A student team from the University of the Cordilleras–College of Information Technology and Computer Science (UC CITCS) has been officially selected as one of the Top 10 Teams in the School-Based Category of the 2026 AI Hackathon, part of the 2026 AI Fest.
The team, estudyanDEVS, is composed of Sean Zyndrex M. Quitaleg, Dave Yuri I. Jimenez, Marc Ezekiel R. Oducayen, Jancess Elizdanne F. Langaoen, and Verah Janae Dulay.
The team earned its place among the top qualifiers after its preliminary proposal stood out from a highly competitive pool of applicants. Their proposal was recognized for its creativity and alignment with the region’s priority sectors under this year’s theme, “Building an AI-Ready Future, Together.”
The AI Hackathon is a national competition that engages students, developers, researchers, and technology enthusiasts in developing AI-enabled solutions for real-world problems. The competition aims to strengthen technical skills, promote innovation, and provide participants with hands-on experience in applying artificial intelligence technologies through guided problem-solving, mentorship, teamwork, and prototyping.
As part of the next phase, the qualified teams are required to refine their ideas, improve their technical plans, and prepare their project roadmaps. The Top 10 teams will undergo a Semi-Final Screening, where the current pool of qualifiers will be narrowed down to the Top 5 Teams per category. The Top 5 teams will be announced on July 16, 2026.
The final Top 5 teams will advance to the live, on-site Development Sprint and Pitch, which will be held from August 3 to 5, 2026, in Iloilo City.
This recognition highlights UC CITCS’ commitment to cultivating innovation, critical thinking, and responsible technology development among its students. Through competitions such as the AI Hackathon, students are given opportunities to apply classroom learning to real-world challenges and contribute to the development of AI-enabled solutions for society.
UC CITCS extends its congratulations to Sean Zyndrex M. Quitaleg, Dave Yuri I. Jimenez, Marc Ezekiel R. Oducayen, Jancess Elizdanne F. Langaoen, and Verah Janae Dulay for this achievement and wishes them success in the next phase of the 2026 AI Hackathon.
SDG Alignment
SDG 4: Quality Education – The achievement reflects the role of experiential learning, mentorship, and innovation-driven education in developing students’ technical and problem-solving skills.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The AI Hackathon promotes the development of AI-enabled solutions, digital innovation, and responsible technological advancement.
