As blockchain technology gains traction and acceptance in the Philippines, many individuals and communities are also advocating for diverse blockchain ecosystems.

In this article, BitPinas lists the blockchains with a concerted effort to push for blockchain adoption in the Philippines through partnership or establishment of communities.

What is a Blockchain?

A blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger technology that securely records transactions across a network of computers. It operates without the need for a central authority, relying instead on a distributed network of nodes to validate and confirm transactions. Each transaction is grouped into a block, which is then linked to previous blocks in chronological order, forming a chain of blocks. This chain provides an immutable and transparent record of transactions, visible to all participants in the network. Blockchain technology is characterized by its decentralization, transparency, immutability, security, and reliance on consensus mechanisms. 

Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain has diverse applications in supply chain management, voting systems, identity verification, decentralized finance (DeFi), and more, offering a trustless and transparent solution for various industries and use cases.

Importance of Communities

The communities are important within the crypto space, catalyzing education, innovation, and adoption. It acts as a valuable source of knowledge, providing newcomers with essential information about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology through forums and social media platforms. 

Moreover, communities contribute to developing new projects and technologies, with developers and enthusiasts collaborating to drive innovation forward. 

Community sentiment often influences market dynamics, impacting the prices of digital assets and shaping the direction of the industry. Furthermore, in decentralized networks, community governance ensures that stakeholders have a voice in decision-making processes, promoting transparency and decentralization. 

Local Communities Pushing for a Blockchain Network  

Ethereum

Ethereum is a decentralized global software platform driven by blockchain technology, renowned for its native cryptocurrency, ether (ETH). It serves as a versatile framework enabling the creation of secured digital technologies, applications, organizations, and assets accessible to anyone. 

Introduced in 2014 by Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum officially launched in 2015, and its blockchain infrastructure ensures secure digital ledgers distributed across the network, maintained through consensus mechanisms like proof-of-stake. 

Ethereum is distinguished by its scalability, programmability, security, and decentralization, all of which enable the seamless implementation of smart contracts. These smart contracts are essential components for decentralized applications (dApps) and a wide array of use cases.  It hosts millions of users worldwide, involved in various activities from banking to gaming.

Recent News:

Community for it: 

ETH63

ETH63 is a community of Ethereum enthusiasts in the Philippines that emerged in late Q4 of 2023; the name “ETH63” combines Ethereum’s abbreviation (ETH) with the Philippines’ country code (+63). 

While not the first Ethereum community in the country, ETH63 is the first to receive official support from the Ethereum Foundation. The initiative was sparked by friends aiming to highlight the Philippines for Devcon 7 (now Devcon Southeast Asia). Paolo Dioquino, Christine Erispe, Jaydee Rebadulla, and Luis Buenaventura collaborated to build the community.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

Last February 24,  it organized the Ethereum Meetup Manila in Taguig City. The event was backed by the Ethereum Foundation’s Road To DevCon initiative. Prior to the meetup, ETH63 also conducted live interviews with Filipino Blockchain leaders and builders on their Facebook page. 

Their social media platforms (x and Facebook)additionally share information and updates about the Ethereum blockchain.

In an interview with BitPinas, ETH63 shared its plans to expand its reach through partnerships with local brands and media while considering collaborations with educational platforms to promote crypto-related education.

Solana

Solana, a blockchain platform established in 2017 and managed by the Solana Foundation, boasts remarkable speed and efficiency, offering low transaction fees and high throughput compared to its counterparts. 

Developed by Solana Labs, the platform incorporates innovative mechanisms such as proof-of-history (PoH), which ensures trust in recorded time across the network. Its native cryptocurrency, SOL, facilitates value transfer and network security through staking. 

Recent News:

Community for it: 

Superteam Philippines

Superteam, the distributed talent layer of the Solana Ecosystem, recently launched its operations in the Philippines. The community aims to empower individuals to learn, earn, and build in web3 through educational programs, earning opportunities, and hands-on experiences. 

Its goals include hosting meet-ups, organizing activities, and conducting hackathons; Superteam Philippines seeks to make a significant impact on the local tech ecosystem and accelerate the Web3 journey for Filipinos.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

Since its launch in the Philippines, Superteam PH has been leading in-person events like the two recent Solana Ecosystem Calls. On March 8, simultaneous in-real-life events occurred across multiple locations nationwide, spanning Bacolod, Bicol, Bulacan, Cebu, Davao, Manila, Baguio, Leyte, Cavite, and Tuguegarao.

On February 9, web3 experts and members of the Superteam hosted the SEC event, which took place simultaneously in Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, Bicol, Davao, and Bulacan.

