Young Minds, Big Change: The 9th imake.wemake Arduino Bootcamp Ignites a New Generation of Filipino Innovators

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Pasay City, Philippines – In a world defined by relentless transformation, the future belongs to those who dare to innovate. This powerful sentiment, echoed by Grade 11 finalist Felicity O. Apao , perfectly encapsulates the energy of the 9th imake.wemake: create. innovate. collaborate. competition.

From September 22 to 26, 2025, twenty teams of high school innovators gathered in Pasay City for an intensive five-day Arduino training and bootcamp. These young minds were not just learning to code; they were being equipped to become catalysts of positive change through technology.

Meet the Finalists: Innovation with a Purpose

Selected from over 50 nationwide entries, the 20 finalist teams of Grade 11 students showcased some of the most forward-thinking, evidence-based projects. Their innovations address critical real-world challenges across various sectors, including education, health, agriculture, and environmental protection.

The competition saw participation from a diverse regional mix, with Northern Mindanao and CALABARZON showing strong representation. While many schools are veterans of the event, five joined the prestigious competition for the very first time.

A Glimpse at the Groundbreaking Projects:

Acelo C. Badelles Sr. Memorial High School

B.L.I.N.D.: Broadcasting Link Integrated Navigation Device – An Arduino-Based Wearable Voice Assistive System for the Blinds 

Alabel National Science High School

Intelligent Tracking Using Thermal and Auditory Response Robot (ITOTORO): Early-Diagnosing Drone of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease 

Antipolo City National Science and Technology High School

EcoBantay: Arduino-Powered Waterway Cleaning Device with GPS-Based Waste Tracking and Alert System 

Jimenez National Comprehensive High School

"AgriSmart: GSM-Arduino System for Precision Rice Irrigation Using Real-Time Soil, Climate, and Growth Stage Analytics" 

Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial-Dumaguete Science High School

"Project RAFTSAFE: Rescue-Adaptable Floating Table with Smart Assessment, Food Storage, and Emergency Vital Monitoring" 

Philippine Science High School - Central Luzon Campus

Hand2Text: An Arduino-based Filipino Sign Language Recognition System using Machine Learning 

Building Knowledge, Sharpening Skills

The bootcamp was a deep dive into technical proficiency and research-driven problem-solving. The participants engaged in hands-on modules covering essential topics:

Arduino fundamentals 

Sensors and wireless communication 

Raspberry Pi interfacing 

Artificial intelligence 

Research and development statistics 

Engineers from ThinkLab Philippines facilitated the majority of the technical sessions. Meanwhile, the research modules were spearheaded by the DOST-SEI (Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute). Dr. Randolf S. Sasota, Chief of DOST-SEI’s Science and Technology Manpower Education, Research, and Promotions Division, introduced the teams to crucial data collection and analysis concepts.

Innovation for Impact: The Ethical Dimension

The bootcamp was elevated by a special lecture from DOST-SEI Director Dr. Jayeel S. Cornelio, titled “Innovation for Impact: Turning Bold Ideas Into Global Solutions”. In his first personal address to the finalists, Dr. Cornelio emphasized that true innovation must be ethical and human-centered.

“Yung karunungan na ikaw lang ang nakikinabang ay walang saysay. Meron tayong ethical duty to use it for other people," Dr. Cornelio expressed.

His poignant message served as a vital reminder: innovation is not merely about technology; it is about compassion, responsibility, and the drive to use knowledge for the greater good.

🏁 The Road to the Finals

On the final day, the teams showcased their concepts during the high-stakes Project Pitching Session. They presented to a distinguished Board of Judges, which included Engr. Percival Magpantay, Engr. Carlos Matti Opus, Engr. Edison Roxas, Mr. Rodel Cruz, and Engr. Mark Kennedy Bantugon.

The panel provided invaluable feedback and recommendations, guiding the young innovators on refining their projects for maximum real-world application.

