BingX Labs Marks One Year of Web3 & AI Innovation with $16Million in Strategic Investments

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

PANAMA CITY, August 1, 2025 – BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 AI company, announced the first anniversary of BingX Labs, its dedicated investment and incubation arm. Over the past year, BingX Labs has established itself as a key strategic investor, partner, and developer ally, driving innovation at the intersection of Web3, AI, and decentralized finance.

Since its launch in 2024, BingX Labs has committed $16 million in investments across high-impact projects and protocols such as Babylon and StakeStone, alongside strategic collaborations with leading partners including IOSG, Kaia foundation, and Hackquest to support broader Web3 and AI ecosystem growth. These partnerships exemplify BingX Labs' approach — fostering strategic collaborations with the builders of core infrastructure for the next phase of Web3 and AI adoption.

Beyond financial backing, BingX Labs has become a hub of research and innovation. The Labs team is actively exploring key emerging sectors such as RWA (Real-World Assets), DeFi, and AI agents. With regular webinars and developer meetups, BingX Labs connects with global builder communities to share insights and collaborate on the next wave of technological breakthroughs. BingX Labs has also reinforced its position as a key player in the Web3 and AI space by sponsoring and attending major international events like Consensus and the Token 2049.

Vivien Lin, Head of BingX Labs and Chief Product Officer at BingX, commented:
"In its first year, BingX Labs has evolved into more than an investment platform — it is a catalyst for the next generation of Web3 and AI innovation. By combining deep research, strategic partnerships, and strong developer engagement, we are building the infrastructure to support breakthrough projects that will shape the future of AI and decentralized technology. Looking ahead, our commitment to empowering developers and partners in these transformative sectors will continue to be our guiding principle."

Looking ahead, BingX Labs plans to deepen its research, expand partnerships, and explore new opportunities, especially in AI-powered decentralized applications, with a continued focus on uncovering the next wave of transformative projects.

About BingX

Founded in 2018, BingX is a leading crypto exchange and Web3 AI company, serving a global community of over 20 million users. With a comprehensive suite of AI-powered products and services, including derivatives, spot trading, and copy trading, BingX caters to the evolving needs of users across all experience levels, from beginners to professionals. Committed to building a trustworthy and intelligent trading platform, BingX empowers users with innovative tools designed to enhance performance and confidence. In 2024, BingX proudly became the official crypto exchange partner of Chelsea Football Club, marking an exciting debut in the world of sports sponsorship.

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bingx.com

For more information please visit: https://bingx.com

Celebrating Filipino creativity and collaboration with “UGNAY”

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The Rotary Club of Makati presented "UGNAY," a fundraising art exhibit at The Peninsula Manila that celebrated collaboration, culture, and creativity, examining Filipino identity through memory, abstraction, and civic engagement. Proceeds will benefit RCM’s community service initiatives.

Headlining the show was renowned Filipino artist Dominic Rubio, celebrated for his nostalgic depictions of Filipino identity and heritage. Rubio, born in 1970 in Paete, Laguna, studied Commercial Arts at the University of Santo Tomas before pursuing painting full-time.

His signature elongated figures in colonial-era attire, set against romanticized Old Manila or countryside scenes, have become icons of cultural memory. His works have been featured at Sotheby's, Christie's, and in landmark murals like "The Great Promenade of Philippine-American Friendship" at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Art patron Rosita Lara Lumagui, managing director of Worldwide Resource Solutions Philippines and a guest-of-honor at "UGNAY," noted that Rubio's work "captures the essence of Filipino culture," reflecting traditions while incorporating modern elements with a nostalgic flair.

Through his paintings and functional art, Rubio invites viewers to reconnect with and carry forward Filipino heritage. Joining him were three emerging talents: Aaron Virata Mempin, Anton Cabrera, and Jean Uy. Together, their artworks form a dialogue between tradition and innovation, bringing modernity, abstraction, and contemporary sensibilities to the conversation.

Aaron Virata Mempin, also known as A in art and communication circles, is a geometric abstract artist and dedicated Rotarian. His elegant, minimalist compositions are deeply inspired by the lines of sand, the serenity of waves, and the shifting horizons of Philippine beaches, reflecting calm and hope found in natural landscapes.

Anton Cabrera, known by his artist alias CABSTRAK, began his journey into abstract art in 2015. His bold and imaginative works are recognized for their vivid fusion of rainbows, astronomy, and raw emotional expression.

Jean Uy Yam, a mother of two and a lawyer, quietly captures the poetry of everyday life in her paintings. She has painted since high school but found more time to pursue and share her art publicly during the pandemic, debuting her work on social media to raise funds for charities like Caritas Manila and AHA Learning Center.

“Each artist brings a unique perspective,” Lumagui noted. “Aaron’s work is structured and meditative, Anton’s is intuitive and reflective, and Jean’s is radiant and deeply human. Together, they create a balanced and compelling dialogue.”

