PLANETS VS. PLASTICS:
PAPERS FOR THE FUTURE

15 October 2025 | Chazz Wilson A. Garcia III, LPT | Science Subject Area

The Ateneo de Manila Junior High School celebrated its annual Research Fair last April 2025. Alongside this celebration is the yearly research presentation of the various junior high school grade levels as part of their curriculum. Students from grades 7, 8, 9, and 10 presented their research ventures—from the basic formulation of a hypothesis through the grade 7 students' storytelling, the grade 8 students’ infographic presentation, and the grades 9 and 10 students' full-on research papers. Despite being an academic requirement, the Science department of the AJHS continues to fuel its ambitions of empowering AMDGforSDG (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam for the Sustainable Development Goals) through this annual celebration.

The grade 7 students ignited the annual research fair with their lively Story-based Green Education, which showcased their flair for creative presentation while highlighting their learned competence in forming hypotheses, determining variables, and effective communication. Using Scratch, the grade 7 students told their stories in an interdisciplinary collaboration with the Computer Department. Samantha Gail Magtanong, Jacob Riley Marcelo, Pio Francesco Mortela, and Samuel Mark Ngoho, the representatives from 7-Azevedo, got third place for the said event. Meanwhile, the representatives from 7-Arrowsmith, namely Nate Abadies-Decena, Cross Acal, Mikael Alikpala, and Mateo De Guzman, got second place. The representatives from 7-Bobola, namely Ren Draeco Danga, Emmanuel Jeoffrey Gonzales, Daniel Phoenix Daylight Ibay, and Jacob Miguel Jabines, bagged the 1st place for the said event. Despite being a third placer overall, Jacob Riley Marcelo of 7-Azevedo claimed the Padre Faura Award for Promising Young Scientist of the said batch. 

Meanwhile, the grade 8 students celebrated the annual research fair with their very own Research Infographic Presentation. The sophomore students presented their research proposals through a descriptive visual presentation that synthesizes their proposals in a single, detailed infographic. The students from the Advanced C section, namely Sancho Miguel Padilla, Justin Rei Red, Juan Luigi Rafael Robles, and Miguel Josef Samson, grabbed the third place with their research proposal entitled: The Effect of a 60° Ultraviolet Light Angle on the Length (cm) of Broccoli (Brassica olacera) and Cauliflower (Brassica olacera var. botrytis) Stem Grown in a Hydroponic System. Advanced B’s Canon Carlos De Guia, Stanley Emmanuel Nacario, and Jacob Adin Ziv Velus got the second place with their proposal titled: The Effect of Crab (Penaeus merguiensis), Shrimp (Scylla olivacea), and Mussels (Perna viridis) as Organic Fertilizer on the Number of Leaves (g) of Mustard Plant (Brassica juncea) for Vertical Sowing Towers. The 1st place for this year’s Infographic Presentation was awarded to Advanced A’s Noah Emanuel Alampay, Ronell Jose Co, Aaron Reiss Rivera, and Ian James Zamora with their research proposal: FUELYMPICS: A Comparative Analysis on the Energy Output (J/mL) of Biofuels Derived from Coconut (Cocos nucifera), Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), and Seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii). Despite not placing anywhere from the top 3, Rocco Antonio Banzon from 8 - Colombiere received the Padre Faura Award for Promising Young Scientist for the sophomores.

