Quezon City University strikes again

In 2025, I hosted the Quezon City University (QCU) robotics team at CHED after learning they had done well in an international competition in Dallas, Texas. It was not a typical getting-to-know-you meeting. I was genuinely interested for two reasons: first, its president, Tere Atienza, has been a good friend for decades and was producing miracles at QCU; and second, I wanted to meet the students and their winning robots.

More than understanding the design and navigating the robots along the CHED hallway, I was stunned when I met the students.

The 2025 QCU robotics team was guided by three “first-generation” students (first in their families to attend university) – Enerjhun Relon, Prince Docot and Ericka Canon – along with five others from working-class, single-income backgrounds (including a security guard, a painter and a factory worker). It was deeply rewarding to see students excel in international competitions and realize their dreams, thanks to free higher education.

A third, equally crucial personal reason is my longstanding support for local colleges and universities (LUCs) since joining CHED, with each LUC achievement reaffirming my advocacy.

QCU on the world stage

Big dreams, strategic local backing and relentless drive fuel QCU’s rise on the world stage.

There is a common public perception about international technology and engineering competitions: we tend to expect the usual roster of elite, well-funded universities to carry the flag, and science-oriented students from well-off families leading the delegation. Yet the history of innovation has always favored the bold over the deep-pocketed.

QCU is rewriting that narrative. At the recent VEX University World Robotics Championship, QCU did not just show up – it made a definitive statement. Proving that its historic 2025 debut in Dallas, Texas was no fluke, the university’s engineering and information technology students returned to the global stage in 2026, standing tall not as underdogs, but as serious international contenders.

A track record of improvement

The QCU Robotics Team had an impressive debut at the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship, ranking 15th out of 63 in the Robot Skills Challenge and 48th out of 249 in the overall Worldskills Standings. While some might have seen it as rookie luck, QCU’s achievements in 2026 proved those doubts wrong.

The early indications of future success were clear at the January 2026 VEX U Robotics National Championship, where QCU was dominant. Its two teams, Alpha and Beta, outshone regional teams, leading to an all-QCU final. Team Alpha won the Tournament Championship, and both teams secured first and second place in the Robot Skills Challenge. The university also earned the Excellence and Best Design Awards.

Like their 2025 predecessors, the 2026 team was bannered by four “first-generation” students – Marc Parinas, Jayson de la Cruz, Alyanna Bunag and Marc Concepcion – and six others from single-income working-class households (aircon technician, driver, painter). All come from 4Ps families.

By earning the right to represent the Philippines at the World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, they demonstrated that QCU hosts one of the country’s top collegiate robotics programs.

In April 2026, at the America’s Center Convention Complex, QCU demonstrated national pride and converted its local strength into international success. Competing against the world’s top programs, the team secured 41st place out of 84 in the World Skills Challenge and 32nd out of 266 in the overall standings – an impressive achievement for a young program.

The blueprint for a smart city

What is happening in Quezon City and QCU that is making all these possible?

What makes this sustained success so compelling is the powerhouse ecosystem behind it. This is not a story of isolated brilliance; it is the direct result of visionary local leadership and unwavering institutional backing.

QCU’s transformation into a hub for top-tier tech talent is driven by strong support from the Quezon City Government under Mayor Joy Belmonte. Recognizing the importance of local talent in shaping a progressive city, QC’s leadership – along with CHED’s UniFAST program – has provided vital financial aid, resources and confidence to these young innovators. As QCU president Theresita Atienza states, “Quezon City is evolving into a ‘smart city.’ As the city’s local university, QCU prepares more students with the skills needed to realize this vision.”

This illustrates that when a local university’s alignment with city goals and the city’s investment in that university reinforce each other, the city’s youth, whatever income class or circumstances they may come from, can match the best in the world.

The verdict

When QCU makes an impact, it breaks the false idea that only costly, elite institutions lead in technological innovation. The skilled students on the QCU team demonstrate that Filipino talent, with proper government support and excellent mentorship, can compete with major international players.

A new benchmark has been established. From a notable 2025 debut to establishing itself among the world’s top institutions in 2026, QCU has shown that consistent excellence stems from clear vision and local government support. The university is now not just involved in the global robotics dialogue but is also transforming what Philippine universities are capable of achieving internationally.

The message from Quezon City University to the rest of the world is loud, clear and perfectly programmed: We are here, we belong and we are just getting started.