The Solana Ecosystem Call is a monthly gathering for stakeholders, developers, and enthusiasts of the Solana blockchain to discuss updates, projects, and collaborations within the ecosystem. The local events aim to engage with Filipino communities and promote awareness of Solana’s initiatives.

According to Superteam PH, plans to support its community through key initiatives: “Learn” provides educational resources, “Earn” offers opportunities for monetization, “Build” facilitates mentorship and hackathons, and “Chill” fosters networking in a relaxed environment.  

The BLOKC

The BLOKC, or The Blockchain Lead Organization & Knowledge Center, is an educational provider focusing on Blockchain and web3, offering programs, syllabi, and courses since 2017. 

Its network spans over 50 universities, private institutions, incubators, accelerators, and government agencies globally. The organization’s mission is to empower individuals and communities for the decentralized future, envisioning a world where everyone has access to the decentralized web. Its strategy involves building an ecosystem of students, faculties, and professionals bridging talent gaps from academia to industry. Their programs include tracks for Solidity Developers, Solana Developers, Android Development, Full Stack Web Development, Full Stack Web3 Development, and DevOps. 

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

The BLOCK also backs Solana Ecosystem Call events. In addition to these, it also hosted boot camps and meet-up events for PH-based Solana developers.

Last year, The BLOKC and Solana Foundation collaborated to host boot camps aimed at increasing the number of blockchain developers in the Philippines. The Solana Developers’ Bootcamp, which commenced on July 8, 2023, offered ten 2-week intensive training sessions. 

The BLOKC also organized the UNBLOKC Hackathon 2023 featuring 14 university teams and a professional team.

Arbitrum

Arbitrum is a Layer 2 scaling solution designed to enhance the performance of the Ethereum blockchain, with a primary focus on mitigating scalability challenges and reducing high transaction fees. By operating alongside the Ethereum mainnet, Arbitrum accelerates the processing of smart contract transactions, thereby improving overall efficiency.

Arbitrum uses roll-up technology in a two-layer setup. The Layer 2 blockchain handles smart contracts off-chain, while the Layer 1 Ethereum blockchain stores the data. With optimistic rollups, Arbitrum relies on Ethereum’s mainnet for security, confirming batches of transactions. Notably, platforms like Sushiswap and Aave use Arbitrum for fast swaps with lower fees, easing congestion on Ethereum.

Community for it: 

The BLOCK

Aside from Solana, the organization The BLOKC also supports Arbitrum. In 2023, it partnered with the Arbitrum Foundation to promote the adoption of the Arbitrum blockchain in the Philippines. 

Their collaboration focuses on empowering developers and companies through activities like Developer Bootcamps, community meetups, and hackathons to foster the development and utilization of dApps. The goal is to nurture a thriving community and support technopreneurs and emerging founders within the Arbitrum ecosystem. 

The BLOKC serves as the representative and entity of the Arbitrum Foundation in the Philippines, providing support, grants, funding, and inquiries related to the Arbitrum tech stack and ecosystem.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

The organization’s collaboration with the Arbitrum Foundation aims to promote the adoption of the Arbitrum blockchain in the Philippines through initiatives aimed at empowering developers and companies. 

In January, the BLOKC shared a recap of its 2023 achievements in the Philippines, highlighting its collaboration with Arbitrum and underscoring nationwide initiatives and community involvement. Through organized events and meetups, the partnership engaged over 800 participants, spanning students, professionals, and professors from diverse institutions. 

Additionally, collaborative endeavors led to the introduction of BLOKC BOX, an NFT collection distributed to community members during Arbitrum-organized events.

ICP 

The Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) is a blockchain infrastructure that revolutionizes the way dApps and services are created. It aims to provide a decentralized alternative to centralized internet cloud providers by enabling collaboration among independent data centers worldwide. 

Operating as a hybrid solution, ICP combines Layer 1 (mainnet) and Layer 2 (off-chain) components, with the Layer 1 blockchain storing essential data and the Layer 2 blockchain processing smart contracts and transactions efficiently. The platform also utilizes Proof-of-Stake (PoS), Chain Key Cryptography, and Orthogonal Persistence, which ensures security, scalability, and seamless scaling. 

Moreover, the ICP token serves as the native utility token of the network, facilitating governance, staking, and rewarding network participants. With its vision of full-stack decentralization, ICP empowers developers to create tamperproof, unstoppable dApps for Web3, spanning various domains like social media, gaming, virtual reality, and decentralized finance.

Community for it: 

ICP Hub Philippines

ICP Hub Philippines is a community dedicated to advancing web3 development in the Philippines. With a mission to promote the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP), they focus on grassroots initiatives and comprehensive educational programs to empower future builders. 

