Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) honored some finalists at the 2026 Presidential Filipinnovation Awards National Competition. They have echoed a familiar truth: in the Philippines, innovation often begins not in laboratories but in lived experience—born from necessity, sharpened by empathy, and carried forward by hope.
It was this spirit that Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. sought to honor and challenge as he addressed the country’s most promising innovators. His message was clear: Filipino ingenuity is real, powerful, and globally competitive—but only if it learns to scale.
Solidum’s speech was anchored on a principle he has repeatedly championed: “Agham na Ramdam”—science that is felt in everyday life. It is a philosophy that insists innovation must not remain confined to prototypes, pitch decks, or academic journals. It must reach farmers who need better yields, families who need reliable healthcare, and children who need learning tools that overcome distance and poverty.
“Ang inyong mga karanasan at hamon ay ginawa ninyong daan tungo sa solusyon,” he told the finalists. Their struggles, he said, were not obstacles but pathways—proof that empathy is often the first spark of innovation.
But Solidum also issued a challenge: Filipino innovators must think beyond solving problems for a few. The next frontier is building technologies that can scale, endure, and uplift entire communities.
In other words, innovation must not only be felt—it must be multiplied.
The Presidential Filipinnovation Awards, spearheaded by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) as Secretariat of the National Innovation Council, is more than a recognition program. It is a bridge—linking innovators to investors, industries, and government agencies that can help transform ideas into market-ready solutions.
Solidum emphasized that DOST stands ready to support this journey through the following initiatives: intellectual property protection, technical validation via PHITEST, and commercialization through SIBOL.
These are not mere bureaucratic offerings; they are the scaffolding needed to elevate Filipino innovations from promising concepts to globally competitive technologies.
And the proof is already visible.
Filipino innovations emerging from similar competitions have earned recognition in Geneva, London, and Seoul. “When Filipino ingenuity is given a fair stage and steady support,” Solidum said, “it does not merely compete—it prevails.”
Yet Solidum believes the country must now take a bolder step. The Philippines cannot rely on scattered breakthroughs. It must build organized national capabilities—a coordinated ecosystem where universities, industries, investors, and government agencies work together to identify strategic opportunities and address technological bottlenecks.
His challenge was sharp and memorable: “Do not ask only what we can invent. Ask where the Philippines can become indispensable.”
This shift in mindset is crucial. Many nations innovate, but only a few become essential. To be indispensable means creating technologies that the world cannot ignore—solutions that address global needs while drawing from Filipino strengths.
It is a call for the Philippines to stop playing catch-up and start defining its own lanes of excellence.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his message of support, echoed the same urgency. Recognition, he said, must be matched with opportunities, sustained support, and market access. Innovation cannot thrive on applause alone.
“To every innovator across the country,” he said, “I know that you have come a long way to reach this point. I also know that there is still much to do to turn your ideas into solutions that can improve the lives of our people.”
He reminded the finalists that the true measure of innovation is not trophies or citations but lives improved, opportunities created, and people inspired.
“Every innovation begins with an idea,” he added. “Every idea, given the chance to grow, becomes a force for change.”
The Presidential Filipinnovation Awards, aligned with the 10 priority areas of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023–2032, aims to nurture exactly that force—one that can help address the country’s most pressing development challenges.
The Philippines stands at a crossroads. On one side is a familiar landscape: isolated projects, fragmented efforts, and innovations that shine briefly before fading. On the other is a future where Filipino creativity becomes a national identity—organized, strategic, and globally relevant.
Solidum’s vision for the next evolution of “Agham na Ramdam” is science organized into action and innovation deployed for the Philippines and the world.
This is not a small ambition. It demands collaboration, investment, and a cultural shift that values long-term impact over short-term applause. It requires innovators who are not only inventors but system-builders. It calls for leaders who understand that innovation is not a luxury—it is a national necessity.
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