The Grade 9 and 10 students wrote full research papers and presented their findings at their own Science Research Symposium for the Grade 9 students and the highly anticipated Research Congress for the Grade 10 students. Multiple awards were given for participants from both year level–with each award having its own significance in the field of Scientific research. For grade 9 students, the Fr. William Schmitt Award for Scientific Writing and Fr. Francis M. Perez Award for Oral Scientific Communication were given to Dominic Thaddeus Go, Maxilian Gerant Reyes, Karim Estanislao, and Mario Isaac Lipana Jr. of the Science 9 Advanced A with their research titled LETTUCE SHINE! A Study on The Effects of Different Colours of Light Emitting Diodes (Red, Blue, Green, White) on the Mass (g) and Height (cm) of Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in a Hydroponic Set-up. The Fr. Jose Moises T. Fermin Award for Engineering Design was awarded to Advanced B’s Joaquin Iñigo Navarro, Marco Gabriel Nicolas, Andrew Raiden Panlilio, and Joaquin Alfonso Sumpaico for their study SUPER SMASH BRICKS: The Effectivity of Crushed Cupped Oyster (Crassostrea iredalei) and Green Mussel Shells (Perna virdis) as an Additive to Concrete Brick Aggregates on the Compressive Strength (PSI) of Hollow Blocks. The winners for the Fr. Victor L. Badillo Award for Scientific Endeavor and Fr. Jose Ramon T Villarin Award for Sustainability are Taehyeon Lim, Caleb Jacob Puentespina, Sky Dy Salazar, Jose Reyes Santiago, and Viktor Antonio Miguel Yu of 9-Lalemant with their research titled PLUSTIK-CO: A Comparative Study of Two Types of Plastic—Commercially Made Plastic and Bioplastic from Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Husks on Tensile Strength (Newtons). The Fr. Prudencio F. Macayan Award for Benefit to the Local Community was awarded to Quintin Gabriel Allado, Angelo Miguel Ambulo, Matthew James Ramirez, and Jace Annuel Rayos Del Sol of 9-Ireland with their study titled A Comparative Study on the Effect of  Superworms (Zophobas morio) on the Mass Reduction of Polystyrene and Polyethylene. 9-Gelabert’s Santiago Gabriel Afuang, Enzo Adrian Divinagracia, Andres Gabriel Ignacio, and Liam Vea won the Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres Award for Potential Development with their research SHELL SHIELD: The Effect of Crushed Oyster (Crassostrea iredalei), Clam (Paphia unduluta), and Mussel (Perna viridis) Shells on the Fire Resistance of Modified Commercial Paint as Measured by Discoloration, CO2 Emissions (ppm) and Mass Loss (g). Finally, the Pope Francis Award for BEST Research Project was given to Mateo Baterina, Gerard Marcus Argonza, and Miguel Antonio Arguelles of the Grade 9 Advanced C section with their research on The Effect of Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)-Derived Ethanol on CO₂ Emissions and Burn Time as a Potential Biofuel Alternative to Gasoline. Master Dominic Thaddeus Go of the Advanced A section bagged the Padre Faura Award for the Promising Young Scientist this year for the Grade 9 batch.

To finalize things for this year’s research fair, various awards of the same prestige were, of course, also given to grade 10 students. The Fr. Jose Moises T. Fermin Award for Engineering Design was given to Carlos Enrico Chua, Antonio Miguel Dulalia, and Rocco Antonio De Leon of the Advanced B section with their research on The 3D Feasibility of a Solar Powered Air Conditioning System in the AJHS Grade 10 Wing. The Fr. Francis M. Perez Award for Oral Scientific Communication was given to 10-Southwell’s William Cedric Carlos, Daniel Elbambo, Sean Andrei Eleda, Lance Manalo, and Joseph Luis Ramoso with their research titled Surge-Charge: Integrated Mechanically-Powered Battery-Generator Unit. The Fr. Victor L. Badillo Award for Scientific Endeavor was given to Jacobo Bautista, Nathaniel Cayden Caparas, and Aydin Zishan Latiph of the Advanced A with their research paper entitled FLOCC N’ ROLL: A Comparative Study on Utilizing Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Husks, Rice (Oryza sativa) Hull and Peanut (Arachys hypogea. L.) Shells as Bioflocculant Water Purification Tablets. The Fr. Prudencio F. Macayan Award for Benefit to the Local Community was given to 10-Pignatelli’s Rafael Vincent Blaza, Godfrey James Dela Fuente, Joseph Emilio Dioquino, Marco Angelo Guerrero, and Sean Eleazar Robles with their research on Top Alternative Materials to Boost Brightness and Replace Traditional Solar Bottle Bulb. The Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres Award for Potential Development was awarded to the Advanced C’s Alessandro Leane Chan, Dominic Stefano Pelingo, Duke Mari Santos, and Vernon Raphael Visda on their research paper titled BOT-TLE DETECTIVES: A Study on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Identifying the Type of Plastic Bottle. The Fr. Jose Ramon T Villarin Award for Sustainability was awarded to Rafaele Alessandro Ordiz, Mateo Rafael Pilapil, Lesther John Salapunen, Miguel Joaquin Valdez, and Rhoumel Filamor Yadao of 10-Saito with their research titled A Comparative Study Between The Combustion Times (s) and Temperatures (C°) of Chicken Bone Waste Bio-charcoal and Pork Bone Waste Bio-charcoal. The Fr. William Schmitt Award for Scientific Writing for Grade 10 was given to Sean Timothy Ang, Raphael Paulo Kallos, Antonio Manolo, Salientes, and Enrique M. Tinio of 10-Page with their research entitled A Study on the Use of Coconut (Cocos nucifera) and Used PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) Bottles as an Alternative Personal Flotation Device in Terms of the Weight (kg) Limit Before Sinking and Submersion. They have also won the Pope Francis Award for BEST Research Project for this year, with Master Enrique Tinio winning the Padre Faura Award for the Promising Young Scientist.

Every year, the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School Science Department encourages and enables the students’ creative minds with their research projects. Academic research acts as a stepping stone for future projects that propel STEM-centric ideas into fruition, in their most authentic form. This year, the teachers and students witnessed the battle between plastics and the planet–cheering on the side of the planet we call our home–working hand-in-hand in writing the papers for the future. May these little endeavors in saving the world snowball into practical solutions in the near future, all for the glory of God