CEZA, Northern Star Launch Crypto Valley of Asia to Boost Northern Luzon Economy

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Private property developer Northern Star Gaming & Resorts Inc. (Northern Star) and government-owned Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) are pooling their resources to build Crypto Valley of Asia (CVA), a planned development estate designed to push economic growth further in Northern Luzon. 

Crypto Valley of Asia will be home to a new wave of financial technology companies establishing their operations in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. CVA will help foster a thriving eco-system of networked fintech firms.

It will also generate employment for BPOs servicing the global fintech and crypto currency sectors and catalyze the next economic boom destined to spread from Cagayan Valley to the rest of Northern Luzon.

Built with the Sierra Madre Mountain Range as a backdrop, Phase 1 of CVA consists of a 25-shop housing development inside the cyberpark developed in compliance with the strict security requirements of licensed OVE's locating in CEZA. It will showcase services and amenities such as co-working and living spaces, business incubation and acceleration hubs as well as back offices of overseas virtual exchanges (OVEs) and service providers to the global crypto space.

Amongst the many locators and services include: co-working space such as Common Ground of Malaysia; state-of-the-art cyber security and risk assessment by Horangi (Singapore) and Blackpanda (Philippines).

Blockchain Academy, in collaboration with Hanwha of Korea, will also be among the premier locators. The academy is the realization of the MOU signed during President Duterte's state visit to Korea last June.

Northern Star has secured international and regional companies to locate within the CVA estate, which will be rolled out in three (3) phases. It has also committed gross investments valued at US$100m over the next 10 years.

Northern Star investors and directors include: Enrique Gonzalez, CEO of IP Ventures, Director of Arthaland Corp, and partner of SB Kaikaku Fund (Softbank); JJ Atencio, Chairman of Janarius Holdings and Ampersand (formerly PCCI); Juan M. Borra III, Director of Tranzen, Menlo Renewable Energy Corporation (MENR), and Agus 3 Hydro Power Corp; and Jack Ser, Founder of FundYourselfNow, a leading crypto currency platform in SE Asia.

The alliance of these captains of industry showcase a group of businessmen with successful track record in real estate development, blockchain technology/cryptocurrency, energy and telecommunications make it possible to build the Crypto Valley of Asia.

Soon to also rise in Crypto Valley are a world-class internet data center, crypto mining firms, self-contained power production facilities, and a state-of-the-art cyber security and risk assessment facility.

A major anchor enterprise is the Blockchain Academy, a partnership project with Hanwha of Korea in line with the MOU signed during President Duterte's state visit to Korea this year.

Northern Star Gaming & Resorts Inc. (Northern Star) is an early investor in the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP). It is a real estate developer focused on CEZA and Northern Luzon. It is the landlord of the largest casino resort complex in the zone and owns land bank holdings that include the Cyberpark of CEZA. 

The Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) tasked to develop, promote, manage and operate the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) as a viable transshipment hub with a modern seaport and airport and ample surrounding land area for industrial, commercial and tourism development.  CSEZP is an international gateway with diverse sustainable industries and dynamic economic activities in Asia Pacific, which stimulate local development and inclusive growth in Northern Philippines and neighboring provinces.

Quotes:

CEZA CEO Sec. Raul L. Lambino: “CEZA welcomes the launch of the Crypto Valley of Asia as a critical infrastructure that will serve to attract more foreign investors and global fintech players to CEZA and the Philippines. The Philippines can become one of the major off-shoring destinations for Fintech and blockchain related work.”

Enrique Gonzalez, Chairman of Northern Star: “Crypto Valley of Asia and CEZA will put the Philippines on the global map of fintech and blockchain. Similar to other progressive jurisdictions such as Zug of Switzerland, we will create an environment that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship and critical skills development thru education and BPO training. With strong global partners that have confirmed entry into our master-planned development, we are confident in the continued momentum in positioning the Philippines as the leading destination for blockchain off-shoring.”

Innovation Prizes Up for Grabs in 2nd imake.wemake Plum

Wazzup Pilipinas!

“Makers wanted.”

