On December 9, 2024, junior BS Computer Science students Josh Kenn A. Viray, Jam Meisy F. Tan, Wilmargherix M. Casta帽eda, and Jasmine Aubrey U. De Guia (Team STAC) brought home thesecond prize for the Machine Learning track competition of this year鈥檚 BPI Data, Analytics, Transformation, and AI (DATA) Wave. The team was under the tutelage of Asst. Prof. Cherry Rose Estabillo.
The team demonstrated expertise and innovation in addressing critical challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and local banks. Their solution utilized classical machine learning techniques to develop a fairer and more effective method for evaluating creditworthiness, showcasing technical proficiency and a deep understanding of real-world economic issues.
Team STAC, including Edrine Frances A. Esguerra, also earned multiple accolades, including Champion titles in the Hooked Unitour Hackathon and iThink Hackathon, a Top 15 spot in the Philippine Startup Challenge 9 under the team 鈥淯PMKR,鈥� and 1st Runner-Up in Hack the Future: Technology for a Better World hackathon.
Spanning three months, the hackathon featured three distinct tracks: Generative AI, Classical Machine Learning, and Data Visualization and Dashboarding. Participants tackled real-world challenge statements and honed their skills through Eskwelabs workshops and mentoring from industry professionals.
The BPI DATA Wave is a nationwide initiative to discover and nurture data talent in the Philippines, reflecting BPI鈥檚 commitment to investing in people and advancing innovation. The event was organized by the Bank of the Philippine Islands and powered by Eskwelabs under the theme 鈥淒ata-Driven and AI-Powered Solutions for MSMEs: Fueling Growth with Innovation.鈥� Over 116 teams from various educational institutions and young professionals nationwide submitted their entries to the hackathon.
The event culminated in the Summit, a celebration of finalists’ innovative solutions and projects. This full-day event, hosted by BPI, highlighted digital transformation through workshops, keynote addresses, a science fair-style exhibit of data projects, and the much-anticipated awarding of winning teams.
