PAL flies Pinay inventor to US for tilt
What are we if not for the wind beneath our wings? And where will we be if not for the wings that fly us to our dreams?
Philippine Airlines recently became the wings to the dream of young inventor Aisa Mijeno and her brother Raphael, who successfully represented the country and the whole of Asia in the recent Global Grand Challenge Awards held in California.
The event is a venue for talented group of scientists, technologists, designers and other passionate change agents with the potentials to tackle the Global Grand Challenge and present innovative solutions that impact billions of lives. The Grand Global Challenges’ perspectives include assurance that basic needs are met for all people, quality of life is sustained and continuously improving, and mitigating future risks.
Aisa is the inventor of the SALt lamp, an LED light powered by salt water, a cheap and convenient source of energy for indigent communities in the coastal areas. Together with her brother Raphael, Aisa founded the Sustainable Alternative Lighting (SALt), a social movement that aims to provide alter native lighting solutions. Aisa was comm ended by US President Barack Obama during the APEC CEO Summit in Manila last year.
The two were chosen by Silicon Valley’ s Singularity University from a number of applicants worldwide to participate in the Energy Track of the Global Grand Challenge Awards. Aside from presenting their social enterprise, they were also selected to participate in the Sci-Fi Design Intelligence Workshop in the Singularity University Labs in NASA Ames Research Center where they had an opportunity to explore the NASA grounds with select participants from different parts of the world for future synergy and collaboration.
“We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Philippine Airlines for supporting us to represent the country to participate in the Global Grand Challenge Awards. (The Philippines was the only Asian country at SU Global Summit.) This opened so many doors for us,” Aisa says.
Now on its 75th year and in line with its vision to become a source of pride of the Philippines, PAL launched its flagship corporate social responsibility program, “Represent Pinoy,” to support exceptional individuals chosen to represent the country in global competitions.