Empowering resilient communities through sustainable technologies

The Philippines is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the climate crisis. To address this threat, PAUL CABACUNGAN and his colleagues at the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC) have developed sustainable technologies that seek to empower their partner-communities. Cabacungan received his MS Electronics Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University.

AIC’s research projects have contributed to community resilience, health, and well-being by exploring viable alternatives that respond to a partner community’s needs, and teaching them how to build, use, and maintain these technologies. “Our approach of teaching communities allows poor partner communities to access inexpensive, state-of-the-art devices, and gives them more environment-friendly options,” Cabacungan explains.

Among the many innovative research projects Cabacungan and the AIC team developed is the solar-powered Clean Water Systems, which harvest, filter, and purify rainwater for safe drinking in disaster-stricken communities. More than 150 units have already been installed across the country. This system has been recently deployed in several areas severely affected by typhoons in 2022 such as Capiz, Cebu, and Southern Leyte. 

Even beyond a disaster’s aftermath, the technology can also be used  as alternative water and power sources, and even as an alternative source of income. Partner-communities earn as much as PHP 30,000 (roughly USD 530) per month for selling the treated water.

Another technology that AIC deploys to vulnerable communities is hydroponic farming, which can serve as an alternative and nutritious food source while providing sustainable livelihood. Each harvest nets as much as PHP 8,100 (roughly USD 145) for partner-communities. The hydroponic system, which is installed in roofs, also acts as an urban heat shield.

“I want to help survivors get back on their feet after a disaster by having alternative sources of power and drinking water and provide livelihood options through protective and precision agriculture,” Cabacungan discloses. 

Cabacungan attributes the wide range of projects his team generates to the diverse and supportive scholarly community and research infrastructure in Ateneo. “Through Ateneo's efforts to support research projects, I have been given the opportunity to work with experts in the field and with inspiring mentors.”

To know about the Ateneo Innovation Center’s work, visit ateneoinnovation.org.