From brush stroke to fluidity of movement in two-artist exhibition “Convergence”

Wazzup Pilipinas?!



A landmark two-artist exhibition entitled “CONVERGENCE: Bridging Generations and Creativity” brings together the distinct yet complementary worlds of Aaron Virata Mempin and Ronna Manansala.

Set within the Monteverdi Room of Altro Mondo Creative Space, the show invites viewers to witness a profound creative dialogue that transcends individual mediums.

“Convergence” is a space where the stroke of a brush meets the precision of geometry, and where the echoes of Philippine art history find a new, modern pulse.

An artist-entrepreneur and geometric abstractionist, Aaron explores the intersection of calm and motion. His practice is rooted in a background of marketing and community-building through Katha Pilipinas, resulting in a visual language of line and structure that bridges classical discipline with contemporary energy.

Meanwhile, Ronna, carrying the storied legacy of her grandfather, National Artist Vicente Manansala, reinterprets her heritage through a deeply emotive and personal lens. Her work captures the quiet strength, grace, and fluid movement of her subjects, breathing new life into traditional themes.

At its heart, their collaboration is about the fluid boundaries of inspiration. Through both individual pieces and rare shared collaborations, Aaron and Ronna explore the meeting point of heritage and innovation.

This exchange of perspectives reflects a shared commitment to patience, precision, and purpose, proving that creativity is a continuous thread connecting the past to the present.

Visit the exhibit until April 25 at the Monteverdi Room, Altro Mondo Creative Space, 1159 Chino Roces Avenue, San Antonio Village, Makati City, from Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Earth Day 2026: Green Groups Clamor for Accountability over Toxic Landfill Fire, Demand Sustainable Solutions to Prevent and Reduce Waste

 Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

April 22, 2026. Quezon City. On Earth Day, member groups of the EcoWaste Coalition pushed for accountability over the Navotas landfill fire, which continues to emit hazardous smoke, posing serious health risks to families and communities.  The groups reiterated the urgency to address the waste crisis at source by prioritizing policies, programs, and projects that prevent and reduce the production of trash, and not through costly end-of-pipe landfills or waste-to-energy incinerators.

A post-incident analysis by the ASMPH Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) and Breathe Metro Manila shows that by April 18, fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) levels in several cities hit new highs following the landfill fire on April 10. In parts of Northern Metro Manila, air quality has plummeted to "very unhealthy" levels, even worse than when the fire was at its peak.

Community-based Pagkakaisa ng mga Mamamayan sa Barangay Dampalit (PMBD) and the Samahan ng Mamamayan Zone One Tondo, Inc. (SM ZOTO), based in Malabon and Navotas Cities, expressed grave concern over the effects of the lingering smoke on people’s health and safety. “Hindi na simpleng masamang amoy ang nalalanghap; nahihirapan nang makahinga nang maayos ang mga tao,” said Manny Toribio of SM ZOTO. “Sana hindi na maulit ang ganitong sakuna at wala nang landfill na ilalagay malapit sa komunidad,” said Ann Lofranco of PMBD.

Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) drew attention to the apparent lapses in the Navotas landfill closure management, underscoring the urgent need for strict enforcement of Republic Act No. 9003 (the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) and Republic Act No. 8749 (the Clean Air Act), as well as immediate accountability for the responsible parties.

“More importantly, this is a clear wake-up call to move beyond landfill dependence and fast-track the shift to and investment in zero waste systems,” the MEF emphasized.  “This transition requires an urgent commitment that prioritizes waste prevention at the source and enforces strict segregation across all sectors,” adding, “we must institutionalize decentralized collection through the integration of trained waste workers and Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), while fully operationalizing efficient organics management and recycling as the essential foundations of a sustainable, climate-resilient waste strategy.”

In a statement, Greenpeace Philippines said: “These recurring incidents persist because the Philippines continues to rely on weakly enforced and inadequate waste policies that focus on disposal over prevention. Existing laws, like the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, recognize waste reduction and segregation, yet implementation remains poor. Moreover, critical gaps in policies like the Extended Producer Responsibility Act continue to allow corporate overproduction and dependence on single-use products and packaging, which are the main contributors to plastic pollution that is driving the increase in waste volumes.”

 

“The Philippine government must act on the waste crisis with urgency. Every delay in reducing waste at source and curbing plastic production deepens the health, economic, and environmental toll on Filipinos. The government must implement strong reduction measures, enforce strict segregation at source, and support a just transition to zero-waste systems like reuse, which can significantly reduce waste volumes,” Greenpeace Philippines pointed out.

