Venture capitalist EVG bullish on Philippines investments

Wazzup Pilipinas?!

Philippines’ demographics skew towards a younger generation who embrace cryptocurrency and new technologies


​​Limited access to banking services in the Philippines is a challenge for the local economy but an opportunity to investors backing companies building solutions. Approximately 80 per cent of SMEs in the broader Southeast Asia region say they need to borrow but lack access to affordable credit, while more than 70 per cent of the adult population remain underbanked or unbanked. High smartphone penetration and engagement continues to facilitate customer adoption of e-commerce and fintech, creating opportunities for providers of embedded digital financial services.

Increasing capital funds and supporting a vibrant start-up ecosystem will be vital to the Philippines success in the years ahead. Venture capital funding has been boosted by crypto, blockchain, and Web3 start-ups, with almost US$1 billion in funding flowing into the space in 2022 alone. More than 600 crypto or blockchain companies are now headquartered in Southeast Asia, home to nearly 700 million residents, making it one of the world’s fastest growing populations. The younger generation, which the region’s demographics skew to, is more open to cryptocurrency and new technologies – 480 million are active internet users.

Jerome Wong, Co-founder & Chief Business Officer at Everest Ventures Group (EVG), is available for media interviews to expand on the above as well as discuss:Edge over competitors: EVG’s Shared-service Platform (SSP) strategy and product-oriented approach allows it to ride on the trend and offer real use cases/applications in the Philippines. EVG’s footprint in emerging markets such as Adaverse and Cassava showcase its capability to build from scratch, proven by multiple successful products.Wallet/mobile banking: Traditional financial services are not accessible to the underbanked, while mobile adoption rates are high and internet access is prevalent. Technology-enabled business models can effectively serve this segment. Digital wallets have the potential to capture a larger customer base and lifetime value by offering banking services to the underbanked.

 
Gaming: Quality mobile games in blockchain are still in great demand. The Philippines is known to be a mobile-dominated market with a low barrier to entry in mobile gaming. The young population are natural gamers, making it an attractive market for mobile game developers.



Philippines Fact Box

GameFi has seen tremendous success in the Philippines, with its engaging gaming experiences and unique rewards system.With its presence in both online and offline stores, the company is building games to reach a wide range of players, from casual gamers to serious esports competitors.

Its rewards system has been especially popular, as it allows players to earn rewards for playing their favourite games, which can then be used to purchase in-game items or to enter tournaments.
This has been a great incentive for players to keep playing, and it has led to GameFi becoming one of the most popular gaming trends in the Philippines.

EVG has plans to expand into the Philippines due to its rapidly growing digital economy. With a population of over 100 million people and an increasing number of internet users, the Philippines has become an attractive destination for companies looking to expand their digital footprint.

 
Moreover, the Philippines has a vibrant startup culture, with many early-stage startups and established businesses seeking to leverage new technologies such as blockchain, AI, and big data.
With its growing market, the Philippines is a great opportunity for web3 companies looking to grow their business.

Nhestley: A New Film about child rights and protection - inside their homes

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




Lumetri Productions’ upcoming film together with Ms. Jewel Grecia aims to raise an awareness to the parents/guardians in taking care of their children and in protecting them even inside their homes.

The film titled, “Kaarawan” is about the eldest daughter “Rosa” who happens to help her family to prepare for her younger sister’s 7th birthday party. Her sister “Isay” is a cheerful and innocent child that made Rosa eager to protect her, she doesn’t want her younger sister to experience the things she went through in her childhood years. As she prepares the special day of Isay, unfortunately someone gets invited to the party that triggers her dark past. Her goal is not just to give Isay a memorable birthday party but to also protect her from their sinister visitor.

 

“I wrote this story to dedicate to my younger cousins. It inspired me because of our conversation about how to protect themselves, and I noticed how innocent they are and how little knowledge they have when it comes to building healthy boundaries and knowledge on how to protect themselves, and I hope this movie will foster a safe environment for young people and broaden people's perspectives.” -Ms. Jewel Grecia, writer and director from Far Eastern University-Manila.

“The film will tackle the abuse that some children were experiencing in supposed to be their own safe place and raise an awareness for the parents/guardians in taking care of their children.” -Nhestley Delos Reyes, Producer.

Featuring the rising child star, Stephanie Grecia as Isay, the younger sister of Rosa.

The film will also feature talented filmmakers from Far Eastern University-Manila. Ralph Castro, Director of Photography together with Master Editor, James Pante and Production Manager, Sophia Loberiano showcasing their passion for filmmaking and their advocacy for Child rights and protection.

We Shouldn’t Cancel This Film Canceledt

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

An Upcoming Short Film Inspired By The Emerging Topic Of Cancel Culture 

Upcoming film titled Canceledt, is about a privileged vlogger Rachelle who experiences being “cancelled” online after publicly stating anti-poor sentiments in her recent vlog. She asks for her high school best friend, Katy's support throughout the ordeal, instead, they butt heads as Katy thinks the backlash against Rachelle is warranted. This film aims to start production this year.

The upcoming short film will depict what it is like for someone who has been called out for questionable actions or statements. Nowadays, people say whatever they want without thinking about the implications of it because they believe that they are entitled to "freedom of speech.”

The film’s writer and director Antonio Agregado whose previous works include the documentary Nanay Tatay, which won the Special Jury Mention (3rd Place) award at the 2023 Tam DokyuFest, and the satirical screenplay Jade’s Short but Personal Quest to Make Story for Glorious Directorial Debut with desire to Make Mark on Ever-Changing Filipino Film Industry, which is part of the Official Selection of the 2021 Arkadia Studio Screenwriting Contest in Rimini, Italy.

The production team also includes people who believe in the power of breaking free from the usual concepts such as the film’s Producer Cristian Cofino whose previous works include Mga Kwentong Pambata Tuwing Gabi, which won the People’s Choice Award at the 2019 Cinemorayta Film Festival and Laruang Baril, which was nominated for Best Student Short Film at the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.

The film’s Art Director Mikyla Balangue whose previous works include AFK and I Can’t Make You Love Me, which won Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and 3rd Best Film in Sinepiyu XV; and the film’s Director of Photography Carlo Martinez who worked as the director of photography and one of the editors on the 2022 film Kaulayaw.

Fauxed Up Productions, the team behind Canceledt is a newly started production company that aspires to empower modern-day writers, producers, and directors to apply and be as creative as they want to be. Fauxed Up Productions hopes that this upcoming film will serve as an eye-opener for everyone, regardless of their age, gender, and cultural background.