In a country where thousands of island communities still live beyond the reach of reliable source, innovation often begins not in laboratories, but in lived experience. For Aisa Mijeno-Labastilla, that came during a period of personal uncertainty — one that would ultimately illuminate a path toward purpose.

“I think I was suffering from a quarter-life crisis during that time,” she recalled. “I couldn’t see myself working for that company for the next 40 years of my life.” Trained as a computer engineer with a master’s degree in electrical engineering, Mijeno-Labastilla was once an automation engineer in the manufacturing industry. But even then, something felt incomplete.

The shift that leads the path to innovation

Her turning point came when she left her job to pursue what she initially described as a “gap year,” joining Greenpeace Philippines as a direct dialogue campaigner. The transition was stark. “From being an engineer, I became an NGO worker earning around P4,000 a month — not even a salary, just an allowance,” she said.

Yet it was in this unlikely shift that she found clarity.

Immersing herself in remote island communities, she encountered a persistent reality: families without access to electricity relied heavily on kerosene lamps. “I experienced firsthand what people are going through,” she said. “They’re not connected to the power grid. That’s where everything began for me.”

Drawing from her engineering background, she asked a simple but transformative question: Why not use what these communities already have in abundance — saltwater? From that idea emerged the SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting) Lamp, a device powered by a metal-air battery that uses saltwater to generate electricity.

“The corrosion process is what generates power,” she explained. “If you’re near the sea, you can use seawater. If not, just dissolve a tablespoon of salt in water, and it works the same.” The result is a portable lamp capable of providing up to four days of continuous light. Some versions even include USB ports for charging low-power devices.

Once upon a bumpy ride

But the journey from concept to creation was far from immediate. “It took me about three to four years to come up with the first prototype,” she said, describing the process as “on and off” in its early stages. It was only when she entered IdeaSpace in 2014 — an incubation program offering funding and mentorship — that the project gained momentum. “We were given a grant, and I had no other choice but to really finish the project,” she said with a laugh.

What sets the SALt Lamp apart is not just its technology, but its deeply human-centered design. “Technology should be anchored in empathy,” Mijeno-Labastilla emphasized. “We don’t just develop technology for the sake of it. We look for problems in the community — problems we’ve experienced — and solve them using technology.”

This philosophy is evident in how the lamp mimics the familiar use of kerosene. Instead of pouring fuel, users pour saltwater — making the transition intuitive. “There’s a behavioral element,” she explained. “They’ve been using kerosene lamps all their lives, so we designed something that’s easy for them to adopt.”

Beyond convenience, the stakes are high. Kerosene lamps pose serious health and safety risks. “Inhaling fumes from kerosene for just an hour is equivalent to smoking 40 cigarettes,” she noted. “We want to replace that system entirely.”

A destined success

Since its launch around 2018, the SALt initiative has reached more than 3,000 families across the Philippines. Yet scaling the innovation has not been without setbacks. A major project in Lanao del Sur was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. “I thought the project was going to die,” she admitted. “We were only revived recently.”

That revival came through international recognition. Selected as one of 10 Filipinos in the United Kingdom-funded Leaders in Innovation Fellowship, Mijeno-Labastilla won a pitching competition that provided the funds to bring SALt back to life. “That was the prize money that helped us revive the project,” she said.

Her journey has also taken her to unexpected places — including a roundtable with former United States President Barack Obama during the 2015 APEC CEO Summit. “Out of all the people, I was chosen,” she said. “I was nervous, but I had to step up.” There, she spoke about innovation as a potential economic pillar for the Philippines.

Despite global recognition, she points to a familiar challenge. “We’re more noticed outside the country than here,” she observed. “Sometimes you have to gain recognition abroad before being accepted locally.”

Still, for Mijeno-Labastilla, fulfillment does not come from awards or high-profile engagements. “The real fulfillment is seeing the product being used,” she said. “Even if someone just bought it online and tells us it helped during a power outage — that’s what powers me.”

To move forward, to go beyond

Looking ahead, her vision extends beyond lighting. With a five-year technology pipeline in place, she hopes to scale SALt to power entire households. “We want to partner more — with NGOs, LGUs — because we can’t do this alone,” she said. “Collaboration is everything.”

Her message to aspiring innovators is clear: “If you have an idea that can create social impact, don’t be afraid. There are more people and organizations now that can support you.”

From a moment of doubt to a mission that continues to spark hope, Aisa Mijeno-Labastilla’s story is proof that sometimes, the most powerful solutions begin with a simple question — and the courage to pursue it.