SU G-NEWS bags third place at ICIA 2025 National Selection (Visayas)
Silliman University’s (SU) G-NEWS team bagged third place in the Innovation Award category at the International Creativity and Innovation Award (ICIA) 2025 National Selection (Visayas).
The competition, held from January 31 to February 1, 2025, at SU, brought together young innovators from across the region to showcase their creative solutions to global challenges.
Representing SU were Thadeu D. Sabac, Jurgen Riev Y. Paquibo, Justine M. Sato, Aiko V. Ikeda, Althea Gwyneth Ysabelle B. Picardal, Cheska Alycane B. Sarming, and Alenea Valentin Duka. The team was mentored by their dedicated advisers, Ezra Maurel Torno, Dominador Tuason, and Engr. Klint Ian Austero.
The Innovation Award is a major component of the ICIA National Selection (Visayas), recognizing and celebrating young innovators who have developed prototypes and ideas.
Team G-NEWS’s entry, Arduino Larvae Control System, aligns with Sustainable Development Goal SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being by addressing a significant public health concern—mosquito-borne diseases. By utilizing ultrasonic waves to repel mosquito larvae, the project reduces dependence on chemical repellents, creating healthier living environments. This innovation directly contributes to disease prevention, lowers mortality rates, and enhances overall quality of life.
Team G-NEWS derived their name from their section, 12 STEAM G, incorporating “G” with “NEWS” to create a unique identity. The name not only reflects their section but also serves as a tribute, allowing them to represent and give credit to their class throughout the competition.
Senior High School students present one of their activity works, demonstrating creativity, critical thinking, and excellence in their projects.
For the Innovation Award category, Team VISTA from Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos Inc. won first place, followed by Blue InnoVision from Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu in second, and Team G-NEWS from Silliman University in third. Team ATLAS from Colegio de Sto. Tomas-Recoletos Inc. placed fourth, while The Trash Sorter Team from Saint Paul’s University Dumaguete secured fifth place.
The event gathered six schools from across the Visayas, featuring a total of 56 students and 18 advisers from elementary, junior, and senior high school levels. Participating schools included Negros Oriental Montessori International School, Saint Paul University Dumaguete, Colegio de Sto. Tomas – Recoletos, Inc., Silliman University, Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu, and Ramon Teves Pastor Memorial-Dumaguete Science High School.
ICIA is a prestigious competition that serves as a learning platform for young innovators, providing them with hands-on experiences in creativity and innovation. Organized in a hybrid format, the event integrates online and onsite competitions and collaborations. It is part of the World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID), an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations to promote creative problem-solving for global issues.
Team G-NEWS clinches 3rd place in the Innovation Awards category at the ICIA 2025 Visayas Region Selection.
Apart from the Innovation Award category, participants also competed in two other categories: the Creativity Award and the Sustainability Award. The Creativity Award recognized teams that demonstrated exceptional originality and imaginative thinking in their projects. Meanwhile, the Sustainability Award honored participants who developed innovative solutions with a strong focus on environmental and social impact.
The Inventor Wannabe category was another exciting segment of the competition, designed for young participants to step into the role of a famous inventor. Students presented existing inventions by renowned inventors, explaining their functionality, impact, and significance. This category aimed to encourage creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication by allowing participants to embody the persona of historical innovators and share how their work has shaped the world.
The Innovation Challenge was another key highlight, aimed at igniting creativity and problem-solving skills among participants. This category required students to develop solutions based on a designated theme and a selected Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), focusing on real-world problems. The challenge emphasized critical thinking, collaboration, and the creation of impactful solutions that have the potential to benefit society.
The event featured a series of lectures and workshops led by esteemed speakers. It began with opening remarks from University President Dr. Betty C. McCann, followed by a discussion on the rationale of the ICIA Competition by Mr. Antonius Malem Barus, CEO of Krya.ID. The keynote speaker, Engr. Jeremy C. De Leon, inventor of Make-roscope and JereMake, delivered insightful lectures, while Mr. Cyril Mapula, Director of the Innovation Program at Foundation University, conducted a session on “Mastering the Art of Pitching”. In addition to the lectures, participants engaged in group activities and invention demonstrations.
It concluded with the final presentation of projects and innovations, where participants pitched their ideas.
