What began as an exploration of Filipino ingenuity evolved into a global statement on human creativity, as La Consolacion College Bacolod Fine Arts alumnus Ginoe Ojoy clinched a gold award at the London International Awards (LIA), earning a spot in the prestigious Creative LIAisons program in Las Vegas.
Ojoy, together with collaborator Art Tagnipez under the collective “Basura Gurls,” developed the winning piece Disk-Arte: Pinoy Life Strategy in response to the brief “You Can What A.I. Can’t,” crafted by GIGIL Manila’s Badong Abesamis for this year’s adoboLIA competition.
The work, an assemblage of discarded electronic parts, transformed e-waste into a striking visual articulation of diskarte—a uniquely Filipino concept of resourcefulness and adaptive thinking. “Diskarte is a way of life for Filipinos,” Ojoy said. “It is the street smarts we carry with us… a skill that A.I. doesn’t quite have.”
Rather than framing artificial intelligence as a threat, the piece asserts the enduring relevance of human creativity. “We didn’t go the route of despair or melodrama,” he said. “Instead, we made an artwork that expresses an innate impulse of the Filipino.”
The project’s creative process mirrored its message. Ojoy and Tagnipez sourced discarded electronics, dismantled them, and reassembled the parts into a cohesive artwork—highlighting both sustainability and ingenuity. The resulting composition, punctuated by a Budots-powered case video, resonated with judges for its authenticity, cultural grounding and inventive execution.
Ojoy’s journey to international recognition reflects both grit and grounding. As a Fine Arts student in Bacolod, he learned to navigate constraints with creativity. “I had to be crafty and resourceful to finish my plates,” he recalled. “My training taught me to understand materials, composition, and audience—without resorting to clichés.”
A graduate of the Digital Media Arts program, Ojoy credits LCC’s hybrid training—spanning digital tools and traditional media—for shaping his multidisciplinary approach. “This exposure expanded my ways of thinking about projects, design problems, and artistic modes,” he said, noting how hands-on experimentation and conceptual rigor became central to his practice.
Competing on the global stage, Ojoy underscored the significance of regional voices in creative industries. He acknowledged the challenge of going up against creatives associated with platforms like the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, but emphasized that innovation is not confined to major agencies. “All of the awardees came from independent and smaller agencies,” he said. “This is proof that our vernacular can be global.”
Now set to participate in Creative LIAisons, a flagship program of the London International Awards that mentors emerging creatives worldwide, Ojoy looks forward not only to learning but also to sharing his perspective. The initiative has trained over 2,000 young creatives since its launch in 2012, offering access to industry leaders and global networks.
“I won’t be entering the arena empty-handed,” he said. “I carry with me my experience as an artist from Bacolod and LCC.”
For Ojoy, the recognition is as much personal as it is symbolic. “I’m happy to be living proof that it can be done,” he said. “Someone from Bacolod, from LCC, from ARFIEN, can reach this level.”
He hopes his journey inspires young artists from the regions to embrace their identity and refine their craft. “What once felt like insecurity—being from outside the capital—has become my edge,” he added.
From scavenging materials to shaping meaning, Disk-Arte embodies a narrative larger than the artwork itself: that creativity, rooted in culture and lived experience, remains a distinctly human force—one that no algorithm can replicate.