By Heherson Valdez
CHAMPIONING INNOVATION: Atty. Marion Ivy D. Decena, DOST-TAPI Director; Atty. Marvin Dela Cruz, Senior Science Research Specialist; Ms. Micah Magaro, Senior Science Research Specialist; and Ms. Mirielle Vacal, Science Research Specialist II, were joined by media partners and featured innovators in advancing the vision of PHILIPPiNEXT.
Manila, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology – Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) staged its first-ever “What’s NEXT: A PHILIPPiNEXT Media Launch” on July 14, 2025, setting the tone for the International Conference and Exposition on Innovations (ICE on I). Far from being a typical press event, the afternoon became a rallying call for media partners, content creators, and innovators to amplify Filipino ingenuity to the world.
Storytelling as a Pillar of Innovation
HUMAN-CENTERED STORYTELLING: Mr. Justin Zhang, founder of TackEVO, shares insights on his FloodFinder™ innovation during an interview with the multimedia team of BusinessWorld.
Gracing the event, Dr. Napoleon K. Juanillo, Jr., DOST Assistant Secretary for Technology Transfer, Communications, and Commercialization, emphasized the central role of storytelling in shaping the nation’s innovation journey.
“The ability to take complex breakthroughs and translate them into narratives that inspire, inform, and ignite action, this is the power of storytelling,” Dr. Juanillo said. “You, our media partners, are the narrators of our innovation journey,” he added.
He also described PHILIPPiNEXT as more than an expo brand; it is the Philippines’ bold declaration to connect the world for what’s next. By positioning the country as a regional meeting point for innovations, DOST hopes to catalyze cross-border partnerships, investments, and policy alignments across and beyond the Asia-Pacific.
Uncovering the Narratives Behind Innovation
To bring that vision into life, the event showcased a diverse pool of local and international innovators from various sectors, representing the pioneering exhibitors of PHILIPPiNEXT.
THE INNOVATORS BEHIND PHILIPPiNEXT (from left to right): Mr. Patrick Roland De Guzman, Founder of Saltric; Mr. Alvin Phoebe Artemis Valdez, founder of Farmesto Technologies Inc.; Ms. Cristina Macaraig, founder of Wiredfield Philippines; Mr. Noel Del Castillo, founder of SeeYouDoc Corporation; and Mr. Justin Zhang, founder of TackEVO.
From Silicon Valley to the Philippine innovation scene, Cristina Macaraig returned home with a mission to prove that safety is not a privilege but a right for all, pioneering disaster-ready homes that strengthen community resilience. In Singapore, Justin Zhang transformed his childhood curiosity into TackEVO FloodFinder™, a real-time flood detection system designed to safeguard vulnerable communities against worsening climate risks.
Meanwhile, drawing inspiration from his roots as the son of a farmer, Alvin Phoebe Artemis Valdez founded Farmesto, an agri-tech startup that integrates AI-powered greenhouse systems to modernize farming practices across the Philippines. Likewise, Noel Gary Del Castillo, a father turned innovator, created SeeYouDoc, a cloud-based health platform that brings accessible and efficient doctor consultations to Filipino families.
Completing this roster of visionaries is Patrick Roland De Guzman, a 24-year-old engineer and law student who developed the Marissa Turbine, a renewable energy solution that harnesses ocean currents with the bold vision of positioning the Philippines as a global hub for ocean-powered technology.
“These are not just projects. These are stories solving real problems for climate action, healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy. And they need voices like yours to be heard,” Atty. Marion Ivy D. Decena, Director of DOST-TAPI, said in her closing remarks.
The Media’s Role in Telling Innovation Stories
VOICING OUT WHAT'S NEXT: Mr. Patrick Roland De Guzman, the inventor of Marissa Turbine and founder of Saltric, shares his innovation journey with DOST-TAPI’s media partner from The Philippine Star.
During her presentation, Ms. Mirielle V. Vacal, Science Research Specialist II and Head of Media and External Engagement Unit (MEE) of DOST-TAPI, challenged the audience to celebrate innovators with the same recognition given to beauty queens and athletes.
“Our innovators deserve the same spotlight because their ingenuity drives our nation forward. The stories of a mother building a clean water solution or a young engineer turning grief into renewable energy, these are powerful, human-centered narratives that can inspire the world if told well,” Ms. Vacal said.
She emphasized that PHILIPPiNEXT is more than an expo; it is a storytelling platform designed to give the media direct access to innovators, their struggles, and their breakthroughs. Her insights resonated with the launch’s vision of moving beyond product showcases toward uncovering the human stories behind technology.
The media launch was designed not just to provide content but to invite journalists, vloggers, podcasters, and digital storytellers to become co-creators of the innovation narrative.
“Today, we opened the doors wide. We invite you to stand with us, not as casual observers, but as storytellers and collaborators. Innovation doesn’t speak for itself. It needs a voice. And that voice is yours,” Atty. Decena emphasized.
What’s NEXT for the Philippines?
The launch also previewed what’s to come at PHILIPPiNEXT 2025: from IP protection sessions to innovation financing, from award ceremonies to roundtable dialogues. International exhibitors from Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, India, and Singapore will join Filipino innovators in building networks and strengthening IP utilization.
For DOST-TAPI, the event affirmed its commitment to Filipino innovations, to transform possibilities into solutions and connect them to people who need them most. For the media, it marked the beginning of a partnership, one where every article, vlog, and feature can inspire investment, collaboration, and impact.
PHILIPPiNEXT also left a challenge to the storytellers: to uncover the “tech stories with a soul” and help the world see not only what’s next for Philippine innovation, but what’s next for the world.
The Department of Science and Technology -Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) is one of DOST's service agencies whose primary responsibility is to promote the commercialization of technologies and market the services of the other operating units of the Department. It was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 128 on 30 January 1987.
If you want to learn more about the programs and services of DOST-TAPI, you may email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., call us at (02) 8582 1450, or visit our DOST-TAPI Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DOST.TAPI) for more details.