Now, armed with the knowledge and tools from the bootcamp, the teams face their next challenge: developing and perfecting their working prototypes. The journey culminates at the Final Presentation and Awarding Ceremony in March 2026.

The 9th imake.wemake competition, a collaborative effort with the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) and C&E Publishing, Inc. (CEPI), continues its mission. It is nurturing a new generation of Filipino innovators who embody not only technical excellence but a deep-seated social purpose—applying science and technology in service of the public.

A Plane Crash Every Five Days: The Silent Crisis of Lung Cancer in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Imagine the headlines if a commercial airliner crashed in the Philippines every single week, leaving no survivors. The nation would stop. The outrage would be deafening. Immediate, radical changes would be demanded.

Yet, this tragedy is happening right now, silently, in hospitals and homes across the archipelago.

According to data presented at the ASPIRE Lung Summit, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the Philippines. It claims more than 23,000 Filipino lives every year. That toll is statistically equivalent to experiencing a fatal commercial plane crash roughly every five days. Behind this devastating statistic are not just numbers, but families broken, breadwinners lost, and a healthcare system grappling with a deadly delay in detection.

The Great Masquerader: The Tragedy of Misdiagnosis

Perhaps the most heartbreaking challenge revealed during the summit is the phenomenon of misdiagnosis.

In the Philippines, where tuberculosis (TB) remains a high-burden health issue, the early warning signs of lung cancer are frequently tragically misinterpreted.

The TB Trap: Patients presenting with coughing and weight loss are often initially treated for tuberculosis.

The Cost of Delay: Valuable time is lost pursuing the wrong treatment. By the time the error is realized, the cancer has often advanced to a stage where curative treatment is no longer possible.

The Diagnostic Gap: There is an urgent need to improve diagnostic capacity at the primary care level to distinguish between infection and malignancy immediately, avoiding these fatal delays.

As the summit panelists noted, "Early detection saves lives," yet the current reality is that the vast majority of Filipino patients confront late-stage diagnosis.

The Triple Threat: Stigma, Access, and Environment

Beyond the clinical difficulties, the summit highlighted a "triple threat" of societal and structural barriers that fuel this epidemic:

Stigma: A heavy cloud of stigma surrounds lung cancer, often associating it strictly with smoker's guilt. This stigma can deter individuals from seeking help or screening until symptoms are unbearable.

Inequitable Access: There is a stark disparity in care. While advanced screening exists, it is not accessible to all. Expanding screening infrastructure to underserved and high-burden areas is a critical bottleneck.

Environmental Risks: While tobacco use remains a primary driver, the summit emphasized the need to tackle secondhand smoke and exposure to air pollution, broadening the scope of prevention beyond just smoking cessation.

The ASPIRE Consensus: A Framework for Survival

The summit was not merely a recitation of grim statistics; it was a rallying cry for the Philippine Declaration on Lung Cancer Diagnostics and Treatment Access.

Guided by the Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Policy Consensus Document (ASPIRE), national leaders, including representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), the Lung Health Alliance Philippines, and patient advocates, are pushing for a unified response.

The Roadmap for Change includes:

Strategic Investment: Investing in research and technologies that allow for earlier detection among high-risk populations.

Unified Policy: A coordinated effort between the DOH, PhilHealth, and legislative bodies (Senate and Congress) to create a responsive and sustainable lung cancer agenda.

Patient-Centric Pathways: Strengthening the referral system so that a patient moves seamlessly from a primary care check-up to an oncologist without falling through the cracks of the medical bureaucracy.

Conclusion: From Statistics to Survival

The narrative of lung cancer in the Philippines has long been one of fatalism—a diagnosis synonymous with a death sentence. But as the ASPIRE summit underscores, this is not a biological inevitability; it is a systemic failure that can be fixed.

By distinguishing lung cancer from TB early, investing in accessible screening, and dismantling the stigma that silences patients, the Philippines can stop the "silent plane crashes" occurring every five days. The science exists to save these lives; the challenge now is summoning the national will to deliver it.

