Six Filipino students who recently graduated from Philippine public schools won awards in this year’s International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) held in Albuquerque, New Mexico the other week. The three winners of individual awards in the world’s biggest science and engineering research fair sponsored by global microchip giant Intel were Melvyn Carlo Barroa, Hester Mana Umayam and Luiji John Karlo Suarez. Barroa, 16, from the Capiz National High School in Roxas City, won a Fourth Award in Microbiology for his research in the use of fish mucus as a possible antimicrobial agent against human pathogens.

Umayam, 15, from Philippine Science High School-Cagayan Valley, garnered a Fourth Award in Behavioral and Social Sciences for her research on Ethnomathematics in the Geometric Patterns in the woven fabrics of the indigenous Kalinga tribe. The 17- year-old Suarez, on the other hand, won a scholarship award from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance- Lemelson Foundation for his research on the potential of marine bioluminescent bacteria as antibacterial agents against two major rice diseases. He graduated from Dona Hortencia Salas Benedicto National High School (DHSBNHS) in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental. Three coeds from the Philippine Science High School main campus in Quezon City also won a Fourth Award in the Team Projects category for their research on the use of nudibranchs or sea snails or slugs to detect tumors. They were Ivy Razel Ventura, Janine Cindy Santiago, and Mara Elaine Villaverde, all 16 years old. All six winning students were presented to the media in a press conference in Greenbelt 3, Makati City by Intel Technology Philippines, Inc.