Winning the Smart Innogen 4.0 Award is a milestone achievement for José Rizal University’s senior high school innovators.
Their project, EyeGo, a navigation app designed for the blind and visually impaired, earned recognition not only for its innovation but also for its heart. In this feature, the team—Christian Dhon Larion (Team Leader), Bryan Joseph Arcangel (App Operator), Ma. Asiana Victoria Antiporda (App Designer), Ashley Koreen Salgado (App Developer), and Joms Joseph Leelin (App Developer)—share their journey, challenges, and hopes for the future.
Q: For those who don’t know, what is Smart Innogen 4.0 about?
“Smart Innogen is developed by SMART and PLDT to promote innovation among
the youth,” Ashley said. “Every year, they invite schools to create inventions according to the theme set by SMART-PLDT. For our batch, the theme was creating inventions catered to persons with disabilities. The aim of Smart Innogen is to mold young minds into creating innovations that would better serve the country.”
Q: What motivated you to join the competition?
“For me, it was the presence of my teammates and feeling welcome in the team,”
Ashley shared. “Communication and feeling welcome are important, and in the
process we built a family bond.” “It started as a competition assigned by teachers,”
another member pointed out, “but our motivation grew as we saw the potential of
our project. Seeing the project develop compared to others kept us going.” “When
I communicated with the blind community and the A3 IT Center for the Blind,” Brian
added, “I realized it wasn’t just about being the best in tech—it was about catering
to the community we wanted to serve. I felt a sense of responsibility to look
beyond the tech and focus on the people.”
Q: Where did the idea for EyeGo come from?
“The team took inspiration from the app Be My Eyes,” Ashley said. “We realized the
concept could work in the Philippines but aimed to build upon its shortcomings. We researched, communicated with the community, and asked for advice to create something new and unique. Brian added that the idea grew stronger after their immersion with the A3 IT Center for the Blind, where they listened to the real struggles faced by the visually impaired. “That experience opened our eyes to how technology could be shaped around their needs rather than just assumptions,” he shared. Christian pointed out that EyeGo was built not just as a project, but as a response to a responsibility. “We wanted to create something meaningful—an innovation that wouldn’t just stay in a competition but could truly make a difference in people’s lives,” he said.
Q: Can you share your journey from Kilo 100 to Giga 25?
“We were surprised to enter the Top 50 and even more surprised to enter the Top 25,” Brian recalled. “It’s not the first time JRU has joined the competition, but we were the first senior high school team to join.” “There was pressure,” Christian admitted. “Other students and faculty looked up to us, and we were nervous because it was our first time joining a competition like that.” The team credited their mentors: “Engr. Rosalina R. Estacio created programs and seminars to guide us. We also thank Ms. Leori Ramonette C. Ignacio and Ms. Ivee Meanne B. Nocon, who believed in us and encouraged us to push through. Their guidance made a big difference in our journey.”
Q: What was the biggest challenge in developing EyeGo?
“A major challenge was our lack of programming background,” the team said. “We had to collaborate with a former Innogen team from JRU college to program the application. Balancing academics with app development was also difficult, since we were from different strands.”
Q: What impact do you hope EyeGo will have on the blind community?
“We believe the app will have a big impact on the blind community,” Brian said.
“EyeGo focuses on the pain points and problems the blind community experiences
in their day-to-day living. The application is meant for the blind and visually
impaired.” The team envisions EyeGo as more than just a navigation tool—it is a
companion that fosters independence and confidence.
Q: How do you see EyeGo improving in the future?
“There are still many limitations and the need for more research,” Ashley shared.
“We plan to do continuous research and improve the app before releasing it to the public. We also want to expand the app geographically to other parts of the nation.”
Q: What’s your proudest win or breakthrough in the project?
“We were excited and proud of the achievement,” Ashley said. “Changemaker— that’s a big title. It says na parang lahat ng ginawa namin actually mattered. I hope the project continues and that future participants in Innogen can surpass our achievements.”
From inspiration to execution, the EyeGo team’s story is proof that age is no barrier
to meaningful innovation. What began as a school competition grew into a project
that touched the lives of the community they aimed to serve. Despite limited
resources and technical hurdles, their resilience and heart carried them to victory.
As the first senior high school team from JRU to win the Smart Innogen 4.0 Award,
Christian, Brian, Ashley, and Joms have shown that teamwork, innovation, and
empathy can make a lasting difference—thanks to the unwavering mentorship of
Ms. Leori Ramonette C. Ignacio, Ms. Ivee Meanne B. Nocon, and Engr. Rosalina R. Estacio.
Indeed, their journey proves that when passion meets purpose, young minds can
truly change the world.
Chynna A. Tamayo
Writer, Rizalian Student Focus