Innovations on optometry, haribon conservation, emergency response headline YIP winners

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Amidst the global health issue and social challenges, young Filipino innovators continue to become bearers of hope for the country. This was on full display during the 5th imake.wemake: create. innovate. collaborate. ‘s Awarding Ceremony held on Aug. 26, 2022.

The Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) recently bestowed the coveted Youth Innovation Prize (YIP) Award to three school-teams for their creative solutions for eye disease detection, monitoring and conservation of the haribon or the Philippine Eagle, and aerial emergency aid for isolated areas. These projects emerged as winners for their technology’s novelty, functionality, patentability, extensibility and practicability.

Youth Innovation Prize Award


The first YIP winner is Bansud National High School – Regional Science High School for MIMAROPA for their project “SINAGTALA: Automated Detection Kit for Selected Eye Diseases Using Ensemble Framework of Deep Learning Neural Networks (CNN x ANN)”. The project focused on automatically detecting certain selected eye diseases using convolutional (CNN) and artificial (ANN) Neural Networks to address the need for a medical screening device to promote high-quality and accessible eye care interventions, particularly for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataract. The team is composed of Franklin Razon, Jarell Aldrix Famadico, Josh Vincent Sario, and Sophia Margaux Dilodilo, with Alexis Albo as their coach.

Philippine Science High School (PSHS) – CALABARZON Region Campus also received the YIP award for their “Deep Neural Network Embedded on a Microcontroller for Detection of the Bird call and songs of the Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi” project. Here, they showcased a system wherein an Embedded Deep Neural Network programmed to a microcontroller with an external microphone captures calls of the Philippine Eagle helping bantay-gubat and bird trackers by determining and understanding calls made by the Pithecophaga jefferyi in their natural habitat. The team is composed of Amina Javellana, Alexander Bañados, Lance Alilio, and Weinfree Saludares, with coach John-Niel Masong.

“Project Kidlat: Inter-Island Automated UAV for Medical Delivery and Emergency Response” of Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial – Dumaguete Science High School likewise secured the YIP for their innovation addressing the difficulty of delivering medical and emergency aid to isolated places. Project Kidlat is capable of crossing seas and assisting in medical response and disaster by carrying supplies needed in remote areas. Project Kidlat is crafted by team members Mondrayneil Sarte, Marvin Nillas, John Raymond Enolpe and Kristine Mae Tilos, with coach Ivan Jayson Macabenta.

With the win, the school-teams each received Php 200,000.00 cash prize along with the YIP trophy. The winners were determined based on scores of the Board of Judges composed of Engr. Percival Magpantay from the University of the Philippines Diliman, Engr. Carlos Matti Opus of the Ateneo de Manila University, and Engr. Edison Roxas from the University of Santo Tomas.



Young Scientist Award


DOST-SEI's partner, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF), also conferred three students with the Young Scientist Award (YSA). Winning this award are Alexander A. Bañados and Amina M. Javellana of the PSHS CALABARZON Region Campus, and John Raymond P. Enolpe of Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial - Dumaguete Science High School. They were given the “STEM Scholarship for Excellence” for demonstrating global competence through their innovations.


     The GBF scholarship allows them to pursue a STEM course of their choice at any university or college in the country. Ms. Grace Colet, GBF’s Executive Director, led the announcement of their new scholars.


     “Originally, we planned to select just two scholars, but after watching and listening throughout the final presentations, we decided to add another recipient due to the quality of work they all have done,” Colet bared.


DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr. graced the hybrid event and congratulated all the winners and participants for their creativity and thanked them for striving to create positive impacts needed to solve the problems of today and of the future.

“More than declaring winners for the Youth Innovation Prizes and the GBF Young Scientist Awardees, what matters most to us is to have successfully convened budding makers with great mentors, advisers, and of course, people from the government and private sectors, as all of us are stakeholders in the innovation process,” said Secretary Solidum.

The DOST Secretary also led the announcement of the opening of the 6th imake.wemake competition.

DOST-SEI Director Dr. Josette Biyo also congratulated all the winners and urged them to pursue STEM courses and avail of the Institute’s undergraduate scholarships.

“This imake.wemake project should give you an idea of how to be in the field of innovation, and we hope that science and technology will have an asterisk among your list of careers to pursue,” she said.

A Celebration of Filipino Cuisine, Arts, Music, &More at &More By Sheraton

Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Sheraton Manila Bay pays tribute to all things Filipino at “ALAB: Poetry, Craft Beers, &More” event on August 25, 2022 held at the hotel’s newest food and beverage hub &More by Sheraton and Unspoken Bar.

Fittingly named Alab that translates to passion or flame in Tagalog, the evening showcase fiery performances from talented local artists in music, arts, and spoken word poetry. Guests, gourmands, and media partners also delight in bespoke craft beers from the proudly local brewery Crazy Carabao and delectable Filipino-fusion bar chow platter prepared by the hotel’s culinary team. The platter selection includes bite-sized serving of Kilawin Spring Roll (Citrus Marinated Tuna, Chili Vinegar), Beef Pares Gyoza (Beef Floss, Pares Sauce), Baked Sisig Quiche (Pork Sisig, Kesong Puti), Adobo Churros (Chicken Liver, Spicy Adobo Dip), Truffle Flower Fat (Pork Flower Fat, Truffle Oil, Sinamak), and Sausage Inasal (Homemade Vegan Sausage).

Diners were serenaded by the rhythmic gongs of Kulintang played by world-class percussionist Tusa Montes. Afterwards, renowned poets of Spoken Word Manila—Charms Tianson and Hannah Pauline Pabilonia, performed sentimental and moving original poetry pieces which truly encapsulated the very essence of the event.

