magpaSIKAT

A UFO just landed at SM. That’s my first impression when I first saw SIKAT, the Philippines’ second solar-powered. Its creation was inspired from the accomplishment of SINAG, the country’s first solar car which ranked 12th in the World Solar Car Challenge. Soon, SIKAT will be competing too against more experienced participants in Australia.

Meet SIKAT, its car's body is made of a lightweight carbon fibre found in current F1 car model. Its top surface is covered with solar cells, a device that converts the energy of sunlight directly into electricity.

I was busy taking photos of Sikat, when a guy from their team approached me. “Hello, are you a high school student?” I chuckled but cautious not to make it obvious. One of my older sister’s sources of joy is to be called as my younger sister. Apparently, if she was standing beside, she would definitely detest that the guy had said. “a college student?”, he asked again. “Fresh Grad, sir”, I answered. “How do you find SIKAT so far?”, we talked, talked, talked. As I was about to leave, He then asked If I want to have a photo with the solar car. Of course, I said yes.

Here’s a photo with Jeffrey Yu, a student from De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila. He is one of the members of the team who designed and constructed SIKAT. I like his outfit, so cool, astig! Aside from the students and faculty of the mechanical engineering and electronics and communications engineering departments of their school, they are also working hand in hand with (PSCS) Philippine Solar Car Challenge Society Inc.