Northern Mindanao has a new cybersecurity team to cheer for. Team CYB3RUS of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) has won the HackForGov 2026 Region X qualifying round and earned the right to represent the region at the national finals.
The Iligan-based squad finished on top of 12 student teams from across the region during the competition held on September 18 at the N Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. With the regional title secured, CYB3RUS will carry Region X’s banner at the HackForGov National Finals in Metro Manila this December, where it will face the winners of other regional qualifiers.
The contest was a showcase of the region’s young tech talent. Team CodeKada of Liceo de Cagayan University took first runner-up, while Team Not A Bot of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) Main Campus placed second runner-up.
Individual honors were also handed out. CYB3RUS member Jiandele Ambal was named the top individual performer. Quem Krister D. Magdugo of Team Not A Bot ranked second, and La Leunel Valmoria of Team CodeKada placed third.
Magdugo’s strong showing also earned him an individual wildcard slot for the national finals. He will join three other top performers from different regions on a multi-regional wildcard team, giving Northern Mindanao an extra presence on the national stage.
HackForGov used a Capture-the-Flag format, a common style of cybersecurity competition in which teams solve a series of security puzzles to collect digital “flags.” The challenges tested the students’ ability to spot vulnerabilities, investigate incidents and respond to threats.
The problems covered a broad range of skills: web application security, network forensics and security, digital forensics and steganography, and open-source intelligence. Together, these areas reflect the kinds of work that government and private-sector security teams handle every day as more public services move online.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Region 10 organized the regional round with private-sector partners, including PLDT. Beyond the trophies, participants also received certifications from the DICT and the National Computer Emergency Response Team, a useful credential for students looking to build careers in the field.
The road may stretch even further for the best performers. According to DICT Cybersecurity Bureau officials, top finishers at the national level may get the chance to represent the Philippines in international cybersecurity competitions in Asia and Europe.
For MSU-IIT and the wider Northern Mindanao tech community, the win is a sign that the region’s schools are producing students ready to help protect the country’s growing digital infrastructure. Kagay-anons and Iliganons alike will be watching when CYB3RUS takes on the best of the country in December, hoping the team brings home the national crown.
Source: Mindanao Gold Star Daily; DICT Region 10