The White Sand Illusion: What Lies Beneath Manila Bay’s Dolomite Facade?

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

"Amid a global health crisis, the white-sand beach was meant to boost our mental health, yet the bay ended up needing therapy more than we did."

In the middle of a paralyzing pandemic, a surreal transformation took place on the shores of Manila Bay. As the city locked down, heavy machinery moved in, dumping tons of crushed dolomite rock over a coastline choking on decades of neglect. It was sold to the public as a "mood booster"—a slice of Boracay in the heart of the metropolis.

But as the dust settled and the artificial white sands gleamed against the grey horizon, a darker narrative began to emerge from the sediment. The dolomite beach wasn't just a beautification project; it was a cosmetic mask applied to a patient in critical condition.

A Spectacle in a Polluted Era

The project emerged at a time of profound cognitive dissonance. While the bay was facing severe waste and sewage crises, the government prioritized aesthetic modification over systemic cure.

According to environmental reports from Mongabay (2020), the dumping of dolomite began without publicly released environmental impact studies. The makeover pushed forward relentlessly, despite existing ecological strain and the fact that pollution from connecting rivers and estuaries continued to pour into the bay unabated.

The Political Push: Government briefs defended the project as a vital part of rehabilitation, but critics noted a shift in conversation. The focus moved entirely to appearance rather than ecological performance. It became a spectacle tied to public messaging rather than a scientific restoration of a dying marine ecosystem.

Building on Unstable Ground

The very foundation of the project was scientifically contentious from day one. In the 2020 Manila Bay Scientific Statement, experts from the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) and the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM) warned that Manila Bay’s shoreline conditions were too dynamic for such a static intervention.

Artificiality over Restoration: The dolomite created an artificial beachfront that displaced the potential for restoring natural habitats, such as mangroves, which serve as actual bio-filters.

The "Mood Booster" Defense: Officials, including then-Spokesperson Harry Roque, defended the artificial sand as a necessary respite for public mental health. However, this justification sidestepped the rising environmental doubts swirling around the project.

The Warning Signs

Before the sand had even settled, the cracks in the logic were visible. Rappler Newsbreak’s 2020 scientific brief highlighted concerns regarding erosion and sediment disruption. Environmental groups and advocates stressed the absence of thorough assessments.

These weren't just bureaucratic complaints; they were early warnings of a "Surface-Level Restoration." The project highlighted visibility rather than integrity. While the white sand was photogenic, key interventions—like comprehensive sewage treatment and stopping the flow of sludge from the metro—remained dangerously limited.

The Invisible Crisis: Microplastics and Toxins

The most alarming revelation is not what is visible on the surface, but what is trapped beneath it. The white sand looks harmless, but the sediment layers below reveal a troubling reality.

Recent findings, including an ecological risk assessment led by Castillo et al. (2023), have documented a surge in microplastic buildup.

Toxic Carriers: These aren't just plastic particles; they are vectors for toxicity. The microplastics found in the sediments are carrying heavy metals.

Ecological Strain: These particles are spreading through marine habitats, intensifying the strain on an already fragile ecosystem.

While the surface was scrubbed clean for photo-ops, the wetlands near the beach remained overwhelmed, documented as "drowning in waste." Trash, sewage, and runoff traveled from the rivers, bypassing the cosmetic barrier and strengthening long-term contamination concerns.

The Question Everything Leads To

The narrative of the Manila Bay dolomite beach is a story of a makeover that changed the scenery but ignored the condition.

The scientific objections presented by researchers in 2020 emphasized that dumping crushed rocks could not solve the bay's problems. They called for structural fixes for habitats and water quality—calls that were largely drowned out by the noise of construction.

Today, the beach stands as a stark monument to a "band-aid solution." The white sand dazzles the eye, but it forces us to ask the uncomfortable question: So what exactly sits under the dolomite?

The answer appears to be a toxic cocktail of persisting contamination, heavy metal-laden microplastics, and a legacy of neglect that no amount of crushed rock can cover up.