Coins.ph, Ownly, SparkPoint Explore Collab With Bicol LGU
Ownly and Coins.ph revealed that they met with the DTI R5 Office, Albay LGU, and business owners to discuss the use of blockchain tech.
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Editing by Nathaniel Cajuday
- Ownly and Coins.ph revealed that they recently met with the DTI Region V Office, Albay LGU, local business owners, and Bicolano startup founders to discuss the possible integration of blockchain into the region.
- According to Ownly’s Ismael Jerusalem, this collaboration will be able to introduce how blockchain technology may benefit the grass root level community, MSMEs, local businesses, LGUs, and establishments from the countryside.
- While for Coins.ph’s Jen Bilango, by partnering with the DTI, and web3 companies Ownly, and SparkPoint, they hope to grow interest and adoption in the region through collaborative and educational programs.
Homegrown cryptocurrency wallet and exchange Coins.ph and Bicol-based metaverse-focused platform Ownly revealed to BitPinas that they recently met with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region V Office, the local government unit (LGU) of Albay, local business owners, and Bicolano startup founders to discuss the possible blockchain integration in the region.
Meeting
According to Ownly, the meeting was meant to tackle possible collaboration and partnerships between the web3 entities and the local government.
The discussion was headlined by Coins.ph Country Manager for the Philippines Jen Bilango, Ownly Co-Founder and CEO Ismael Jerusalem, DTI-Albay OIC-Provincial Director Noel Bunao, and Region V OIC-Regional Director Dindo Nabol. It was also attended by representatives of Bicolano web3 startups SparkLearn EdTech and Sparkpoint, Albay ICT Association, Albay LGU, Ownly, and Coins.ph.
For the Bicol-based metaverse-focused platform, the collaboration will be able to introduce the benefits of leveraging blockchain technology to the grass root level community, MSMEs, local businesses, LGUs, and establishments from the countryside.
“Looking forward to building great things with this public-private sector partnership. We are excited to have Coins as one of the significant partners alongside Department of Trade and Industry Region V in developing the growing digital economy and creative industry of the Bicol region,” Ownly affirmed.
Meanwhile, Bilango expressed Coins.ph’s anticipation of the meeting, adding that the exchange hopes to grow interest and adoption in the region through collaborative and educational programs:
“As the benefits of crypto become more evident among Filipinos, Coins.ph hopes to nurture the growing Web3 community in the Bicol Region. With these programs, we also plan to upskill more MSMEs on how to fully utilize the blockchain technology, creating an innovative ecosystem for consumers and businesses that can propel the digitization of finance within the region.”
Web3 Firms Involved
Ownly
Ownly is a metaverse-focused platform that has built an ecosystem centered around the OWN cryptocurrency, featuring a staking platform, an NFT marketplace called Ownly Market, and a blockchain game called Mustachio Quest set in the Mustachioverse. The team is actively engaging with their audience through educational Twitter Spaces sessions, and they are committed to showcasing Filipino artists and prioritizing quality non-fungible tokens (NFT).
Recently, it hosted a series of events to cultivate the startup ecosystem and creative community with Bicol IT Org, a non-profit organization of IT students, professionals, and enthusiasts in the Bicol Region, and Albay Multimedia Arts Convention (AMAC), one of the biggest events celebrating creativity in South Luzon with over 60K foot traffic. Ownly was joined by the Albay LGU, DTI, and DICT, Sparkpoint, and SparkLearn.
The platform was also a major partner for the Mint and Greet event, organized by BitPinas with CryptoArt PH, Tezos Philippines, Team Manila, First Mint Fund, and Draper Startup House in 2022. (Read more: [Event Recap] BitPinas Mint & Greet: Industry Must Further Support Crypto Artists)
Coins.ph
Coins.ph is the first licensed crypto exchange in the Philippines. It allows users to securely store and manage their digital currencies, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
It was founded in 2014 and currently has a user base of more than 16 million individuals. The company operates under the strict regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, holding licenses as a Virtual Asset Service Provider and Electronic Money Issuer.
Additionally, Coins.ph has recently obtained accreditation for adhering to ISO Security Standards, further emphasizing its commitment to maintaining high-security standards in its operations.
SparkLearn EdTech
SparkLearn EdTech aims to educate Filipinos and people from various nationalities about blockchain technology.
Their efforts involve organizing boot camps that provide aspiring learners with the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge in areas such as coding, smart contract development, and even the creation of their own cryptocurrency wallets. By equipping individuals with these skills, SparkLearn EdTech seeks to empower them to better understand and actively participate in the realm of blockchain technology.
Sparkpoint
SparkPoint Innovations Inc. is a blockchain and cryptocurrency startup based in Naga and Legazpi, Bicol, led by Founder and CEO Andrino Agnas. Its goal is to develop innovative digital products and services powered by blockchain and cryptocurrency technology.
It has its own cryptocurrency token called SRK, which has been adopted by local businesses, and also operates a cryptocurrency exchange within its SparkPoint Wallet. The company actively seeks partnerships with other organizations to facilitate the adoption of cryptocurrencies by businesses.
Additionally, it said that it is currently working on creating blockchain games to enable Filipinos to earn from playing games and introduce the technology to gaming enthusiasts.
Recent Web3 Events in Bicol
Last March, the Sunshine Skills Training and Development Center in Daraga, Albay, hosted a groundbreaking workshop titled “Building on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) Blockchain: A Hands-on Workshop for Bicolano Developers.”
The event was organized with the objective of assisting Bicolano developers in gaining a comprehensive understanding of blockchain technology and acquiring the necessary skills to construct decentralized applications (dApps). (Read more: SparkLearn EdTech, ICP Manila Conducts Workshop About Blockchain to Oragon Developers)
In November 2022, the Bicol Blockchain Conference (BBC) was one of the largest assemblies of blockchain enthusiasts, crypto-curious individuals, influencers, and industry experts in the southern region. This notable event is being jointly organized by two prominent Bicolano blockchain-focused startups, namely Ownly and SparkPoint; the co-presenters were SparkLearn and MetaGaming Guild.
Last October, the Albay Multimedia Arts Convention brought together artists, creatives, and multimedia enthusiasts to celebrate and explore various forms of digital art–the event featured an “Art talks” discussion highlighting NFTs.
The Bicol Web3 Meet Up and a BUILDr Dinner also happened in August last year. It was organized by SparkPoint Technologies and community-enablement platform BlockchainSpace.
Photo credits: Ownly, Sparkpoint Twitter
This article is published on BitPinas: Web3 sa Bicolandia? Ownly, Coins.ph Meet R5 LGU, DTI, Entreps for Possible Blockchain Use
Disclaimer: BitPinas articles and its external content are not financial advice. The team serves to deliver independent, unbiased news to provide information for Philippine-crypto and beyond.
