Isulan, Sultan Kudarat – The Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College Science Laboratory High School has sent four of its students to represent the Philippines in the 2009 Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (Sage) World Cup in Brazil for their unique invention.

This developed after the Sultan Kudarat team composed of Kent Rey Murillo, Johanna Lyn Malicad, John Rei Dela Cruz and Ena Angela Oculto were adjudged as the 2009 Sage Philippines Cup champions in the recently held competition at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños in Laguna.

The entry of the Sultan Kudarat team won P8,000 prize from sponsor Youth Works Inc. for its entry – cement blocks made up of palm fronds – that turned out to be durable yet cheaper by 20 percent compared to commercial hollow blocks being used in construction.

Governor Teng Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat commended the Sultan Kudarat team for winning the prestigious cup and hailed the invention as a breakthrough in construction industry whose benefit would redound to the people, especially the poor.

“Certainly, this invention of a new cement block which is lightweight yet fire-resistant, would eventually solve the problem on lack of shelter in the country plagued by high price of construction materials,” Mangudadatu said.

The governor said he would order the provincial engineering office to find out how to manufacture palm frond cement blocks and test it for a construction project in the province.

The World Cup held at Brazil is aimed at looking for new inventions and new entrepreneur leaders who will solve the basic needs of the global community.

As of press time, there was no word yet on how did the Sultan Kudarat team fare with the other world contestants.