new graduate program.” Dr. Lahoz added, “They will be mentored by the program’s impressive faculty line up, all with both academic background and deep experience in the data science industry.”

In contrast to a traditional, theory-centric Master’s degree, a PSM Degree in Data Science involves the perfect mix of science-based theory and industry-desired business skills to produce holistic graduates who are well-versed in both theory and practice. It is essentially an advanced scientific and business degree combined into one comprehensive graduate program.

Additionally, STRIDE Chief of Party Dr. Richard Abendan explained that a PSM program “...enables industry to drive curriculum development and deliver real-world relevance and applications to students. These have a mixture of technical and business courses that prepare students for greater roles in industry.”

Providing key industry insights in the program’s curriculum development and ensuring its global significance were partners CloudSwyft Global Systems, Inc. and Emerson Philippines.

Meanwhile, USAID Office of Education Director Dr. Tom LeBlanc noted the importance of such a PSM program for Filipinos, remarking, “Indeed, the future looks bright for the next generation of Filipino scientists and engineers. No longer will they need to seek further education on this emerging industry outside the country. Initiatives such as the PSM make it possible for young Filipinos to compete with their contemporaries from around the world.”

The T.I.P. PSM Data Science program only had a six-month runway for its launch, with most of this time under the pandemic period. CHED National Capital Region CESO III Director IV Dr. Virginia Akiate commended the engineering school’s effort, “The very birth of your PSM program goes to show that even the COVID pandemic cannot stop the Technological Institute of the Philippines from offering Metro Manila’s first ever Professional Science Master’s degree in Data Science starting this School Year 2020-2021 purely online.”

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) is offering Metro Manila’s first ever Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Degree in Data Science starting this School Year 2020-2021 to help meet the growing demand for data scientists, one of the top emerging and most in-demand jobs in the Philippines.

“We are very excited to be offering this new PSM Degree in Data Science. With big data having tremendous impact on how industries make major decisions, professionals who can analyze the numbers and translate these into positive business outcomes will be highly valuable and sought after. Both these skills shall be mastered by students of this new graduate program,” said T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.

T.I.P. benchmarked the curriculum of its PSM Degree in Data Science against the data science programs of schools affiliated with the United States’ National Professional Science Master’s Association (NPSMA), ensuring enrollees shall be up to par with international standards. T.I.P. also partnered with CloudSwyft Global Systems, Inc. and Emerson Philippines to further enhance the curriculum’s local and global significance.

These benchmarking and partnership efforts were facilitated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE).

Asked on the program’s significance, CloudSwyft Vice President for Business Development Prince Datu commented, “Data Science is one of today’s hottest jobs – rapidly growing in response to the amount of data being captured and analyzed. Companies hire data scientists to find insights and to solve meaningful business problems.”

In contrast to a traditional, theory-centric Master’s degree, a PSM Degree in Data Science involves the perfect mix of science-based theory and industry-desired business skills to produce holistic graduates who are well-versed in both theory and practice. It is essentially an advanced scientific and business degree combined into one comprehensive program.

“Industry needs data scientists who are not only equipped with technical skills but also with business and organizational skills, as well as workplace skills,” affirmed Emerson Automation Solutions Senior Manager for Quality and Excellence Engr. Villacer Ceredon.

Enrollees of the proposed program shall be better equipped in gathering data, turning big data into useful actionable insights relevant to the industry, solving real-world problems through carefully applied problem-solving skills, and contributing in the creation of more effective companies and industries. These in turn will pave the way for PSM graduates to become global key players, in this data-driven era.

This graduate program in Data Science is the second PSM degree to be offered by T.I.P. The first is the PSM degree in Construction Management which was likewise launched through the support of USAID STRIDE and in partnership with Megawide Construction Corporation and Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation (MIESCOR) in 2015. The T.I.P. PSM Construction Management program was the very first PSM program to be ever offered in the whole country.

The PSM Degree in Data Science shall be delivered purely online on a modular basis via the Canvas learning management system, T.I.P.’s official online learning platform. Classes start on August 24, 2020.

