Converge ICT Solutions Inc. continues to lead the charge in shaping the future of the Philippines’ digital landscape—not just through cutting-edge infrastructure, but by investing in the next generation of tech talent.
Recently, Converge participated in Hackfest 2025 Horizon, an 11-day hackathon hosted by the Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) Loyola, where student developers from top universities came together to solve real-world challenges through technology.
Held in partnership with student tech societies from Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Adamson University, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, the event offered a platform for over a hundred students to showcase their coding, innovation, and problem-solving skills.
Driving the conversation: Converge leaders inspire future tech innovators
Two of Converge’s senior executives—Chief Executive Advisor Eugene Yeo and Chief Network Transformation Officer Paulo Martin “Santi” Santos—spoke at the event, encouraging participants to be bold and ambitious in shaping the country’s digital future.
“We have the talent here in the Philippines. What we need is to harness and empower it,” said Santos. “Converge fully supports building a community of young thinkers and developers.”
Yeo emphasized that while Converge has built a world-class digital infrastructure, it’s the developers who give that infrastructure purpose:
“There’s a huge opportunity to transform the way Filipinos live their digital lives. We need local solutions—created by Filipinos, for Filipinos.”
Mentorship in action
To help guide participants through the hackathon, Converge’s own Network Operations Group stepped in as mentors. Charlene Patawaran, Assistant Manager for R&D, and Steven Maverick Paradeza, Head of Technology Solutions & Engineering Management, developed the core challenge that the student teams tackled: creating scalable tech solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The goal was simple: solve real problems—from waste management to civic engagement—and empower communities through code.
🌟 Meet the winning teams of hackfest 2025
🏆 1st Place: Team Infinity Stones (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)
Project: ScrappyHappy – An innovative solution for managing and reducing urban waste.
🥈 2nd Place: Team Hacklanons (Ateneo de Manila University)
Project: Smiles – A digital tool promoting mental wellness and positive social connections.
🥉 3rd Place: Team Divathon (Ateneo de Manila University)
Project: Kalinga – A civic engagement platform focused on redistributing community resources.
These projects show just how much potential lies in the country’s student developer community. With the right support, these ideas could scale into transformative tools for communities across the Philippines.
Looking ahead: Building the nation through tech
Converge’s active involvement in Hackfest 2025 Horizon is part of a broader vision: to build a digitally empowered Philippines—not just through infrastructure, but by inspiring and mentoring the next generation of developers, engineers, and innovators.
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