Three UP Visayas teams bagged the top spots in the recently-concluded Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge held in Makati City, Metro Manila on 30 April 2025.
The Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge is a bi-annual competition of technology innovators in the agriculture and aquaculture sectors in the Philippines, organized by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) together with the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).
Circular Process (CirPro) Innovations by Dr. Concepcion Ponce of the Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, bested almost 90 entries nationwide and took the top prize with a million pesos in cash prize with their liquid pectin from locally-sourced calamansi peels. Liquid pectin from calamansi has been found to be rich with antioxidants. As it blends seamlessly with liquid formulations without the need for laborious dissolution in liquid, liquid pectin has various applications such as in food and beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Ponce was joined by Ms. Christine Faith Germinal, MIB, who did the pitch to a panel of evaluators from AIM, DOST-PCAARD, and MAP in four rounds of screening: October 2024 (to determine the Top 40), January (Top 20), March (Top 10), and April (Top 3).
Both Dr. Ponce and Ms. Germinal also coached BS Chemistry students Arundel Formacion, Jr., Jeedwn Suwin Vertosio, and Jaden Reilly Joguillon of Team Avamos uSORB Innovators, who placed 3rd with a 200,000 pesos prize money.
Team Avamos uSORB Innovators’ entry focused on the transformation of waste mussel shells into cost-effective and efficient biobased adsorbents for the simultaneous removal of ammonia, phosphates and carbon dioxide from water bodies.
Finally, UPV BS Computer Science students John Kyle Junsay, Adrine Adonis, and Jezia Sabalilag of Team Axiom took the fifth spot with a 100,000 pesos prize money, with their Aquasim mobile application, designed to help users through tutorials via a virtual aquatic environment simulator and by provided assistance on aquaculture-related expenses.
The three finalists were supported by Coastline 5023, which is the Agri Aqua Technology Business Incubator of the University led by Ms. Milyn Leghid.
The Agri-Aqua Innovation Challenge aims to push for innovation in the fields of agriculture and aquaculture, by supporting start-ups that address issues and challenges in these fields. The prize money won by these teams will be used to improve their technologies. (With information from Dr. Concepcion Ponce)