In an effort to encourage its students to keep safe by staying home and learning online, the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) is now conducting its Summer Classes 2020 digitally via the Canvas learning management system. This is part of the institution’s flexible learning efforts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

T.I.P. commits to helping its students adjust to flexible learning by thoroughly developing effective and enjoyable courses properly modified to fit this new learning environment.

In a written address, T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz explained to the T.I.P. community the importance of the institution’s move, saying, “Learning cannot stop, and we need to use whatever tools are communally available to ensure continuity of education.”

With abrupt changes in the education system, T.I.P. understands that not all students have the means to enroll in online classes this summer. Dr. Quirino-Lahoz also addressed this, explaining, “This (offering of online classes) does not aim to discriminate against those who cannot avail themselves of such a modality. Rather, the goal here is to at least be able to serve a segment of students who are able and willing to do so.”

Flexible learning shall be part of the new normal in education. T.I.P. sees offering online summer classes as early as now as an opportunity to gather feedback from the online experience, that will be vital to crafting its future flexible learning initiatives and policies, especially leading up to the 1st semester of SY 2020-2021.

Going Modular: T.I.P.'s new approach to delivering online and flexible learning courses

The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) is making major changes to its education system as it opens its virtual doors on August 24, 2020 for its undergraduate and graduate program students for the School Year 2020-2021.

T.I.P. shall be adopting online and flexible learning approaches for the coming first semester due to the continued threat of COVID-19. This is true for T.I.P.’s engineering, architecture, computing, business education, ARTS, teacher education, and graduate programs.

Alongside these changes in educational modality is T.I.P.’s shift to modular delivery of its courses. T.I.P. designed the modular format with students in mind to provide them with a study-life balance. As well as keeping in mind the challenges they may be facing that are brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The modular approach shall be very manageable for the students because they shall only deal with 3 or less courses every 6 weeks. This pace is much friendlier and is very much in contrast to a regular semester where they shall take 9 courses simultaneously in one semester. Students shall not experience any online course burn out because they only need to focus on 2 or 3 courses at a time. They can pursue their hobbies and interests while enrolled in T.I.P.

“T.I.P. has always valued the health and safety of its community, which is one of its primary reasons for providing online/flexible learning classes,” explained T.I.P. President Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz. “This drastic change may sound intimidating at first for our students. But once they understand the logical design of the modular delivery of courses, they shall soon know that they can still achieve the expected course outcomes, and at the same time balance their academic load with their other responsibilities,” Dr. Quirino-Lahoz continued.

The school has heavily invested in its IT systems to anchor its online/flexible learning efforts. It has recently revamped its EmpowerED ARIS student management portal to facilitate enrollment in the new normal, as well as adopted the Canvas learning management system (LMS) for the conduct of classes and online student life. All other student services such as its Career Center, Student Group Tutorial, Student Affairs, Guidance Office, and even its Dental and Medical services are now all accessible in just a few clicks through Canvas.

The Technological Institute of the Philippines' (T.I.P.) first spin-off company, SEBI Technologies, Inc. (SEBI Tech), is expanding its reach in the north with the introduction of its homegrown EmpowerED Lite school management system to the Bataan Heroes College (BHC). 

T.I.P. Senior Vice President and concurrent SEBI Tech President and CEO Angelo Lahoz signed a Memorandum of Agreement with BHC Administrator Laurice Faye Juarez early October, marking the start of a good working relationship between their schools. 

"This partnership aligns with our strategic thrust towards digital transformation and sustaining innovation. We see the future of work and classes as hybrid (on campus and online), so we are working towards building the capacity to do both well," said Juarez. 

BHC is SEBI Tech's latest client-partner, and is the first to use EmpowerED Lite. 

A fully integrated, customizable, ready for use school management system, EmpowerED Lite offers all the key benefits of EmpowerED at a much lower cost and shorter deployment timeframe. 

In as fast as two months, client-partners like BHC can have faster, more efficient, automated student and faculty services ranging from enrollment, grades, curriculum, and fees management, including graduation. 

"We always want to find ways to do things better. From an internal standpoint, decongesting manpower for clerical tasks will allow us to focus more on high value work, not to mention sparing our personnel from burnout. It helps boost their morale too," Juarez added. 

With BHC on the list, the EmpowerED school system now serves a combined total of 42,500 students and over 3,000 faculty and staff across different schools in the country.