The National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines (NAST-PHL) on Friday, Oct. 27 officially launched the winning mobile applications of the “Food is Life Exemplified: Planetary Health Diet” (FLExPHD) development competition aimed at cultivating healthier eating habits among Filipinos.
With the common goal of developing healthy and sustainable food systems, the NAST-PHL, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), together with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) jointly organized the competition.
In a video message, NAST-PHL President Dr. Jaime Montoya expressed his gratitude to the winning teams with powerful apps developed by talented individuals who share the vision of promoting healthy, sustainable, and just dietary practices.
The top prize went to the "HEAL-PH" application, developed by Team M1R4G3 from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).
HEAL-PH is designed to help users develop healthier eating habits by recognizing food from images and awarding health points to help evaluate their dietary choices.
In an interview, Team M1R4G3 member Val Randolf Madrid explained that their app is different because it requires users to input data before providing advice, and they prioritized user privacy.
Instead of manually inputting the foods you eat, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify foods through images, Madrid added.
"It would be very useful if we have apps that are data-driven; data should back it up, and we want to emphasize the idea of that," he said.
However, he noted that the app still lacks components, which is why the team hopes there will be others who will collaborate with them and work together, especially in this undertaking that is too big for a small group.
As the first-place winner in FLExPHD, Team M1R4G3 will receive P500,000 to further enhance their app.
Team MAPA from the Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus (PSHS-ESV) grabbed second place with their "VICTU" app, designed to streamline cafeteria management for healthier food choices.
Team MAPA will receive a P200,000 cash prize.
Meanwhile, the "AskEdi!" and "Sustainsia" apps tied for third place and will take home P50,000 cash prize each.
The "AskEdi!" by Team Ediscape from Western Visayas offers locally sourced, eco-friendly personalized meal plans delivered to consumers' doorsteps.
Meanwhile, the "Sustainsia" app by Team PlanEATarians from Luzon transforms the journey toward the PHD into an engaging and enjoyable experience through gamification.
The event was held during the first National Youth Science, Technology, and Innovation Festival (NYSTIF) from Oct. 25 to 28.
The competition is a series of hackathons and mentoring where participants will learn about the PHD and develop an app that can serve as a guide for consumers in making data and values-driven food choices based on the PHD model
It was participated by more than 100 teams nationwide and launched in November 2022.
The top 12 teams presented their high-fidelity prototypes in an app demo exhibit and pitching competition at the FLExPHD Grand Finals held at SEARCA on June 28.