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1st-Ever Bicol Traders Meet Highlights Region’s Industry

Photo for the Article - 1st-Ever Bicol Traders Meet Highlights Region’s Industry

At the first-ever Bicol Traders Meet on September 7, Ownly CEO Ismael Jerusalem emphasized the growth of the Bicol web3 community, highlighting its potential as a hub for blockchain innovation.

What’s the significance: The event highlights the region’s growing role in blockchain innovation, strengthened by local talent, government support, and international opportunities. (Read more: Bicol Embraces Web3: The Growth of Blockchain in the Countryside)


The Big Picture: The growing web3 ecosystem in Bicol reflects a wider trend in the Philippines, where regional tech communities are gaining more local and international recognition, aligning with the global rise of decentralized technologies and enabling local startups to compete globally.

Photo for the Article - 1st-Ever Bicol Traders Meet Highlights Region’s Industry

Key details: 

  • The Bicol Traders Meet was held last September 7, at  the Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City, Camarines Sur.
  • Ownly CEO Ismael Jerusalem highlighted the region’s thriving Bicol web3 communities such as Ownly, SparkPoint and Meta Gaming Guild. 

Key quote: 

“We have a good relationship with the government. And that’s I think one of the best things we have here, we have support coming from the DICT; they’re very supportive when it comes to web3… We have a good relationship with them that we are able to host or create activities to raise more awareness when it comes to crypto and blockchain,”

Ismael Jerusalem, CEO, Ownly

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Talks at the event:

  • OKX Country Manager for PH, Allen San Miguel, presented the OKX Wallet and Ecosystem, and shared OKX’s plans in the country. 
  • Certified Technical Analyst Arlone Abello (Coach Miranda Miner) conducted a free workshop on crypto trading fundamentals, offering attendees valuable insights into trading for free.
  • BitPinas Lead Writer Shiela Bertillo introduced BitPinas as the longest standing crypto news publication in the Philippines, emphasizing its role in covering local crypto developments.
  • SparkPoint CEO Harvey Javier introduced the Bicol-based startup and explained the basics of blockchain technology to the audience, focusing on SparkPoint’s contributions to the local ecosystem.
  • Ismael Jerusalem shared the origins of Ownly and offered early buyers of blockchain nodes a chance to win real-life prizes like iPhones, watches, and jewelry.
  • Madel Alacar of DTI Camarines Sur discussed the agency’s support for various industries, including the creative sector.
    • She mentioned that NFT arts can be registered for Intellectual Property Rights through the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, which operates under DTI.
  • Ronald Rodriguez, Founding President of Harong Katuod (HAKA) Naga, highlighted how cryptocurrencies can benefit startups, MSMEs, and local vendors by providing an additional payment option, and outlined the NGO’s plans to promote economic inclusion in Camarines Sur.
  • Ralph Spencer Talagtag of DICT Region V introduced the eGovPH app and expressed the agency’s commitment to supporting emerging technologies, including blockchain, as part of their broader technology adoption strategy.
Photo for the Article - 1st-Ever Bicol Traders Meet Highlights Region’s Industry

Hyperlocal Hackathon: Jerusalem announced the Solana Radar Global Hackathon’s Hyperlocal Track for Bicol developers, offering them a chance to compete for global recognition and prizes.

Worth reading: Learn more about how the local communities in Bicol are pushing for the further adoption of blockchain and web3.

This article is published on BitPinas: 1st-Ever Bicol Traders Meet Highlights Region’s Industry

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