The unveiling ceremony brought together a distinguished group of guests, including Lumagui, COMELEC Commissioner Ferdinand Maceda Jr., Rotary Club of Makati President Eduardo H. Galvez, Supreme Court Justice Midas Marquez, Rotary District 3830 Governor Reginald Alberto Nolido, past Governor Maria Concepcion Camacho, and Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Malik Castelino.

For inquiries, visit The Peninsula Manila concierge or email rcm3830@gmail.com.

The Unholy Gridlock: How Religion Became the Ultimate Gatekeeper in Philippine Politics

 

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The Philippines, a nation where faith runs deep as its archipelago is wide, finds itself in a peculiar predicament. In a land of fervent Catholics and a growing evangelical population, the very devotion that defines its people has seemingly become a formidable barrier to progress. Divorce remains illegal, sex education is a constant battleground, and the once unthinkable – banning condoms in health centers – became a reality. The question hangs heavy in the air: Is religion holding the Philippines back?

For decades, the influence of religious institutions, particularly the Catholic Church, has cast a long shadow over the legislative process. When bishops wield influence comparable to senators, the separation of church and state, a cornerstone of modern democracy, appears dangerously blurred. It's not faith itself that is the antagonist, but rather the perceived veto power that religious leaders and organizations exert over critical social reforms.

Consider the contentious history of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law. Passed in 2012 after years of fierce debate and opposition from religious groups, its rollout was immediately sabotaged. The Supreme Court struck down key provisions, weakening enforcement, while religious organizations relentlessly challenged access to contraceptives through legal avenues and lobbying. Despite expert warnings of rising teen pregnancies and unsafe abortions, the Church’s arguments, often rooted in moral and theological grounds, held significant sway. The consequences are stark: the Philippines grapples with one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in Southeast Asia, with over 500 teen births occurring daily. Experts estimate that millions of unintended pregnancies could have been prevented had the RH Law been fully implemented without obstruction.

The issue of divorce presents an even more entrenched stalemate. The Philippines, alongside Vatican City, stands as the only country in the world where divorce remains completely illegal. Annulments, the only legal recourse, are expensive, lengthy, and granted only under narrow circumstances, effectively trapping individuals in irreparable marriages, often marred by abuse or infidelity. While public opinion shows growing support for divorce, religious groups, led by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), continue to vehemently oppose it, labeling it "anti-family" and warning of its potential to "erode the soul of the Filipino family." The sheer political power of these groups has effectively stalled any meaningful legislative movement towards legalizing divorce.

Even the crucial topic of sex education is met with fervent resistance, triggering what can only be described as national "moral panics." A 2024 bill aimed at preventing teen pregnancy faced intense backlash from religious conservatives who disseminated misinformation, falsely claiming the curriculum would promote inappropriate content for young children. Powerful figures have threatened to veto such bills based on "woke ideologies," despite alarming pre-teen pregnancy rates. Tragically, church-run schools remain exempt from mandated sex education under the very RH Law intended to address these issues comprehensively.

The struggle for LGBTQ+ rights paints a similar picture of religious opposition hindering progress. The SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression) Equality Bill, aimed at providing basic legal protections against discrimination, has languished in the legislative process for over two decades, repeatedly stalled by faith-based opposition. Evangelical senators have falsely claimed the bill would lead to same-sex marriage and even "bestiality," derailing public debate with appeals to moral panic rather than reasoned discourse on human rights. As a result, nationwide protections for LGBTQ+ individuals remain absent, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination with only limited local ordinances offering some recourse.

The pervasive influence of religion in Philippine politics raises a fundamental question about national identity and progress. Lawmakers frequently invoke "Filipino values" as a shield against progressive reforms, yet these values are often heavily influenced, if not dictated, by Catholic teachings. This creates a situation where the dominant faith effectively sets the boundaries for social legislation, often at odds with evolving societal norms and international human rights standards. In contrast, neighboring countries with significant religious populations, such as Thailand (Buddhist) and Indonesia (Muslim), have managed to legalize divorce and implement family planning with far less resistance.

The argument is not against faith itself. Filipinos remain deeply faithful, and this spiritual core is an integral part of their identity. However, a growing majority now supports laws that the Church actively opposes, including divorce and comprehensive reproductive health access. Even in other Catholic-majority nations like Malta and Ireland, divorce laws have been passed without a collapse of faith or societal values.

The deadlock in the Philippines is not a reflection of a lack of faith, but rather a manifestation of an imbalance of power. Progress does not necessitate abandoning one's beliefs; it simply requires the courage to separate the pulpit from policy. When the pronouncements from religious leaders carry the weight of legislative mandates, the nation risks stagnation, unable to adapt to the evolving needs and rights of its citizens.

The question posed at the outset remains critical: At what point does devotion turn into national deadlock? The answer may lie in fostering a political landscape where faith informs personal values but does not dictate national laws, where dialogue and reason prevail over dogma, and where the separation of church and state is not just a constitutional principle but a lived reality. Only then can the Philippines truly move forward, unshackled from the unholy gridlock that has for too long choked the passage of vital social reforms and human rights.