MANILA, Philippines — Rooted in fear, survival, and experiences of women and children, digital solutions presented at the National Models for Women’s Safety Online (NMWSO) Philippines Grand Challenge: Safety-by-Design (SbD) Showcase are reimagining what safety looks like, not just as an afterthought, but by design. 

During the showcase held in Pasig City on January 29, 10 Filipino innovators presented tech solutions designed to protect, empower, and advance the rights of women and children in the Philippines.

“Safety-by-Design recognizes that users, of course, have their responsibilities in navigating digital spaces. But it rejects the idea that safety should fall mainly on women and girls,” UN Women Philippines Information Officer Nevicshky Calma said in her speech at the event. 

SbD is a way of creating digital tools that put user safety and rights first, helping prevent harm.

Of the 11 solutions that emerged from a series of trainings organized by Development Gateway: An IREX Venture and IREX in 2025, three were ranked as top winners for their innovation, impact, and women- and children-centered safety.

Built for female commuters

For many commuters, particularly women, unfamiliar routes, poorly lit streets, and areas with little foot traffic bring fear and anxiety. 

This reality inspired Mika Ella Ramiro, Jedia Nicole Sagun, Reina Chlie Magpantay, Daniella Simara, and Gianne Crizzle Dasco of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) to create LIWA, a navigation app that guides women and gender-diverse commuters along safer routes using community-reported insights.

Ramiro said at the showcase that during their first years in Manila, commuting often left them tense and rarely excited about their destination. 

“Since we have a lot of night classes, we’re not really sure which routes are really safe [when walking], but our seniors say it’s fast here,” Ramiro said. 

For Ramiro, shortcuts are not always safe routes, and for many women commuters, she said, the difference can mean survival. 

“LIWA changes how people navigate, and instead of optimizing only for speed, we prioritize safety awareness,” said Ramiro, even pointing out that some navigation apps don’t always do the same. 

“LIWA doesn’t tell you where to go; it gives you the context you need to decide, and what feels safest for you,” she added. 

The app earned second place at the Safety-by-Design showcase, as well as the Audience Choice Award and special recognition for proactive harm prevention. 

From alerts to action

Another digital solution that shares the same goal as LIWA is Alerto, a female-led platform supported by the Department of Science and Technology that links communities and responders in real time and provides support in situations when immediate intervention is needed. 

Initially developed to help communities respond to disasters in the Philippines, Alerto uses AI reporting, live CCTV, SOS alerts, and smart sensors to create public signals into coordinated action against emergencies and disasters. 

Currently, the team has deployed fire and flood safety solutions in Quezon City and Tagaytay City, and trained barangay and LGU representatives, who now manage their communities through the Alerto Command Center.

Seeing how smoke alarms alert responders before fires escalate, Erica Lu, marketing manager of WiredField Philippines, Incorporated, recalled how she wished Alerto had existed three years ago, when she faced abuse. 

“With the use of [the] SOS button, which is connected to our command center, and the command center is connected to an LGU, it alerts instantly,” said Lu.

Lu explained that the experiences of survivors of abuse, including hers, and insights from communities of over 500,000 women were pivotal in developing Alerto’s new features aimed at protecting women and children.

“The way that we were able to hone and enhance the app features is by really listening to the community’s problems,” she said. 

With thousands of reported cases of violence in the Philippines each year, Alerto aims not just to respond to abuse but to prevent it from happening in the first place. 

Founded by Christina Macaraeg, Alerto won 3rd place and was recognized for Best in Service Provider Responsibility during the showcase. 

‘I need help’

Taking real-time protection a step further, Luna/Safe by Cynder hides lifesaving tools in plain sight. 

At first glance, the app shows a menstrual tracker, but as you navigate, it serves as a secure evidence diary and SOS app. 

Users can discreetly log encrypted incidents of sexual and domestic abuse, send one-click SOS alerts to trusted contacts, and access local hotlines and barangay violence against women and children desks.

“The problem really is that protection must hide in plain sight, ensuring that when [abuse] happens, the act of seeking help does not become a risk in itself,” said Cynder CEO and founder Giovanni Angelo Balaguer.

But beyond technicality, Luna/Safe is built from the ground up around the firsthand experiences of survivors and vulnerable women, including its own developers, who are persons with disabilities.

The app was also inspired by Chel (not her real name), a survivor of gender-based violence, whose experiences shaped its key features and design pivots.

“Our backbone is the lived experience of the end users, not the technical side. And because the data we work with reflects these lived experiences and realities, which the government often doesn’t address, we have to find solutions,”  said Cynder team member Ma. Criselda Bisda, a person with a visual disability.

“We’re not claiming to be perfect, but at least we tailor-fit our solutions to the pressing needs of those who require rescue,” she added. 

The app also prioritizes accessibility, fully integrating digital accessibility guidelines to ensure all users, including women with disabilities, can independently access help.

“Persons with disabilities or those with weak mobility, they can’t use other protection apps because [they’re] not completely accessible,” she said. “[Luna/Safe] is a universal symbol for ‘I need help.’ This way, the user doesn’t need to speak, since a deaf person cannot speak,” she added.

In her acceptance speech as the grand winner, Bisda emphasized that all types of users would access the app independently, for free, and with choice, so that no one is left behind. 

LIWA, Alerto, and Luna/Safe, among others, are still in the proof-of-concept stage, with their developers hoping to partner with LGUs, communities, and the private sector for full implementation. – Rappler.com