The atmosphere at the Philtech offices in Bonifacio Global City was electric this past January 22-23, 2026, as the country’s brightest young minds gathered for the much-anticipated Innovathon for Universities.
Representing Asia Pacific College (APC), I had the privilege of guiding a delegation of five exceptional students into this high-stakes arena. While the competition was fierce, our Rams came home with a recognition that speaks volumes about the evolving identity of our institution.
Competing against 10 other schools from the NCR and Visayas in a grueling format where challenge problems were assigned on the spot, our APC delegation—composed of SoCIT students Edwin Gumba Jr., Jeho Subedi, Brylle Nuñez, and Michael Tapiru, alongside Jabez Antiñero from SoM—was tasked to address the challenging issue of “Sustainable Shopping.” Although we did not take the podium for the major prizes, our team was singled out by Philtech leadership for a recognition that carries significant weight: the Outstanding Inquisitiveness Special Award. Accompanied by a cash prize of Php 35,000, this award honored our students for demonstrating a profound sense of inquiry that went beyond mere output, proving that their combined technical prowess and management acumen could drive deep, meaningful exploration under pressure.
A Deeper Discovery
This specific award highlights a fascinating evolution in the APC student profile. Traditionally, our students are renowned for their technical expertise, project-driven approach, and pragmatism. We are often celebrated for our ability to execute.
However, being recognized as “Outstandingly Inquisitive” underscores a deeper intellectual layer that goes beyond our usual reputation. Watching the team dissect the Sustainable Shopping problem revealed that they are not just “doers,” but also profound thinkers.
This award suggests a significant shift toward reflective, exploratory learning. It proves that our students are capable of:
- Deep questioning that transcends basic technical implementation.
- Nuanced analysis, proving they are thoughtful, probing, and intellectually adventurous.
- Open-ended inquiry, valuing the “why” just as much as the “how.”
We should be incredibly proud of them in more ways than one. While winning the game is always the goal, discovering the true depth of our students’ nature is a victory in itself. More than just the competition, they showed they are in it for the curiosity.
Kudos to the team for a job well done!