Echoing the calls of its members, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the authorities to identify and hold accountable all parties behind the toxic landfill fire disaster, reaffirming the urgency of moving away from unsustainable, end-of-pipe, quick-fix false solutions to the waste crisis to protect human health and the environment. 

In place of mega landfills and waste-to-energy incinerators, the group demanded priority use of resources to support and strengthen sustainable and people-centered solutions to effectively reduce waste volume and toxicity, and promote environmental justice.

“The main cause of the fire is the presence of methane gas produced by methane-producing bacteria when organic waste is stored under anaerobic conditions. Any small spark or extreme heat can ignite methane gas, which is highly combustible. There is still a great volume of methane being produced in that condition because of the organic waste that has been dumped in the landfill,” explained the MEF. “Vents should be installed in the landfill and flared after the fire has been completely put out by putting inert materials, like soil, over the surface.”

AI-powered student solutions take top honors at 9th imake.wemake

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

From 49 entries nationwide, 20 team finalists showcased solutions-driven innovations at the 9th imake.wemake: create.innovate.collaborate competition, held on March 26-27, 2026, at Citadines Bay City Manila.

 

Taking top honors and bringing home the Youth Innovation Prize (YIP) were teams from Cebu, Iligan, and Rizal. Common across the winning teams was the integration of artificial intelligence into their project designs.

 

Among the YIP recipients was San Carlos School of Cebu. Their project, C.H.U.M.: Cellular Holistic Universal Microscope (C.H.U.M.), is an AI-powered microscope that automatically identifies and counts zooplankton, enabling faster water quality monitoring in support of environmental research.

 

Meanwhile, Iligan City National High School was recognized for their project called S.A.L.A.I.N: Smart AI-Powered Layered Analysis and Integration in Sewer Filtration and Notification. This student-developed system detects sewer blockages and pollution while sending real-time alerts to communities.

 

Completing the roster of winners was Rizal National Science High School for SISIW: Sensor-Integrated Sex Identification Incubation Window. Their project uses sensors and AI to identify the sex of duck embryos before hatching, helping farmers improve harvesting efficiency and reduce losses.

 

Each of the top three teams received a Php 200,000 grant to further develop their projects. Their teacher-coaches received Php 20,000 each.

 

Aside from the YIP, select students and teams were also recognized by partner organizations.

 

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) conferred the Young Scientist Award (YSA) to Yzza Gwyneth Cecilio of Camarines Sur National High School, Jayden Magpantay of Oriental Mindoro National High School, and Michaela Louise Bagtas and Beatrice Mae Goto of Rizal National Science High School..

 

Recognized for their technical craftsmanship and strong commitment to pursuing careers in STEM, all four recipients are eligible for a GBF scholarship grant.

 

Meanwhile, C&E Publishing, Inc. recognized select teams for their impactful innovations to the community. The awardees are as follows:

 

Regional Science High School III received the Engineering Excellence Award for LAN6GAM: A Six-Limbed Arduino-based Navigating Gadget for Methane Gas Assessment and Mitigation in Rice Paddy Fields

Las Piñas City National Senior High School – Talon Dos Campus won the Trailblazer in Innovation Award for SmartGuardian: An Arduino-Based Active Safety Smart Stroller for Child Protection and Caregiver Assistance in the Philippine Context

Bucal National Integrated School received the Innovation Award for BamGuard: A Bamboo-Based Smart Preservation Chamber with BioClimatic Control for Safeguarding Likhang Maragondon’s Bamboo Handicrafts

 

Both GBF and C&E Publishing, Inc. have long been partners of DOST-SEI in empowering students not only to innovate but also to translate their ideas into meaningful, real-world impact.

 

Supporting young innovators

 

For Chris Angelo Rollon of Rizal National Science High School, competitions like imake.wemake play a crucial role in empowering the youth.

 

“It gives young people like us the platform to turn our ideas into something that can impact our nation. Nabibigyang halaga yung ideas naming mga kabataan para hindi lang manatili bilang ideas kundi magkaroon ng mas malawak na impact,” said Chris.

 

This year’s imake.wemake cycle also marked a milestone in its nine-year run. For the first time, it has become part of the global celebration of Arduino Day. This connects young innovators and Filipino students to a worldwide community of creators and innovators.

 

As the cycle ended, DOST-SEI remains steadfast in its commitment to creating avenues for the Filipino youth to flourish in the field of science and technology, both locally and internationally. The next cycle will open soon. Announcements will be made on official DOST-SEI communication channels and the official imake.wemake Facebook page.