The Philippines’ flagship blockchain event returns to Manila, September 19 to 21, 2023
the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced their joint support for Philippine Blockchain Week (PBW) 2023. This highly anticipated event will take place from September 19 to 21, 2023, at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, Newport World Resorts in Manila, Philippines.
During the conference, Director of DICT Emmy Lou Dolphin and Director of DTI Yes Darong talks about how the Philippine Blockchain Week can help the government fulfill its commitment to boost collaboration, innovation, and digitalization in the country.
Currently, approximately 6.13% of the Filipino population, or nearly 7 million individuals, own cryptocurrency, and 32% of Filipino internet users own non-fungible tokens (NFTs) . With this in mind, dr. Donald Lim, Founding President of the Blockchain Council of the Philippines (BCP) and leading Convenor of the Philippine Blockchain Week, stated that the Philippines is on its way to becoming the global blockchain capital.
The event is expected to attract thousands of attendees from various industries and regions around the world, bringing together influential leaders from the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry.
The theme for this year’s Philippine Blockchain Week is “BRKOUT” which aims to encourage participants to break free from conventions and comfort zones, abandon old habits in favor of new opportunities, and emerge as leaders in the blockchain space.
Reflecting the current state of the industry, the event will feature immersive discussions on topics such as blockchain, fintech, metaverse, regulation, artificial intelligence, privacy, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Dir. Delfin mentioned that DICT will spearhead “Blockchain 101,” an initiative that will teach thousands of students throughout the National Capital Region (NCR) about industry opportunities. The DICT will also hold focus group discussions for government officials to promote the use of blockchain technology to store government data.
DTI Dir. Darong expressed support for the adoption of a comprehensive approach to the integration of blockchain technology in various industries.
“At DTI, we pledge to support all initiatives that aim to make the Philippines not only innovative and creative, but also more competitive through blockchain,” he said.
Darong added that the Philippine Blockchain Week provides an excellent platform for the development of creativity and innovation, which is in line with the department’s vision for the inaugural celebration of the Philippine Creative Industry Month in September.
Lim stressed that the government’s support and collaboration will strengthen blockchain adoption and innovation in the country.
“Government intervention and support is always critical for the adoption of blockchain technology in any country. For the Philippines, the open-mindedness of our government will be instrumental in positioning us as the blockchain capital of Asia,” said Lim.
In addition to government partnerships, Philippine Blockchain Week announced a unique collaboration with celebrities Filipino fashion designer based in Dubai Michael Lima, who ventures into the blockchain space for the first time. Cinco, known for dressing Hollywood celebrities and royalty, will partner with PBW to host a Metaverse Fashion Gala, showcasing the fusion of fashion and the metaverse. Cinco’s participation adds to the excitement of the event and signifies the potential to tap into various industries that have yet to explore blockchain technology.
Other highlights of the event include a venture capital-startup matchmaking event in partnership with CNN Philippines’ business reality show, “The Final Pitch”; a gaming expo in partnership with Tier One Entertainment, featuring gamers, streamers, and cosplayers for meet and greets and gaming exhibitions; and the live global announcement of finalists for the prestigious NFTY Awards, a global Web 3 awards show.
The NFTY Awards are held by Tech Entrepreneur/Investor Chris J Snook and Oh! Entertainment Builder Larry Namer, who established their partnership after meeting at the inaugural Philippine Blockchain Week in November 2022.
In the local awards scene, the Philippine Block Awards will return to honor leaders in the finance, technology, and business industries for their support and promotion of blockchain adoption in the country.
To secure a spot in the Philippine Blockchain Week 2023, early bird registration with discounts is now available at https://www.pbw.ph/.
