Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) researcher Instructor Jessa Alico and her team secured Second Place in the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) Pitching Session 2025 held yesterday, September 10, at Robinsons Roxas, Capiz, with their innovation Auto-OMP (Automated Oyster Mushroom Production).
The award-winning research, developed by ISUFST’s College of Agriculture in partnership with the College of Computer Studies, was led and presented by Instr. Alico with co-researchers Instr. Rezeld Alarva, Instr. Dave Allan Tagacay, and Engr. Katherine Padilla. The team is developing an automated system that takes the fuss out of mushroom farming so communities and agri firms can raise yields, reduce losses, and grow income in a sustainable way. It hopes to respond to what farmers face on the ground and to the push for resilient, inclusive, sustainable practices.
“Our technology was inspired by a reverse pitching event where I realized automation could help solve major challenges in mushroom production,” Alico said, adding, “After the event, I collaborated with IT colleagues to bring the idea to life. It wasn’t easy, but we pushed through because we believe this tech can greatly benefit both the community and education.” Armed with the hope to serve not just agricultural students but also the wider community, she intimated that the team’s next steps are “to protect the technology and conduct thorough testing, with the hope that by 2029, farmers can already begin using it.”
Organized through RAISE Tech Ventures 2025, the pitching event gathered 14 universities alongside government agencies across Region VI. It culminated in the presentation of research innovations after a series of capacity-building sessions hosted at the University of the Philippines Visayas–Miagao, University of Antique, Iloilo Science and Technology University, and Capiz State University.
Central Philippine University (CPU) placed first, while Northern Iloilo State University (NISU) placed third. Certificates and cash prizes celebrated their research-powered solutions and the teams behind them.
As DOST Region VI puts it, RSTW 2025’s theme—“Siyensya, Teknolohiya at Inobasyon: Kabalikat sa Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag na Kinabukasan”—shows how science can lift neighborhoods now and make them more resilient for the future. “Events like this connect innovation to adoption, and adoption to economic growth,” said DOST-VI Regional Director and member of the Board of Regents of ISUFST, Engr. Rowen Gelonga.
Auto-OMP advances UN goals where it counts: food security under SDG 2, agripreneurship and jobs under SDG 8, and sustainable production under SDG 12. ISUFST, the country’s only state fisheries university, is steadily building SDG-aligned work into classes, labs, and outreach—part of its roadmap to be a top Southeast Asian research university by 2030.
The achievement of Alico and her team join a string of ISUFST honors in research, global linkages, and community programs, strengthening its promise to deliver solutions that help small businesses and barangays thrive. (Photo credit is given to COAG ISUFST San Enrique/Herman Lagon/PAMMCO)
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