At UNLEASH Philippines, lived experiences turned challenges into practical, people-centered ideas for change.
A gathering of innovators from across the country, building people-focused solutions through collaboration.
MANILA, Philippines — As 2026 begins, many Filipinos are entering the new year still navigating familiar challenges. Healthcare gaps persist, flooding continues to threaten communities, and economic and political uncertainties linger. Yet across the country, people are refusing to slow down — continuing to build solutions, support neighbors, and take action where they can.
Looking back at the close of 2025, UNLEASH Philippines helped shine a light on these ongoing efforts. The program brought together individuals driving change in different sectors, giving them space to exchange insights and strengthen solutions already taking root in their communities.
Held at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the week-long Innovation Lab gathered 150 participants from across the Philippines. Through workshops, field visits, and co-creation sessions, teams refined solutions across three thematic tracks: Health Equity & Biomedical Innovation, Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems, and Sustainable Cities & Communities through Engineering Innovation. The program is part of the global UNLEASH initiative and was developed in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF).
Innovation rooted in real community needs
For many participants, their decision to join came from deeply personal experiences with the problems they wanted to solve.
Erica Urquiaga, part of the agriculture track, grew up in a farming family in Bukidnon. Crop loss wasn’t just a statistic — it shaped her childhood.
“When harvests fail, it affects everything — income, meals, school. Innovation doesn’t need to look big to be meaningful. Sometimes it just solves something people deal with every day,” she shared.
Her team is developing a low-cost soil monitoring tool to help small farmers make better decisions amid shifting weather patterns.
Designing cities with people in mind
For RJ Gatchalian, the program reinforced the need to balance technical frameworks with lived realities.
“We often design cities from policy documents and data models. UNLEASH reminded us to sit down with actual communities,” he said.
His team’s project focuses on helping essential workers navigate mobility disruptions during flooding — an issue he observed firsthand while working with labor groups.
Technology rooted in healing
For Robert Anlocotan, innovation turned personal after losing an uncle to a preventable heart condition in 2022. His team’s wearable device, Art Sense, detects early signs of cardiovascular irregularities.
“The idea started as a technical solution. But after working with health workers in Navotas and hearing stories just like ours, it stopped being a project and became a responsibility,” he said.
Following the program, teams advance to the UNLEASH Prototyping Program, gaining mentorship, technical guidance, and support as they move toward implementation.
As 2026 unfolds, the challenges facing communities remain complex. But efforts like UNLEASH Philippines continue to show that collaborative, people-centered problem-solving is happening at many levels. More than a year-end milestone, it serves as a reminder that change is already in motion — and it is being built by the people who experience these challenges every day.
