University News

PUP delegates are overall champions in HackFest 2024

Mikaela C. Payong, News, PUP Campus Journalists

In a stunning display of technical innovation and creativity, the team “Diwata Overcode” from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) emerged as champion at HackFest 2024: Fusion, organized by Google Developer Students Clubs Loyola (GDSC-L) and Globe Telecom, at the Ateneo de Manila on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Diwata Overcode, composed of Computer Science students Xiang Cheng, Gladwin Ferdz, Infanta DelRosario, Vash Puno, and Arjay Rosel, clinched victory by developing a cutting-edge business education platform with a mobile app interface tailored to teach business concepts and ideas in a way that appeals to Gen Z, encouraging them to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career path.

“The primary reason why students struggle to become entrepreneurs is that they lack the fundamental knowledge needed to become business owners themselves. However, it goes beyond that. Our platform provides students with ways to be motivated to continue and persevere,” Del Rosario, one of the members, explained.

Furthermore, Del Rosario highlighted that the platform acts as a bridge to the business industry, empowering students to realize their entrepreneurial potential through an engaging interface tailored for Gen Z.

Throughout the 12-day competition, which featured 35 teams from across the country, Diwata Overcode navigated team-building activities and learning sessions to develop and present their solution to the hackathon challenge.

“The win means a lot to us,” Del Rosario shared.

“At first, we were intimidated by the large number of competitors and their schools, some of which had well-known names. But, later on, as we realized the potential of our skills, we were encouraged by the potential of our capabilities. This became our motivation to persevere and continue,” he added.

Joining Diwata Overcode in representing PUP, team “Iskode,” composed of computer engineering students Kyne Domerei Laggui, Amado Niño Rei Punzalan, Aira Altis Estur, and Joseph Buhain, secured fourth place.

PUP also fielded several other teams in the competition, including HGlarchies, S&T Innovatives, SSTech, and Sobrang Inet sa PUP, each contributing to the university’s strong representation

Celebrating their success, Diwata Overcode hopes their achievement will inspire fellow PUPians to participate in hackathons and similar competitions, sharing how their team’s journey from formation to reaching the top 10 highlighted their potential growth and skill development.

“When Arjay, Xian, Vash, and I (Gladwin) formed our team, we were just regular members of our organizations who joined for the experience. However, as we progressed to the top 10, we realized that we could achieve more than we initially thought, utilizing both our known skills and gaining new ones along the way,” Del Rosario said.

HackFest 2024 featured technical workshops, webinars, consultations, and a hackathon, challenging students to devise innovative solutions to the prompt, “How can we entice Gen Z budding entrepreneurs to join Amway as business owners?”