NEGROS ORIENTAL, PHILIPPINES — Global cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 leader Bitget is accelerating its mission to bridge the digital divide in the Philippines with the expansion of its PayFi Islands initiative to Negros Oriental. The project, powered by Starlink satellite internet, will connect two key community hubs: Apo Elementary School and the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD) — addressing long-standing barriers to reliable connectivity in education and the creative economy.
For many areas in Negros Oriental, particularly remote Apo Island and urban centers like Dumaguete, dependable internet access remains a significant challenge. Outdated infrastructure such as microwave radio links continues to limit bandwidth, cutting off communities from vital online tools and opportunities. This digital gap has had a ripple effect on sectors like education and the arts, hindering growth, innovation and access to the global economy.
Through its latest deployment, Bitget is bringing high-speed Starlink internet to two distinctly impactful community spaces.
On Apo Island, where the economy has traditionally been anchored in fishing, the island’s only public school Apo Elementary will now be able to integrate digital learning platforms, teacher development resources and broader educational networks into its curriculum. For a generation of students previously constrained by slow or unreliable internet, this connectivity marks the beginning of greater academic mobility and community empowerment.
In Dumaguete City, Bitget is partnering with the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete to power its soon to open makerspace – a hub for local artists, designers, and entrepreneurs. Previously limited by slow connectivity, the facility will now be equipped to offer advanced digital tools, fabrication technologies, and direct channels to international collaboration, positioning Dumaguete’s creative community for deeper participation 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.”
The Negros Oriental expansion is part of PayFi Islands’ second phase, scheduled for full deployment in July 2025. It includes hardware installation, subscription coverage, and community training programs to ensure sustainable use of the technology.
Earlier this year, Bitget rolled out the program in Siargao, bringing Starlink connectivity to the Espoir School of Life and Barangay Pitogo. The initiative is also designed to complement Bitget’s educational advocacy programs Blockchain4Youth and Blockchain4Her – which aim to introduce blockchain literacy, financial education and decentralized technology training to students and women-led cooperatives in underserved communities.
Bitget’s expansion in Negros Oriental underscores a growing consensus in the Web3 space: true crypto adoption begins with equitable access to the internet. From the classrooms of Apo Island to the creative studios of Dumaguete, PayFi Islands is more than just a connectivity project.
