AN INVENTION by students from the University of the Cordilleras has gained traction on social media, featuring SMART garbage bins that are currently being deployed in Baguio City.

Dubbed ‘Baraki’, the bins are equipped with geographic information systems and automatic sensors, which inform an information center about the bins’ status and open automatically.

The invention was created by UC computer engineering students Kyle Russel Lucero, Aeryk John Mosquete, and Samuel Samuel.

The invention recently won first place in the Outstanding Student Creative Research College Category at the 2023 DOST – TAPI Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit and is set to represent northern Luzon in the national bout on March 24.

A report from the Baguio City Public Information Office said that the city is planning to put three of the bins in strategic locations in the city.

The city of Baguio has also allocated a budget for the development of the project, to help address the waste management issues of the nation’s summer capital.