Team Null of Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) secured 5th place in the Hack4Gov 2025 National Finals held on December 9, 2025, at the Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

Competing against 20 top-performing cybersecurity teams from across the Philippines, Team Null represented both WMSU and the wider Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) and Basilan–Sulu–Tawi-Tawi (BaSulTa) regions. Their performance underscores the growing presence and competitiveness of Western Mindanao in the country’s cybersecurity landscape.

Organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the national finals featured a rigorous capture-the-flag (CTF) competition that covered web exploitation, digital forensics, cryptography, reverse engineering, and threat analysis. Throughout the event, Team Null demonstrated strong technical capability and problem-solving skills, placing them among the nation’s most promising cybersecurity groups.

The team’s achievement highlights the emerging strength of young cybersecurity practitioners from Mindanao and affirms the region’s capacity to excel in high-level national competitions. Their performance brought recognition to both WMSU and the broader ZamPen and BaSulTa regions.

WMSU also acknowledged the role of the team’s mentors, whose guidance and support were integral to the group’s preparation and overall performance.

As the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to rise nationwide, Team Null’s success in the Hack4Gov National Finals reinforces WMSU’s commitment to fostering innovation, competence, and leadership in the field.