By Mikee Natinga Norico
Congratulations Team GYM for securing a spot in the Top 10 of the National AI Game On! IV and receiving the prestigious People’s Choice Award for Gunita: Reaper of Echoes.
Three Software Engineering students from Central Philippine University (CPU) secured a spot in the Top 10 of the National AI Game On! IV and won the People’s Choice Award during the game exhibits held as part of the 2026 AI Fest on August 3–5 at the Iloilo Convention Center.
Representing Team GYM, Gian Gamir Umadhay, Yna Chloe Veñegas, and Sophia Marielle Mendoza developed “Gunita: Reaper of Echoes,” a story-driven 2D adventure game inspired by Filipino culture, heritage, and the power of remembrance.
The game follows Vino, a newly awakened Echo Reaper tasked with restoring the fragmented memories of forgotten souls trapped in Campo Lunan. Players explore memory worlds, solve AI-assisted riddles, recover meaningful artifacts, and uncover stories that highlight the values, traditions, and legacies of ordinary Filipinos.
As players restore memories, forgotten graves are transformed into symbols of hope, conveying lessons on family, faith, sacrifice, bayanihan, and respect for nature. The game combines exploration, puzzles, interactive storytelling, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration to create an immersive experience centered on preserving stories and cultural heritage.
The team’s achievement highlights the students’ technical and creative skills in game development and AI integration, while demonstrating how technology can be used to celebrate and preserve Filipino culture.
AI Game On! IV was part of the 2026 AI Fest, a collaborative initiative involving academic institutions, government agencies, industry organizations, and technology communities in promoting innovation and the development of AI-driven technologies.
Among the participating organizations were the Global Shapers Community – Iloilo Hub, Tech For All, Innovate Iloilo, Iloilo Business Club, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Iloilo Chapter, DEVCON Iloilo, Game Developers Association of the Philippines, Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines, WVCIEERD, West Visayas State University, RASUC VI, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology Western Visayas, Iloilo City Government, Province of Iloilo, Department of Economy, Planning and Development VI, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry VI, Iloilo Science and Technology University, UMWAD, BINHI Technology Business Incubator, Red Gutz Trading, Cornelius Magnate, PrimeAxis Technology Corporation, and Mulave Studios, among others.
The recognition adds to CPU’s growing contributions to technology and innovation, underscoring the university’s commitment to empowering students to develop creative solutions that connect emerging technologies with Filipino identity and heritage.