Converge Empowers Next-Gen Filipino Tech Leaders at Hackfest 2025

Converge team members and managers from the Network group and the IT Operations group served as judges of the Hackfest and earnestly evaluated the solutions created by the students at the end of the 11-day event. 

Leading Philippine fiber broadband and technology provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is leading the way in shaping the minds of tech-oriented youth as it recently concluded participation in the 11-day Google Developer Student Clubs Loyola’s Hackfest 2025 Horizon, a  hackathon competition that provides a unique platform for students to apply their technical skills and develop innovative digital solutions for real-world challenges.

No less than two ranking executives of Converge - and startup entrepreneurs in their own right - spoke to over a hundred participants of the Hackathon, attended by the GDSC members: student tech society and circles of Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Adamson University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, among others. 

Converge Chief Executive Advisor Eugene Yeo and Converge Chief Network Transformation Officer (CNTO) Paulo Martin ‘Santi’ Santos delivered messages underlining the path of digital transformation the Philippines is on, and students’ role in this future as the next generation of tech leaders and innovators. 

Converge CNTO regales the young developers with his experience in transforming the digital infrastructure of Unionbank and also selling his start-up to a bigger telco. 

“We fully support the building of this community of young thinkers and developers. Most of the apps and systems  we use today are not localized or Philippine-based. But it's not because we don't have the talent - we do. We just need to harness it. You, the youth, are the future and this is a dream that Converge wants to keep pushing and investing in,” said CNTO Santos. 

Converge CEA Eugene Yeo shared his own experience as a start-up builder in the 90s, which he eventually sold to Yahoo! 

“There’s a huge opportunity in the Philippines to transform the way Filipinos live their digital lives. Converge built an amazing digital infrastructure but so what? If there are no solutions or no devices to leverage on that? That’s what we want to see at Converge, we want to go to the next level,” added Yeo during the opening ceremony of the Hackfest. 

Mentoring and advising the student teams involved in the Hackfest were key team members of the Network Operations Group, namely Research & Development Assistant Manager Charlene Patawaran, IT Operations’ Head of Technology Solutions & Engineering Management Steven Maverick Paradeza. 

The winning solution to the Hackfest was a waste management system innovation created by PUP students. 

The duo crafted the main problem statement that the teams targeted to solve using their coding and programming know-how. The winning teams were : 

1st Place : Team Infinity Stones with ScrappyHappy (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)

2nd Place : Team Hacklanons with Smiles (Ateneo de Manila University)

3rd Place : Team Divathon with Kalinga (Ateneo de Manila University)

The teams came up with innovative and scalable solutions that address UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and moreover, empower communities that face structural challenges in waste management, resource redistribution, and civic engagement.