11th ASEAN+3 Junior Science Odyssey concludes, urges bayanihan spirit in regional collaboration

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JOINT TRIUMPH: Entry No. 1 from the Team Philippines and entry no. 14 of the Team Indonesia, which also won the People’s Choice Award, celebrate a historic tie as they are jointly awarded the prestigious Grand CARes Award (Best Overall Video), recognizing exceptional creativity, technical excellence, and impactful visual storytelling across the region.

The 11th ASEAN+3 Junior Science Odyssey (APT JSO-11) has concluded in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, bringing together 163 student participants, their coaches, and other representatives from 12 countries to explore climate action, responsible innovation, and sustainability. 

But aside from the experience, they brought home the important essence of regional collaboration to address shared challenges, anchored on the traditional Filipino spirit of bayanihan.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary for Research and Development Leah J. Buendia emphasized that the region's most pressing issues, including climate change, disaster resilience, and food security—are burdens that no single nation can overcome alone. She urged the delegates to embrace bayanihan, a concept traditionally defined as community coming together to carry one another’s burden.

"In research, bayanihan means scientists sharing knowledge instead of guarding it," she stated, reminding the young delegates that "the future of ASEAN will not be built by brilliant individuals working alone. It will be built by communities of scientists who trust one another, who learn from one another, and who lift one another".

This collaborative value was championed throughout the event, reflecting the shared vision that progress depends on the ability to work together across borders. Addressing the delegates, Science and Technology Officer of the ASEAN Secretariat Dony Cahyono noted that science has never been an isolated pursuit.

"The challenges we face are shared, and therefore the solutions must be shared as well," he explained. "This is why ASEAN and our plus three partners continue to invest in programs such as this ASEAN+3 Junior Science Odyssey."

The week-long program successfully transformed young delegates from strangers into intimate collaborators and friends, laying the groundwork for future international partnerships. Highlighting the profound value of these interpersonal connections, DOST Undersecretary for Scientific and Technical Services Maridon O. Sahagun addressed the students with immense pride.

"Long before scientific breakthroughs happen in laboratories, they often begin in conversations, conversations like the ones you shared this week," she said.

Celebrating excellence: APT JSO-11 awardees

The delegates' hard work culminated in a series of awards honoring their innovative solutions and collaborative projects:

Innovation Pitching Competition 

• Gold Award: Team 8-The Conductors, Team 9-W Dream, and Team 10- STEM Trek.

• Silver Award: Team 3-The Foresters, Team 4-MKTB, Team 6-Zenith, and Team 12-CAREBEARS.

• Bronze Award: Team 1-Curiscitizen, Team 2-TaCKLE, Team 5-Next Gen Changers, Team 7-BEATS, and Team 11-TIES.

• Katuklas Award (Outstanding Scientific Insight): Team 9-W Dream.

• Kaugnay Award (Excellence in Collaboration & Regional Spirit): Team 9-W Dream.

• Kaisa Award (Strongest Advocacy for Climate Action): Team 4-MKTB.

Odyssey Lab Assessment Excellence

• Terrascope Excellence Award: Team 1-Curiscitizen.

• Carbon Ledger Award: Team 9-W Dream.

• Wings of Change Award: Team 6-Zenith.

Resilience Reels Video Competition

• Grand CARes Award (Best Overall Video): Jointly awarded to Team Philippines No. 1 and Team Indonesia Entry No. 14.

• People’s Choice Award: Team Indonesia Entry No. 14.

As the APT JSO-11 delegates prepare to return home to write the next chapters of their scientific journeys, they are encouraged to actively maintain their cross-border networks to transform their region. 

Dr. Soo-Young Lee, program director of the ASEAN+3 Center for the Gifted in Science, commended the participants for their curiosity and teamwork, offering a final call to action for the youth.

"Stay in touch. Learn from one another and keep inspiring each other as future scientists and leaders of our world," she said.

Delegations gather for the official handover ceremony as Malaysia is formally announced as the host country for the upcoming 12th ASEAN Plus Three Junior Science Odyssey (APT JSO), set to welcome the region's brightest young scientific minds.

The friendships and ideas forged in the Philippines this week aim to become the innovations that transform the ASEAN+3 region as the community looks ahead to the 12th APT JSO, which will be hosted in Malaysia. (By Rosemarie S. Pelaez, DOST-STII and photos from Broadcast and Digital Media Section, DOST-STII)