Gokongwei Brothers Foundation Young Scientist Award, is a prestigious scholarship grant given annually to high school students who excel in STEM in the country. This year, a total of 14 scholars were awarded by GBF—10 students who excelled in the Department of Education’s National Science and Technology Fair (DepEd NSTF) and 4 from the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute’s (DOST-SEI) imake.wemake youth innovation competition. All scholars were awarded with cash incentives, medals, and a college scholarship grant.
DepEd NSTF winners
From Region I, Charly David T. Manuel, Rey Alfred S. Quiam, and Klein Gunneries R. Bubos of Alaminos City National High School stood out with their project, “EDAD: Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Utilizing Low-Cost Plasma Peptide Extraction, Atmospheric Pressure Mass Spectrometer, and Support Vector Machine-Based Classification of Amyloid-beta Species.”
Representing Region IV-B and Bansud National High School, Earl Johven C. Luna impressed with his study on the “Neuroprotective Potential of Premna Odorata (Alagau) Leaf Extract Against Alzheimer’s Disease Using Deltamethrin-Induced Neurotoxicity in Drosophila Melanogaster (Fruit Fly): In Silico and In Vivo Analyses.” His schoolmate, Marc Fritzter V. Tamayo, also developed “KISLAP PILIPINAS,” a coin-cell-based battery innovation utilizing Musa textilis (Abaca) fibers and carbonized Perna viridis (green mussel) shells.
Also from Region IV-B, Trisha Kaye F. Mesana of Leuteboro National High School presented “Project SEAS: Smart Environmental Awareness System via Buoy Monitoring for Marine Sanctuaries.”
From Region V, Edric V. Magana, Mark Nino S. Asis, and Jaycil Robert R. Sta. Rosa of Jose Panganiban National High School introduced “MAPS: Mangrove Analytics and Prediction System.”
Finally, Margareth J. Ac-Ac from Sumaliring High School in Region VII showcased “SKIMP,” an AI-powered portable skin cancer detection device that uses a convolutional neural network and a Python-based notification system.
The NSTF winners also had the opportunity to participate in the recently concluded Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2025 in Ohio. GBF also sponsored their jackets and the 3-day training clinic to prepare them for the international competition.
Two projects won special awards from ISEF 2025: The Mary Kay Inc. Special Award for the SKIMP Project from Sumariling High School; and the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council Award for the EDAD Project from the students of Alaminos National High School.
DOST imake.wemake winners
From Region IV-A, Kristine Butaran of Rizal National Science High School developed “Speech-to-Animation Device for Sign Language Inclusivity (SALIN): Combination of Arduino Technology and Artificial Intelligence for Promotion of Equal Treatment of Deaf Individuals,” a project aimed at promoting inclusivity for the Deaf community.
In Region VII, Healvey Taytayan and Marc Jomyr Diongzon of Bantayan Science High School worked on “Project LUSAI,” an Internet of Things (IoT)-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) that utilizes LiDAR technology for seagrass mapping and aquatic inspections.
Representing Region X, Patricia Loraine Sevilla of Lala National High School presented “C.R.A.B.-Tech: Crustacean Robotic Autonomous Baiting Technology,” showcasing a unique application of robotics in fisheries.
Through the Young Scientist Awards, GBF aims to promote STEM excellence among the youth, and inspire more students to take STEM-related courses and careers to spark more innovation in the country.
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