Four locally developed projects from Mindanao are set to compete at the national level of the 2026 Presidential Filipinnovation Awards after advancing from the Mindanao Sub-National Competition in Misamis Occidental. Their selection highlights the island’s expanding contribution to innovation and the development of practical solutions addressing challenges faced by communities.
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Four Projects Advance to National Competition
The four Mindanao entries that qualified for the national competition in September are Hospitals for Farms by Waste for Good Technology, AI-powered Construction Management Platform by AIMHI, Automated Coconut Sap Juice Extractor by Kasaka Agriventures, and WERT Multi-Hazard Emergency Command Infrastructure for Local Government Units by POLLD Emergency System Corp.
The sub-national competition brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, educators, students, industry leaders, and government representatives from across Mindanao. Their projects covered areas including agriculture, health, education, environmental sustainability, digital technology, disaster resilience and community development.
Regional Development Council-10 Chairman and Misamis Occidental Gov. Henry Oaminal, who also chairs the Mindanao Sub-National Committee for the awards, said the program is intended to give innovators from different communities across the island a pathway toward national recognition.
“What makes this initiative truly remarkable is that it is intentionally designed to provide equal opportunities for innovators. Groundbreaking ideas do not only emerge from major cities or established institutions. They are also born in our farms, our schools, our local enterprises, our research centers, and our communities,” Oaminal shared.
Oaminal emphasized that developing new solutions should not be limited to institutions with extensive funding or established technology centers.
“Innovation is not reserved for geniuses. Innovation is not exclusive to those with abundant resources or advanced technology. Innovation belongs to every Filipino because every Filipino has the ability to recognize problems, imagine better solutions and take meaningful action,” he said.
He also identified innovation as an important component of Northern Mindanao’s long-term development agenda, which supports the region’s goal of becoming resilient, competitive, sustainable and inclusive.
Building Innovation Beyond Major Centers
Delivering the message of Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said the competition demonstrates Mindanao’s increasing role in creating solutions that can address challenges beyond the region.
“It has always been said that Mindanao is a land of promise. Today, that promise goes beyond its vast natural resources and agricultural potential. By bringing this national platform closer to local communities, we affirm that every province has the potential to become a center of innovation where ideas are transformed into solutions that improve lives and contribute to the country’s development,” Edillon said.
Edillon also recognized the Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental for bringing together representatives from government, academe, industry, and the innovation community. She said this type of cooperation is important in helping innovation reach communities outside the country’s traditional centers.
Prior to the final judging, participants took part in coaching sessions and subsequently presented their projects through pitch and demonstration rounds before a panel of evaluators.
For Oaminal, hosting the competition demonstrates Northern Mindanao’s efforts to cultivate grassroots innovation and give locally developed ideas a chance to receive national recognition.
“We want every innovator to know that transformative ideas can begin anywhere. When we invest in people who solve local problems, we build stronger communities, a more competitive region and a better future for every Filipino,” he said.
For Mindanao communities, the recognition provides a pathway for locally developed ideas to gain wider support and visibility. For the country, bringing these solutions to the national stage can help expand the pool of Filipino innovators working on agriculture, health, technology, environmental protection, and disaster resilience, while showing that useful innovations can emerge from communities across the Philippines.
