NEM, CEZA Collaborate to Build Blockchain Hub in PH Economic Zone

NEM Philippines and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Business Law Conference 2018 at DLSU-Manila on July 28, 2018. The MoU includes the building of a blockchain education hub in the country.

Present during the signing of the MoU are NEM Philippines Head Emerson Fonseca, NEM.io regional head of New Zealand and Australia Nelson Valera, and the CEO and Administrator of CEZA Secretary Raul L. Lambino.

The blockchain education hub will have an education center, a shared space for working or studying, and a place where companies and individuals can hold blockchain events. This hub which will have its home in Sta. Ana Cagayan has another branch in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. NEM aims to establish more sites in Australia and New Zealand.

“The goal of NEM is to help educate the Filipino people and provide [its] services to make sure that blockchain systems and any other case use will be legitimate,” – Atty. Mike David, Legal Consultant – CEZA, Faculty Member for Commercial Law – DLSU

NEM Philippines will also go hand in hand with DLSU to help educate its students about blockchain. According to Atty. David, NEM PH will teach the students how to code and build the whole system. He added that this was already done in different colleges but DLSU will institutionalize it.

“In fact, it was done in different colleges before, … But here in DLSU, we will institutionalize it and help them with the research at the same time.” – Atty. Mike David, Legal Consultant – CEZA, Faculty Member for Commercial Law – DLSU

He also said that the institution hopes to achieve this with the help of its various departments.

As previously reported, the Blockchain Association of the Philippines (BAP) pushes for a blockchain education program to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). One future goal of this is the use of blockchain in government offices.

Read more: BAP to Push for Blockchain Education Program and Blockchain in Gov’t Offices

CoinGeek and Mr. Calvin Ayre, together with StackLab are also trying to solve the shortage of blockchain developers in the country. The Blockchain Developer Training Program has a funding of $150,000 and will be located in the province of Iloilo.