Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC), one of the country’s leading natural resource development companies, acknowledged impressive student researchers during the first-ever NAC Innovators Awards held on April 29, 2025, at Seda Hotel in Bonifacio Global City.
Twelve research teams from universities nationwide presented projects with the goal of advancing environmental protection and sustainable resource use. The event featured winners selected from the grantees of NAC’s 2023 Sustainability Contest.
Team Safer from St. Paul University Surigao was able to achieve first place with their project, “An IoT-Based Real-Time Light and Heavy Equipment Monitoring System for Open-Pit Mining Operations.” The system aims to improve equipment use efficiency and reduce reliance on paper in mining operations.
Second place went to Team Rotor Cracks of Ateneo de Davao University, who created a drone-powered structural health monitoring system using GNSS-RK and computer vision to detect cracks in concrete structures. The technology seeks to reduce manual inspection errors.
Team Project Zero, also from St. Paul University Surigao, earned third place for their GIS-based accident prediction system, which uses Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) tools to visualize and assess accident risk zones in surface mining areas.
The top three teams were awarded PHP 300,000, PHP 200,000, and PHP 100,000 respectively.
In his message, NAC President and CEO Martin Antonio G. Zamora described the awards as a platform for empowering youth in the environmental and mining sectors. “The NAC Innovators Awards is a platform for young Filipinos to ignite change, to be heard, and to help build a greener, and more resilient future for all,” Zamora said.
Participating institutions included Bicol University, Caraga State University, Saint Louis University, University of Mindanao, Visayas State University, and others. The projects were evaluated based on sustainability (30%), feasibility (20%), impact (20%), integration (15%), and repeatability (15%).
The panel of judges included experts from the academe and industry, among them former Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Dr. Graciano P. Yumul, Jr., and senior representatives from Emerging Power Inc., UP Los Baños, and La Salle Green Hills.
NAC said the event reflects its continual commitment to responsible mining and youth empowerment through innovation.
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