Written by Karla Caroline Bisnan | Photographed by DICT-CAR
The University of Baguio’s School of Information Technology showcased its cybersecurity excellence at the Hack4Gov 2025 Regional Qualifiers, held on October 2, 2025, at Paragon Hotel, Baguio City. The event, organized by the Cybersecurity Bureau’s National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), gathered some of the region’s top institutions to compete in this year’s Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge. With the theme “Cyber Guardians: Empowering Today’s Defenders, Securing Tomorrow’s Nation,” Hack4Gov 2025 aimed to strengthen the cybersecurity capabilities of students through hands-on simulations of real-world cyber threats.
The initiative highlighted the importance of critical thinking, teamwork, and digital ethics—competencies that support the Philippines’ digital transformation efforts in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9.5.1: Research and Development Investment), which promoted technological innovation, resilient systems, and secure digital governance.
It also supports SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16.6.2: Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services) by advancing cybersecurity practices that strengthen institutional resilience, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17.16.1: Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks) as it fosters collaboration among government, academia, and industry.
The CTF competition ran from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., challenging participants in categories such as Web Exploitation, Digital Forensics, and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence). Strict cybersecurity discipline was observed throughout, with participants restricted from using mobile phones during the event to simulate real-world security protocols. The awarding and closing ceremonies followed from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., concluding a full day of collaboration and technical problem-solving.
Among the nine competing teams, Team Crystal Gambit from UB-SIT—composed of Alexander Benzon, Russel Jay Siloy, Janeah Joy Castaneda, and Roxanne Czarina Worwor—secured 2nd Place with 975 points, while Team XP, composed of Shekinah Sotero, Zschairail Balanza, Hyra Cayambas, and Jamaica Kiat-ong, placed 7th with 585 points. Both teams were coached by Mr. Rommel Asuncion and Mr. Anthony Galutan, with Ms. Lolita Narag serving as the internal organizer.
The competition concluded with Team UC_Expl01ts from the University of the Cordilleras emerging as Champion. Team Crystal Gambit of the University of Baguio followed in second place, while Team JJRK from Saint Louis University ranked third. Other participating institutions included Saint Louis University, University of the Cordilleras, and STI Colleges Baguio, while Benguet State University and University of Abra joined as observers.
UB’s participation in Hack4Gov 2025 reinforces the University’s commitment to advancing digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and innovation-driven education, in alignment with SDG 4: Quality Education (SDG 4.4.1: Youth with ICT Skills). By actively engaging in national initiatives such as Hack4Gov, the University of Baguio School of Information Technology continues to empower students to become capable, ethical, and responsible digital citizens—future cybersecurity professionals ready to contribute to building a safe, secure, and innovative digital nation.
