By Heherson Valdez
Are you an aspiring innovator eager to join CLUSTERICE 2025 but uncertain about which category your invention falls under? You're not alone! Many aspiring innovators face the same question when gearing up for the competition. To guide you, the Department of Science and Technology - Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) proudly presents the official categories for the upcoming Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits by Cluster (CLUSTERICE) 2025, a nationwide event that aims to recognize the indispensability of Filipino inventors in the Philippines and the landscape of national development.
(IN PHOTO: Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits 2023 North Luzon Cluster)
The Call for Submissions for CLUSTERICE 2025 was released on January 10, 2025, on the DOST-TAPI Facebook Page, and the deadline for submission is March 15, 2025. The Regional Invention Contest (RIC) encourages Filipino inventors to harness their innovativeness through competition and enticing prizes. CLUSTERICE 2025 also serves as the qualifying round for the National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE), which will take place in 2026. NICE winners will have the opportunity to avail the programs and services offered by DOST-TAPI (if they choose to apply), such as funding and grants for product development, commercialization, and IP assistance. Winners will also be considered to represent the country in showcasing and competing at international fairs and exhibitions. This initiative from the Institute is pursuant to Section 4 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7459, also known as the "Inventors and Invention Incentives Act of the Philippines."
The competition will be conducted through clusters (CLUSTERICE) composed of several regions per cluster. The five clusters are as follows: National Capital Region (for Cities and Municipalities within the NCR); Southern Luzon (for Regions IV-A, IV-B, and V); Northern Luzon (for Regions I, II, III, and CAR); Visayas (for Regions VI, VII, and VIII); and Mindanao (for Regions IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII). Each cluster must have at least three entries to be considered a cluster. Entries in clusters that fail to meet the required number of entries will compete in a Wild Card Cluster or be joined to a geographically adjacent cluster.
Categories for CLUSTERICE 2025:
The invention contest for this year is open to both public and private sector inventors and researchers within the Regions of the Clusters. There are five categories where aspiring Filipino innovators can compete:
1. Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award): An invention is defined as any novel and industrially-applicable technical solution to a problem in any area of human activity, which includes an inventive element. It can pertain to a product, a process, or enhancements thereof (Sec. 21, RA 8293). It must be protected by letters patent that are still valid and granted by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL). This category can be further divided into Invention - Privately-Owned Technology and Invention - Government-Owned Technology subcategories.
(IN PHOTO: Continuous Screw-Type Salt Washer by Dr. Anabelle V. Briones, Engr. Carlos J. De Vera, Oliver C. Evangelista, Engr. Jayson B. Nuval, Melquiades B. Canceran, and Alexander G. Cruz, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Tuklas Award for Outstanding Invention Category)
2. Outstanding Utility Model (Unlad Award): A Utility Model refers to any new and industrially applicable technical solution to a problem in any field of human activity, as outlined in Section 109 of RA 8293. It must be registered as a utility model with a valid registrability report still in effect, granted by the IPOPHIL.
(IN PHOTO: Turbo Rice Steamer by Mr. Francisco H. Gecosala, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Unlad Award for Outstanding Utility Model Category)
3. Outstanding Industrial Design (Banghay Award): An Industrial Design refers to any arrangement of lines or colors or any three-dimensional shape, whether or not combined with lines or colors, provided that this arrangement or shape gives a unique appearance and can serve as a pattern for an industrial product or handicraft, as stated in Section 112 of RA 8293. It must be registered as an industrial design with a valid registrability report still in effect, granted by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL).
(IN PHOTO: Plastic Segmented Fish Cage by Mr. Ralph A. Cabrera, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Banghay Award for Outstanding Industrial Design Category)
4. Outstanding Creative Research (Likha Award): The Creative Research encompasses patent-pending inventions, utility models, and industrial designs that are in the process of registration, as well as research results that have not yet been applied for the patent, utility model, or industrial design registration. Eligible entries include new and useful machines, devices, gadgets, products, processes, or improvements thereof, along with non-biological or microbiological processes that are not contrary to public order, morals, public health, and welfare. These research results exhibit demonstrable qualities and potential for improvement and/or widespread commercialization or dissemination. The Creative Research Category (Likha Award) will be subcategorized into (a) Government-Funded and (b) privately funded if there are at least three qualified entries in both subcategories. If either subcategory has fewer than three entries, they will be merged into a single category.
(IN PHOTOS: Salt Harvesting Equipment by Dr. Anabelle V. Briones, Oliver C. Evangelista, Quintillano M. Montevirgen, Engr. Jayson B. Nuval, and Raejan V. Marfal, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Likha Award for Outstanding Creative Research - Government Funded Category)
5. Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award): This category will be sub-categorized into Student Creative Research for College and Student Creative Research for High School. Student creative research involves the development of new and innovative projects or models by secondary and tertiary students. These projects or models should have features and characteristics that significantly contribute to the advancement of Science and Technology (S&T) innovations while adhering to public order, morals, public health, and welfare. The category is divided into Student Creative Research for College and Student Creative Research for High School. Out-of-school youth (OSY) aged 13 to 18 years at the time of application will be classified under the High School Category, while OSY aged 19 to 24 years will be placed in the College Category. OSY aged 25 and above will be included in the Creative Research Category.
(IN PHOTO: Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver, and Monitoring Device by Wendilyn Cabanilla, Roldan Guillo Jr., Miraleih Jaime, and Gerald C. Caliguiran from Lanna National High School, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - High School Level)
(IN PHOTO: IET Pro: the effective and affordable Impulse Excitation Technique Prototype by Ms. Beatrice Bayan, Jose Mario A. Diaz, and Geoffrey Matthew Tan from Ateneo de Manila University, NICE 2024 First Prize Winner of Sibol Award for Outstanding Student Creative Research - College Level)
DOST-TAPI encourages inventors from the Philippines to participate and contribute to the nation's innovation landscape.
If you are interested in joining and representing your region at CLUSTERICE 2025, visit the DOST-TAPI website at tapi.dost.gov.ph, go to the Call for Proposals section, and read the full guidelines and mechanics of CLUSTERICE 2025. You may also consult the nearest DOST Regional Office in your province or region, as they serve as partners of DOST-TAPI in disseminating information about the competition.
** This article is part of the “ClusteRICE 2025” Campaign. For more information and event updates, please visit the DOST-TAPI website at www.tapi.dost.gov.ph. For media inquiries, please get in touch with Ms. Mirielle Vacal at +639567113145 or Mr. Heherson Valdez at +639064477735, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. **
