Justine Philip T. Sicat, a first-year BSCS student from Tarlac State University – College of Computer Studies, secured the 2nd spot in the recently concluded 8th Kanlahi Product Packaging Design Contest held on March 7, 2024 at Tarlac Capitol.
The contest, aimed at promoting innovative packaging designs for Tarlac’s MSME products, drew over a hundred participants from various schools.
Sicat shared his initial struggles, stating, "I'm good at designing digitally, but turning it into a physical form was not my cup of tea." Despite facing budget constraints and unfamiliarity with certain design tools, Sicat challenged himself, using Adobe Illustrator for the first time.
Sicat expressed, "I was about to give up due to schoolwork and personal matters, but the thought of the effort I've put in kept me going." His determination paid off as he secured a spot in the top 15 and later the top 8.
During the presentation and judging, Sicat was pleasantly surprised by the positive reactions from judges despite his initial doubts about his design.
As the competition narrowed down to the final two participants, Sicat recalled the tense moment of waiting, "It was only me and the other participant, waiting to be called as the champion." Ultimately, Sicat secured the 2nd place, acknowledging the deserving champion.
In an interview after the event, Sicat shared, "Becoming 2nd out of the hundreds was impressive for me. My passion for art didn't die, even though I have to deal with numbers and codes now as a CCS student."
Written and layout by Augustine Baguisi
Report by Jelaine Wong and Charmaine Bamba
Photos courtesy from Provincial Government of Tarlac
