Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is deepening its commitment to digital inclusion in the Philippines by expanding its PayFi Islands initiative to Negros Oriental. This next phase will bring Starlink-powered high-speed internet to Apo Elementary School and the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD), tackling long-standing connectivity challenges in education and the creative sector.
In many parts of Negros Oriental, including remote islands like Apo and urban centers such as Dumaguete, reliable internet access remains elusive. Outdated infrastructure, like microwave radio links, continues to limit bandwidth and reliability, cutting communities off from modern tools and opportunities. This digital divide has sent a ripple effect through key sectors, such as education and creative industries, hindering access to information, digital tools, and, in turn, economic opportunities.
Bitget’s latest deployment brings high-speed Starlink internet to two key communities in Negros Oriental, each facing distinct yet equally urgent digital challenges. After years of limited resources and unreliable internet, Apo Elementary School, the only public school on Apo Island, will finally be connected through Starlink. This new access will unlock digital learning tools, teacher development programs, and broader educational networks, creating new opportunities for academic growth and long-term empowerment in a community that has long relied on fishing.
Meanwhile, in Dumaguete, Bitget partnered with the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD), a vibrant creative hub preparing to launch a maker’s space for local artists and entrepreneurs. Previously held back by poor internet access, this space will now offer digital tools, fabrication technologies, and pathways to global collaboration, enabling the city’s creative sector to thrive in the digital economy.
“Access to the internet is access to opportunities,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget. “With PayFi Islands, we’re connecting people to education, to the digital economy, to more opportunities. These communities deserve to be part of the future, and we’re here to help make that happen.”
Scheduled for full deployment in July 2025, the project includes hardware installation, subscription support, and community training. The expansion in Negros Oriental is part of Bitget’s second phase in bridging the digital divide in Philippine Island communities. In May 2025, Bitget’s Starlink Program first introduced reliable connectivity to Siargao’s Espoir School of Life and Barangay Pitogo. As Bitget continues its rollout, these initiatives lay the foundation for Bitget’s broader educational and empowerment programs, Blockchain4Youth and Blockchain4Her. These programs will introduce blockchain literacy, financial education, and decentralized technology training to students and women-led cooperatives in the region, ensuring that the new digital infrastructure becomes a platform for sustainable development.
The Blockchain4Youth initiative highlights a powerful message that true crypto adoption begins with access. From the classrooms of Apo Island to the creative studios of Dumaguete, this expansion reflects Bitget’s long-term commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and building a future where no one is left offline.
