By John Vincent L. Ceralvo
Congratulations to CCS Innovators for their outstanding performance in KomsaiHack 2026: RiskReady held at UPV Iloilo City Campus, where Team “W” earned 1st Runner-Up and Team “CommCoders” placed 4th Runner-Up among 24 competing teams.
KomsaiHack 2026: RiskReady has officially concluded, bringing together student innovators from across Western Visayas in a dynamic showcase of technology, collaboration, and purpose-driven solutions. After weeks of ideation, system development, and teamwork, the final pitching was held on April 17, 2026, at the UPV Iloilo City Campus, Graduate and Continuing Education Building, where the most promising teams presented their outputs.
Out of 24 competing teams, only the Top 10 finalists advanced to the final pitching stage, presenting their disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM)-focused systems before a panel of experts in technology, research, and disaster response. Among these finalists, two teams from the College of Computer Studies (CCS) of Central Philippine University successfully secured spots and achieved remarkable placements.
Team “W” earned the title of 1st Runner-Up, represented by pitcher Bjorn Manzon Herrera (BSCS-1) alongside members Adrian Bon J. Cordero (BSIT-1), Kyle Jason S. Bobier (BSCS-1), and Romeo B. Manzanilla III (BSCS-1). Meanwhile, Team “CommCoders” placed as 4th Runner-Up, with Janrickz John C. Babac as pitcher and members Benjamin I. Ramos III, Elijah Mar P. Rosialda, Timothy Jorie P. Superficial, and John Ferwin A. Cari (all BSCS-2).
The event highlighted the development of innovative DRRM-focused system solutions, strengthened collaboration among students from various institutions across Western Visayas, and showcased a hybrid hackathon experience that combined onsite and online participation. The final pitching allowed participants to demonstrate their systems before a distinguished panel of judges composed of John Christian D. Albances, Science Research Specialist II from DOST; Marvin L. Manuel, IIDB Head Focal of DICT Region VI and Provincial Officer of DICT Aklan; and Julrod Prino, Program Coordinator and Disaster Response Officer of PCDR.
Organized by UPV Komsai.org, the event also recognized the support of its partners, including the Computer Science Society (CSS), an official student organization under the College of Computer Studies (CCS) of Central Philippine University. The involvement of CSS highlights its continued commitment to promoting student development, leadership, and engagement in impactful technological initiatives.
This achievement reflects the capability of CCS students to develop meaningful and technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges in disaster preparedness and response. Under the mentorship of Prof. Roda Katrina E. Canatoy, MSCS, these student programmers continue to strive for excellence and are already looking forward to future competitions. Their success in KomsaiHack 2026 reinforces the reputation of the College of Computer Studies as a premier hub for innovation and excellence, inspiring more students to pursue transformative ideas through technology.