BukSU IT team earns 5th Place at Regional Cybersecurity Competition in CDO

A team of Information Technology students from Bukidnon State University’s (BukSU) College of Technologies (BukSU-COT) placed fifth in the regional HackForGov5 cybersecurity competition held on September 18, 2026, in Cagayan de Oro City.

Carrying the theme “Decoding Youth Innovation, Anchoring One Nation’s Digital Defense,” the annual competition aims to test academic knowledge against simulated real-world cyber threats while cultivating local technical talent.

Competing under the moniker BukSU Flag Hunters, team members Erwin Lanzaderas, Arcel Jhon Macasling, Nick Xylan Melloria, and Jeff Ivan Mayor scored 550 points across a series of capture-the-flag (CTF) security challenges. The tests evaluated participants in digital threat analysis, vulnerability identification, and real-time problem-solving.

Guided by IT faculty coach Joseph Abella, the team competed against student groups from higher education institutions across the region. (Joseph Abella/ Faculty, IT Department)