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The MFW City, a joint talent-development initiative by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Yield Guild Games (YGG) designed to equip Metaverse Filipino Workers (MFWs) with the technical skills, mentorship, and career pathways needed to participate in the global digital economy, has produced 50 graduates from the province of Palawan.
MFW City-MIMAROPA Graduates
In a media statement sent to BitPinas, YGG’s local community, YGG Pilipinas, stressed that the 50 graduates have been trained in Sui blockchain’s Move programming language.
This MFW City, focused in Region IV-B, or the Mindoro (Occidental and Oriental ), Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (MIMAROPA) region, had a total of 127 participants from a number of educational institutions, including Palawan State University, Holy Trinity University, Fulbright College, the Association of Computer Scientists, and STI College.
By The Numbers: MFW City-MIMAROPA
- 80% were third-year or higher computer science, IT, computer engineering, or related fields students.
- 50% of these students had already been coding for at least a year.
- 76% had zero prior exposure to blockchain.
- 20% were female.
- 0% had an experience with the Move programming language before the start of the initiative.
- 39.37% graduated.
According to YGG Pilipinas, the program required a high level of commitment from these students, with one online class and one in-person class held each week in Puerto Princesa, complemented by mentoring sessions with Sui contributors and ecosystem partners for feedback and code review.
To finish the program, students presented their capstone projects, where they were required to design and launch a working prototype on the Sui blockchain and pitch their solution to a judging panel.
Technically, they were formed into teams, which were tasked with solving the problem of creating a trusted, verifiable way to recognize community contributions across schools, guilds, and online communities, so these achievements could be demonstrated when applying for work.
The Challenges
However, during the program, Typhoon Tino hit the MIMAROPA region, where students experienced severe flooding, widespread power loss, and interruptions to internet and mobile connectivity.
It was November 04, 2025, and it was the schedule of the final class of the MFW City in the region, which suddenly led to the class’ cancellation, according to YGG’s crypto education initiative Metaversity.
“We faced a lot of challenges with the weather, and we still were able to get really strong graduation numbers and really unique, innovative products that we wouldn’t have thought of before. It’s a testament to their perseverance: being able to adapt on the fly, especially with something as significant as not having internet. There is always going to be huge demand for builders who can adapt like these guys have proven they can do.”
James Wing, Head of AAA Gaming Partnerships, Mysten Labs
MFW City-MIMAROPA Students at YGG Play Summit 2025
During the YGG Play Summit 2025 held at SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City from November 19 to 22, 2025, two members of the winning team, Nicholo Dela Rosa and JK Rabanal, had the opportunity to attend the conference and share their experience.
These two students came from the team “The Scouts,” which created “Campfire,” an app that digitizes certificates while also serving as a gamified, NFT-based community platform.
“During our last few days of the program, a typhoon suddenly hit the Philippines. It made it very hard for us, especially when one of our classes was suspended because of internet issues. Especially with all the challenges we experienced, we didn’t expect to win the competition, so we feel very proud of what we were able to do.”
JK Rabanal, Student, MFW City-MIMAROPA
“We learned about the Sui builder program from our peers, and we were interested to learn more about the Move programming language and the Sui ecosystem. This opportunity has changed our mindset. Now we are thinking more and dreaming big, especially after flying to Manila to speak here on stage at the YGG Play Summit. We’re hoping to improve our winning project and have many more opportunities like this.”
Nicholo Dela Rosa, Student, MFW City-MIMAROPA
Read the BitPinas articles on YGG Play Summit 2025 here:
About MFW City-MIMAROPA
The MFW City-MIMAROPA is the first-ever talent-development initiative in the country.
According to DICT-MIMAROPA Director Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, the piloting of the MFW City in the region demonstrated how regional hubs can serve as replicable models across the Philippines to deliver scalable blockchain education and professional development tracks, aligning with the agency’s mission to create eight million digital jobs by 2028.
The DICT MIMAROPA provided the backbone for the program by opening training hubs, computer labs, and internet access, including Starlink for remote areas. Meanwhile, the YGG Pilipinas, through Metaversity, drove program design and delivery, from curriculum and mentorship to workshops, project sprints, demo days, and certification.
“What YGG, Sui, and DICT have accomplished in Puerto Princesa demonstrates the power of partnerships rooted in a shared purpose. When government, industry, and communities come together, barriers fall and possibilities expand.
This program is more than training—it marks the beginning of long-term pathways for Filipinos to thrive in the global digital economy. And we look forward to bringing this kind of opportunity to even more communities nationwide.”
Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, Regional Director, DICT-MIMAROPA
This article is published on BitPinas: YGG, DICT’s MFW City Produces 50 Graduates from Region IV-B
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