Through resources, workshops, and events, the organization raise awareness and understanding of web3 technologies, encouraging exploration of decentralized applications and smart contracts. It also fosters the ecosystem through meetups, discussions, and collaborative projects, ICP Hub Philippines brings together enthusiasts, developers, and innovators in the country.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

ICP Philippines has been hosting in-person events across the nation to offer workshops for Filipino developers, enabling them to acquire the skills to construct dApps on the ICP blockchain.

Tezos 

Tezos is an open-source platform that can evolve through self-upgrades, avoiding network forking and reducing coordination costs. 

Its on-chain governance involves all stakeholders in protocol decisions, adapting mechanisms to emerging needs. Tezos encourages decentralized innovation by incentivizing protocol improvements and supporting censorship-resistant smart contracts. 

In the Tezos ecosystem, transactions are validated through a process called “baking,” akin to staking in other blockchains. This employs a “liquid proof of stake” model, requiring minimal energy consumption, making Tezos an eco-friendly blockchain. 

XTZ, the native token, is utilized for interacting with decentralized applications (dApps), covering transaction fees, securing the network through baking, and functioning as the fundamental accounting unit within the ecosystem.

Recent News:

Community for it: 

Tezos Philippines

Tezos Philippines, overseen by TZAPAC, serves as a dynamic community and advocate for Tezos technology in Asia. It plays a pivotal role in advancing the adoption and expansion of Tezos within the region. 

With the Philippines emerging as a rapid adopter of blockchain, Tezos APAC initiatives target the local market, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups impacted by the pandemic and nurturing homegrown blockchain developer talent.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

Tezos Philippines has been proactively interacting with its community across different social media platforms. It maintains a Facebook group and page where it regularly posts updates and announcements about the blockchain. Additionally, its X account hosts live Spaces featuring Key Opinion Leaders in the web3 space.

For three years, the organization hosted the Pinoy Christmas-themed NFT contest Tezmas. This global event invites artists to create NFTs that celebrate the Filipino Christmas spirit. Tezos Philippines has also been conducting other online and IRL events for its community.

Near

Near Protocol, a layer 1 blockchain network, provides developers with a platform to build dApps and aims to rival Ethereum by addressing key factors such as transaction costs, speed, and scalability. 

Notable aspects of Near Protocol include its transaction speed and cost efficiency, promising up to approximately 100,000 transactions per second (TPS) compared to Ethereum’s lower TPS. Near employs sharding technology, breaking the blockchain into sub-chains with different validators to enhance transaction speed and capacity, with a focus on “state sharding” through its “Nightshade” innovation for a fully sharded network. 

Additionally, Near Protocol adopts a carbon-neutral approach, emphasizing environmental sustainability. The native cryptocurrency, NEAR token, is utilized for transaction fees, staking, and developer rewards within the ecosystem.

Recent News: 

Community for it: 

Fil Artist Guild (although they say they are agnostic)

The Filipino Artist Guild (FAG) is dedicated to uplifting Filipino artists by enhancing their visibility, fostering community growth, and advocating for their work. Their main goal is to increase awareness of Filipino artists and offer educational support related to the Near community. 

Accordingly, it must be noted that the Fil Artist Guild states that it is agnostic, meaning it can also support other blockchains.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

FAG focuses on building a strong community among Filipino artists, promoting collaboration, skill enhancement, and networking opportunities. Additionally, they provide educational programs on blockchain technology, specifically the Near Protocol, which facilitates decentralized applications and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), aiming to empower artists with knowledge and resources in this innovative field.

Polkadot

Polkadot is a protocol connecting different blockchains, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, for fast and scalable transactions. Its token, DOT, is used for governance and staking and can be traded on platforms like Coinbase. 

Polkadot processes over 1,000 transactions per second through its main components: the Relay Chain, Parachains, and Bridges. Staking on Polkadot involves validators securing the network and validating transactions by staking DOT. There are different staking options available for DOT holders.

Community for it: 

Bitskwela

Bitskwela, a Filipino-led edutech platform, offers free lessons on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, and English. It provides accessible modules covering topics like Bitcoin basics, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain layers, stablecoins, smart contracts, and decentralized exchanges.

How are they pushing the adoption of their chosen blockchain?

Recently, Bitskwela co-organized Polkadot Connect Philippines along with Polkadot Insider, Open Guild, and ATT3ND, bringing together supporters, developers, and innovators at Sari Sari Makati. 

This article is published on BitPinas: Key Local Blockchain Communities Pushing For Adoption

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