CASE COMPETITIONS
Embedded Files
Empowering Innovation and Advocacy: NOVUS Case Competition 2025 Unites Science and Storytelling for Resilient Communities
Judges and a few of the participants awaiting the start of the NOVUS Case Competition 2025 during the Spoken Word Poetry Segment
April 18, 2025 • ZAIRA PACASUM
Last April 12, NOVUS Innovations held its annual case competition with this year's theme being “Turning the Tide: Solutions for Flood Prevention and Social Justice.” Hosted at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Library in De La Salle University’s Rufino Campus, the conference featured two core segments: the Spoken Word Poetry showcase and the STEM Research Proposal category, each highlighting how the youth can drive real solutions for flood prevention through both advocacy and innovation.
Spoken Word Category: Waters Rising, Voices Rising – Empowering Communities for Flood Justice
The conference kicked off with an impactful Spoken Word Poetry segment. After the opening remarks by the ULI Executive Director, Divine Duran, the finalists each took the stage to share their original poems inspired by the conference's central theme.
One of the participants, Clark Kenji Mariano, shared a compelling sentiment: “Until press conferences turn into action, until relief packs are replaced with real solutions, until they stop filing our suffering under "collateral damage", and start calling it what it is—their failure. ” His words echoed how those in power distance themselves from responsibility–relief is only temporary and accountability is avoided. Through verses like these, the spoken word participants are not simply reciting poetry–they are issuing a challenge for long-term solutions and calling on the government to step up.
Rayjohn Raphael Oflaria won 1st Place in the spoken word poetry category with his powerful poem "New Me, Beautified." In his verses, Oflaria highlighted the government’s failure to adequately protect vulnerable populations and called for sustainable urban planning and social accountability. His words were a rallying cry for a future where marginalized communities are no longer left behind in the fight against climate change.
The spoken word performances were not just poetic expressions; they served as a call to action. Each piece highlighted the urgent need for systemic change and accountability in the face of calamities. The finalists used their voices to demand justice for the communities most affected by flooding, showing that social justice and climate resilience are inseparable.
STEM Research Category: Rising Above – Collaborative Innovations for Flood-Resistant Communities
In the afternoon, the event transitioned to the STEM Research Proposal Category, where the finalists presented their innovative solutions to combat flood-related challenges in the Philippines. This year, the challenge was centered around two main problem statements: Flood Control Infrastructure and Resilient Electrical Systems, both aimed at addressing the devastating effects of tropical storms and rising water levels in the country.
The STEM category required students to craft research-backed solutions that were not only scientifically sound but also fair to all, ensuring that the most vulnerable communities would benefit from these interventions. The finalists presented detailed proposals to a panel of expert judges, followed by a Q&A session.
Team 0:01 with its members Shanel Kyle Degala, Tristan Joshuel Villegas, Rhea Jeanne Padilla, and Jana Sofia Hupp, claimed 1st Place with their project, KORAL: Recycled Scrap Steel Coral Support Structures for Storm Surge and Flood Mitigation in Coastal Urban Communities. Inspired by the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS), their initiative focused on rebuilding natural wave barriers in areas like Tacloban City, which are especially vulnerable to typhoons and storm surges. The team offered a hybrid green-grey infrastructure solution that not only mitigates flooding but also promotes marine biodiversity.
One of the judges made a striking correction during the session stating that "There is no such thing as natural disasters. These disasters are not natural; they happen because we get in the way." These sentiments concluded the STEM event portion by sparking critical reflection on the fact that while climate events like floods are often labeled as "natural," their severity are often if not always exacerbated by human actions or inaction.
With the support of NOVUS and ULI, the 2025 NOVUS Case Competition underlined the role of the youth in driving transformative change. The competition highlighted how the youth have proven that they not only have the creativity but also the will to turn the tide of disaster into a force for positive change. As Rayjohn Rafael Oflaria powerfully declared in his winning piece, the spirit of youth-led advocacy:
"Like a tide, do not abide, do not hide, fight for rights denied, and maybe, just maybe, I can live with pride, untied, eyes open wide to a new me, beautified."
Google Sites
Report abuse