Student Winners of the MapúaMCM Game Development Contest Announced

On November 5, 2021, the 2021, Mapúa MCM Youth E-nnovation Summit (Mapúa MCM YES) Game Development Competition, organized by Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao came to a close with three groups of winning E-nnovators. The month-long competition was launched in late September with the objective of encouraging active civic participation among the youth through technology-based innovation.

For this year, Mapúa MCM has partnered with Project RESILIEMC, a COVID-19 risk management initiative, in  gamifying awareness on the infectious disease. Senior High School and College students from all over Mindanao had been invited to impart their creativity and knowledge in game creation based on the four components of COVID-19 risk management: perception, prevention, immunity, and mitigation.

“Games are considered a unique and interactive way of communicating science-based information. The goal of gamification is to educate end-users across all age groups about COVID-19 and ways to mitigate its spread,” Dr. Gernelyn Logrosa, leader of Project RESILIEMC, explained the rationale of the 2021 competition.

Two consultations were held to assist and guide the participants in creating their own games throughout the competition. Mr. Earl Clive Dacal, Professor of MapúaMCM College of Computer and Information Science (CCIS), presented his health-focused game, Incubus, to motivate the attendees. Students were also given the opportunity to ask questions to the game development consultant.

“The best thing that I’ve learned in developing games especially in the fields of health and education is that the cause should be genuine—to send a message, to inform and educate the lesser-informed people that should be the target audience. This would eventually reflect to the end-users when they play your game,” Mr. Dacal imparted in one of the consultation sessions.

Seven teams and one solo participant from different schools made it through the two phases of the game creation contest and three groups were awarded as the 2021 E-nnovators during the Awarding Ceremony.

Participants of the 2021 MapúaMCM Youth E-nnovation Summit (MapúaMCM YES) Game Development Competition

Students from the University of the Philippines Mindanao—Christian Vincent D. Binobo, Francis Gabriel S. Jacinto, Kaye Janua B. Maceda, and Franz Kenji L. Vilela along with their Faculty Coach, Mr. Miguel Carlo S. Guillermo won third place.

The second place has been awarded to Derek Royce L. Burias, Arwen Eve M. Veralio, and Gian Paolo D. Plariza with their Faculty Coach Ms. Karen Rachel J. San Pablo of Philippine Science High School – Southern Mindanao Campus.

Arnel Glenn Jimenez, David Rey Esberto, Muamar Malaco, Joshua Ryle Silvano, John Lloyd Tamse and their faculty coach, Ms. Maricel Dayday from the University of Southern Mindanao bagged the championship title for the first-ever MapúaMCM YES.

“It was really hard because I was the only one in the team who knew how to program. It was just a hobby; I did not take a course on programming. is so great. I would like to thank our faculty coach for introducing us to the contest, all my teammates who showed their support and believed in me, my friends, and my family. Thank you for this opportunity,” Mr. Jimenez expressed upon winning the competition.

Member of Team USM, Arnel Glenn Jimenez, receives the news of their team’s win and gives an acceptance speech

Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao continues to create avenues to expand the technological landscape in the country and at the same time advocate for young Filipinos’ civic participation, particularly in creating transformative solutions to worldly issues.