Philippine Blockchain Week’s Chezka Gonzales shares snippets of what’s to come at ‘BREAKOUT 2023’

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As the Philippines moves closer to the annual Blockchain Week, many are curious as to what’s in store for the massive event that is set to take place in the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City on September 19-21.

CoinGeek Backstage reporter Claire Celdran was among the first ones to gain insights on what the Blockchain Council of the Philippines and its partners are brewing for the event, with Philippine Blockchain Week co-founder Chezka Gonzales sharing snippets on what to look out for.

The second Philippine Blockchain Week promises to be bigger than the previous year, as state-backed agencies join in to support the council’s move to educate the public about emerging technologies and prepare them for the digital transformation.

“We have partnered with DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) in terms of the creatives and the hackathons, and the Blockchain 101s,” Gonzales said.

What’s even more interesting is the attendance of renowned Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco, who will hold a fashion gala in the metaverse.

Cinco, whose expertise in the fashion industry was highlighted following the victory of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, will have his designs sold as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The designs that will be up for sale as NFTs during the Philippine Blockchain Week include the blue gown designed by Albert Andrada and worn by Wurtzbach as well as the outfits Cinco made for A-list stars, such as Lady Gaga and Beyonce.

Gonzales added that September’s event will spotlight the gaming industry, which she believes is the sector at the forefront of blockchain adoption.

“This (gaming) is actually the easiest route for people to understand what blockchain is,” she noted. “I think, having all these gamers and the games will actually excite Filipinos more.”

The Philippine Blockchain Week will be partnering with Tier One Entertainment and other gaming enterprises in rallying gamers, cosplayers, and streamers to join in encouraging the public to learn more about blockchain technology, Gonzales said.

On top of that, big agencies in neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea will also participate in the event as part of the council’s attempt to lure in potential investors and provide more opportunities for the Filipino community.

“We’ll be bringing more international speakers and more international companies to the Philippines,” Gonzales noted.

Watch Philippine Blockchain Week highlights: Positioning the Philippines as blockchain capital of Asia