After a successful opening salvo in 2017, the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute’s (DOST-SEI)imake.wemake: create. innovate. collaborate.project is again on the lookout for science and technology projects that cater to important societal and community issues.

Now on its second year, the competition challenges young Filipinos to use their creativity, discover their potentials, and learn the process of using innovation to help their community of interest. 

Senior high school students will get the opportunity to pitch, build, and present their projects based on accessible technological platforms.For this year, DOST-SEI is partnering with lead innovation company, ACER Philippines, and will introduce its innovative platform calledACER Cloudprofessor.

In the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the two parties held last Juy 20 at the World Trade Center, SEI Direcctor Dr. Josette Biyo thanked ACER Philippines for its support in promoting innovation among the youth.

“Having partners from the private sector is always a welcome boost to our work. Linking up with a globally recognized leader in the name of Acer in promoting science, technology, and innovation among our youth is especially crucial as we are entering the fourth Industrial Revolution. We are uncertain about our overall readiness as a country, but with this partnership we can say that we are preparing ourselves better,” she said.

The competition comes in three stages: 1) Call for Proposals and Selection: 2) Technical Training/Workshop and Project Pitching; and 3) Final Project Presentation and Judging.

To join, a team composed of three Grade 11 and/or Grade 12 students and one teacher per school may submit a project proposal addressing any of the following areas: food safety, security, traffic/road congestion, health, education, disaster mitigation, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and environment. This should be accompanied by a 2-3 minute video supporting the concept. Entry form and contest mechanics are available athttps://goo.gl/YhF22L.

School teams passing the selection process will be invited to attend free technical training/workshop on basic electronics, programming, troubleshooting, presentation skills, and ACER Cloudprofessor and sensor application – the programming tool that will be used in all imake.wemake projects. They will also get free ACER Cloudprofessor Starter Kit, Sensor Expansion Pack, and toolbox containing basic tools and components.

Teams will be given a build and testing period of three months prior to the final project presentation and judging. The projects will be evaluated by this year’s judges: Dr. Nestor Michael Tiglao and Engr. Percival Magpantay of UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI); Engr. Carlos Matti Oppus of Ateneo de Manila University; and Alexis de Guzman of Acer Philippines, Inc., based on relevance and potential impact to the community of interest, novelty, viability, and community engagement.

Three school teams will win P50,000 cash prize and The Youth Innovation Prize each.

Deadline for submission of proposals is on August 10, 2018. For details, visitwww.facebook.com/imake.wemake or email imake.wemake@gmail.com. 

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Live in Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Grammy winner Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is scheduled to perform at the Mall Of Asia Arena on September 5, 2018 produced by Ovation Productions. The popular American hip-hop group worked their way into the music industry from the Glenville section of Cleveland, Ohio. They are best known for their fast-paced rapping style and harmonizing vocals. 

In 1997, the group was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance with their song, "Tha Crossroads". Since its conception in the early 1990s, the group has been honored with other numerous awards. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is also the only artist to do collaborations with Eazy-E, Mariah Carey, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Big Pun. This legendary rap group is broadly recognized as one of the most successful hip-hop acts selling more than 50 million records worldwide.

Other Bone Thugs-n-Harmony chart-toppers are Thug Luv, Days of Our Livez, I Tried, 1st of the Month, Ghetto Cowboy, Thuggish Ruggish Bone, Mo’murda, Look Into My Eyes, Breakdown, If I Could Teach The World, Notorious Thugs, Foe The Love of $, and East 1999. 

Filipino rap icon Gloc-9, new rap sensation Shanti Dope, and OPM MoThugs duo Blaze N’ Kane are set to be the show’s front acts providing Pinoy lovers of the genre a delightful and unforgettable night of R&B and hip-hop.  

(Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Live In Manila is produced by Ovation Productions. Tickets available viawww.smtickets.com and regular SM Tickets outlets. Ticket Prices are P4,770/ 4,240/ 3,710/ 3,180/ 2,650/1,060. For more info call SM Tickets +632 470-2222 or Ovation Productions +632 532-8883.)