Experts urge Filipinas to explore Web3 opportunities

Blockchain4Her, a community of women in Web3, is encouraging Filipinas to explore opportunities in the male-dominated industry, as blockchain technology continues to rise in the Philippines.

“The challenge isn’t actually interest, it’s more of structured access, access to education, mentorship, funding and technical pathways,” Blockchain4her Advocate and Buhayin Co-Founder Bea Jillian B. Llana told BusinessWorld in an interview.

“It’s really to try to onboard women into being more curious about cryptocurrency and blockchain,” she added. “At the end of the day the goal is… to really just show up and take space.”

Blockchain4Her was launched in 2024 to enlist female leaders to inspire, guide, and support other women in the blockchain industry.

Through “education-first” programs, grassroots partnerships, and community-led advocacy, the group aims to close the gender gap in Web3, creating more space for women to become builders, educators, and decision-makers.

“Everyone in this space is mostly male so it’s hard to move around,” Blockchain4Her advocate Arshelene “Tita Arsh” Lingao told BusinessWorld.

“You’re always compared to them, unless you’ve already made a name for yourself, unless you’ve proven your worth,” she added. “That’s the only time you’ll get the respect.”

Another advocate from the group, and Wave3 Co-founder MaryWave, echoed the same concern, underscoring the challenges in trading. “We always see men, even the guest speakers for blockchain and Web3, it’s all male.”

“Women also have the capacity to [teach],” she added. “Trading is not just for other countries, but also here in the Philippines, and it can also be for women, not just men.”

In 2025, legal firm Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra (Gorriceta) reported that about 30% of Filipinos are familiar with blockchain. However, only 13% regularly use blockchain-based applications.

“That gap is really telling. It shows that awareness does not automatically translate to meaningful participation,” Ms. Llana said.

“We don’t yet have that strong integration of blockchain education in formal institutions… Many young women are still very much exposed to trading content online, but not necessarily to foundational knowledge,” she added.

Challenges in education are also evident in cryptocurrencies, according to Consensys, a blockchain software company.

While 96% of Filipinos are aware of the existence of the technology, only 46% understand the concept of cryptocurrency in its entirety.

“That’s both our strength and weakness here in the Philippines – we have a strong community power, but we need more formal alignment between education and, of course, the government,” Ms. Lingao said.

Last year, the Philippine Blockchain Infrastructure Council (PBIC) launched the roadmap for the Philippine Blockchain Infrastructure Highway.

Based on the scheduled targets for implementation, March 2026 is plotted for pilot integration and testing of projects.

Pilot projects include private fintech partners and agencies, such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Education (DepEd), to validate non-intrusive integration. — Almira Louise S. Martinez