Another highlight of the ALAB experience is the LikhaAngono Painting Exhibit. The LikhAngono Painting Exhibition, in cooperation with JAV Talent Unlimited Foundation, feature 15 select artworks from youth artists from Angono, Rizal, touted to be the Art Capital of the Philippines. The exhibition with run until September 2, 2022 where part of the proceeds from the sale of the pieces will be donated to San Lorenzo Ruiz Home for the Elderly and Bahay Tuluyan, a non-profit organization for children's welfare.

The event was hosted by Sheraton Manila Bay’s Marketing Communications Manager, Stephanie Cabrejas and was officially opened by the hotel’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Juvy Agudon who relayed an inspiring welcoming message about passion.

“This event is inspired by the word ALAB, a root word of “Mag-alab” which in English means to be aflame or to burn with emotions, become excited with strong feelings or a deep level of enthusiasm or passion. Passion is something that is hard to define. It is something that we feel, rather than something we see. It is what compels us to do the things we love, and drives us to be the best we can be. For me, passion is all about creating and experiencing beauty. Whether it is through writing songs or poems, painting, or simply appreciating food in general, we find immense satisfaction in beauty. Passion is our fuel” said Juvy Agudon, Sheraton Manila Bay Director of Sales and Marketing.

&More by Sheraton is located in the Main Lobby of Sheraton Manila Bay, M. Adriatico cor. Gen Malvar Street Malate, Manila. For reservations please call +632 5318 0788 or email reservations.manilabay@sheraton.com. Like us on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay. For more information, please visit our website at www.sheratonmanilabay.com.

PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival will celebrate its 21st edition by returning to the big screens in Manila, and extending to Malaysia and Australia

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

From October 5 to 16, 2022, the 21st edition of PELÍCULA-Spanish Film Festival will return to face-to-face screenings. After two years of having a virtual festival, PELÍCULA will screen around twenty movies in three venues of Metro-Manila including Shangri-La Plaza, Cine Adarna at UP Diliman, and Instituto Cervantes Intramuros branch.

Since its creation in 2002 by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, PELíCULA has been an annual attraction in Philippine theatres. After the height of the Covid-19 crisis which forced cinemas to close worldwide and caused audiences of PELíCULA to migrate online, the festival returns to the big screen, on a first-come, first-served free admission basis. Furthermore, the Festival will also host face-to-face online screenings in Malaysia and Australia, as well as the Philippines.

In the Philippines, the Festival will open on October 5 with El buen patrón (Fernando León de Aranoa, 2021), a comedy starring Javier Bardem. Other comedies in the line-up include La boda de Rosa (Icíar Bollaín, 2020), El test (Dani de la Orden, 2022), Con quién viajas (Martín Cuervo, 2021). The official entries also include documentaries such as A las mujeres de España. María Lejárraga (Laura Hojman, 2022), dramas such as Maixabel (Icíar Bollaín, 2021) or El olvido que seremos (Fernando Trueba, 2020), and thrillers like La hija (Manuel Martín Cuenca, 2021).

PELÍCULA will also feature Latin American films such as the Colombian documentary Jinetes del Paraíso (Talia Osorio Cardona, 2020), the Panamenian comedy Algo azul (Mariel García Spooner, 2021), and Competencia oficial, a Spanish-Argentinean comedy directed in 2021 by Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, and featuring Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, and Oscar Martínez.

Just like in the previous editions, audiences may vote for their favorite films in the Audience Choice Awards. Established in 2004, the award will be given to the film that the viewers have voted as the best of the Festival. Since its establishment in 2004, it has been a very popular tradition in the Festival and is kept alive even through the festival’s transition online. In its 21st edition, both face-to-face and online audiences will be able to rate the films right after having viewed them. The film with the highest ratings will again receive this year’s Audience Choice Award and will be screened again during the closing of PELICULA 2022, on October 16.

To celebrate the 21st edition of the cinematographic showcase, there will be a short series of movies coming from the Basque Country (featuring Handia, and Oreina, among others); plus a special selection of classic Spanish films, to be shown online. These films are Esa pareja feliz (Juan Antonio Bardem & Luis García Berlanga, 1951), Muerte de un ciclista (Juan Antonio Bardem, 1953), Mamá cumple cien años (Carlos Saura, 1979) and El sur (Víctor Erice, 1983).

Since its first editions PELíCULA has programmed activities aiming to be a meeting point between the Philippine and Spanish cultures. In line with this, the Festival is honored to premiere Con tu latido. Fillipinas canta a Aute, the film of a concert-tribute to Spanish-Filipino musician and artist Luis Eduardo Aute, born in Manila in 1943. The screening is scheduled for 11 October, at Instituto Cervantes (Intramuros branch).

Philippine cinema was born in the Spanish language and almost all film-related terms in Filipino are in Spanish (such as pelikula, sine, direktor, aktor, contrabida, etc.), proof of the rich cinematic history shared between Spain and the Philippines. With this in mind, PELíCULA will be holding “En corto: Short films from the Philippines and Spain”, an activity which will feature recent short films from both countries.

PELíCULA 2022 is an initiative of Instituto Cervantes in Manila and Sydney, the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia, and the AECID, in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Instituto Etxepare, Filmoteca Vasca, the Embassy of Colombia in the Philippines, the Embassy of Panama in the Philippines, the UP Film Institute, the University of the Philippines, Intramuros Administration, Vibal Foundation, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Rustan’s, and La Pícara.


All the movies are in Spanish (or their original language) with English subtitles. For updates on the Festival, please visit the website of the Festival (https://pelikula.org) or the Facebook page of Instituto Cervantes de Manila: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila