Xavier University Business Administration and Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) students reaped awards at the 9th Search for the Best Business Idea and Development Award (BIDA) held in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on October 6.

XU was the only school from Mindanao that qualified for the National Finals competition.

Fourth year BA students Mary Charmin Zambas, Rodyard Camarin, Christelle Dionne Flores, Karla Estorba and Reuvynna Mae Racho were awarded second prize in the non-food category for their social enterprise Videnda that sells trendy shoes with changeable shoe jackets and shoe collars.

Meanwhile, Aileen Florence Velasco, Roxanne Velarde and Kimberly Condeza and fifth year ECE students Lloyd Martin Luyao and Nico Jan Siton won third prize in the technology category for their invention called the Strategic Multi-Acquisition Rat-Reducer Technology (SMART) trap, a preventive rat trap designed for farmers to minimize their losses and increase their production yield.

This year’s BIDA, organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, centered on the theme “Preparing the Youth for Global Competitiveness.”

XU president Fr Roberto C Yap SJ, in his memo to the university community, commended the students whom he referred to as “business innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs.”

He also expressed his gratitude to their mentors, Tracy June Dy, a faculty member of the School of Business and Management, who served as the business adviser for both projects and Engr Eliseo Linog who was the engineering adviser for the SMART team.

[Photos: (Upper) Team Videnda and (lower) Team SMART Trap (Strategic Multi-Acquisition Rat-Reducer Technology)]