• Sui Builder Program trains Filipino students in Move language for smart contracts on Sui blockchain.

• It contrasts traditional escape economies by offering practical, results-driven blockchain education in isolated areas.

• 127 students participated, with 50 completing amid typhoon disruptions; program backed by government and Yield Guild Games.

Discover the Sui Builder Program in Palawan transforming remote Filipino students into blockchain developers. Learn Move coding, build on-chain apps, and explore crypto education opportunities for a digital future. Explore now!

What is the Sui Builder Program?

The Sui Builder Program is a blockchain-focused initiative launched in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, to equip university students with hands-on training in on-chain development. Originally adapted from Meta’s Diem project, the program teaches the Move smart contract language, enabling participants to create and deploy projects on the Sui blockchain. Supported by Mysten Labs and local partners like the Philippine government’s information and communications technology agency, it provides access to computer labs, internet, and mentorship, addressing educational disparities in remote areas.

How does the Sui Builder Program support students in remote Philippine provinces?

The program establishes training hubs in Palawan, a sparsely populated island province west of the Philippines mainland, offering students their first exposure to blockchain technologies. Participants from Palawan State University, such as third-year computer science student Nicholo dela Rosa, engage in weeks-long sessions that culminate in hackathons. For instance, dela Rosa’s team, The Scouts, developed Campfire, an on-chain application that digitizes certificates and community assets while awarding badges for participation, akin to a gamified event app on Sui.

James Wing, who leads AAA gaming partnerships at Mysten Labs—the developers of the Sui blockchain—explains that Move’s object-oriented models provide a natural architecture for beginners. This approach suits real-world use cases, making it ideal for learners far from tech hubs. Yield Guild Games, through its educational arm Metaversity, designs the curriculum, delivers mentorship, and facilitates job connections, ensuring a skills-based path that emphasizes practical outcomes over theoretical learning.

Despite obstacles, including two typhoons that disrupted the final weeks, 50 out of 127 enrolled students completed the program. Bianca Cruz, co-lead at Metaversity, noted the students’ enthusiasm during on-site sessions, describing Palawan’s laid-back vibe contrasted by their commitment, often involving long commutes and sacrificed weekends. One participant highlighted how such programs are rare in the region, underscoring the initiative’s role in democratizing access to developer communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills do students gain from the Sui Builder Program in the Philippines?

Students in the Sui Builder Program learn to code in Move, an open-source language for smart contracts on the Sui blockchain. They build on-chain applications, such as gamified tools for community engagement, and develop job-ready competencies in blockchain development. The program, held in Palawan, focuses on practical project shipping, preparing participants for digital roles in Web3 gaming and beyond, with mentorship from industry experts.

Why is blockchain training like the Sui Builder Program important for remote areas in the Philippines?

Blockchain training programs like the Sui Builder Program bring advanced digital skills to isolated regions such as Palawan, where access to tech education is limited. It shifts mindsets toward innovative careers, countering reliance on traditional jobs amid widening disparities. By partnering with government agencies and organizations like Yield Guild Games, it creates pathways to 8 million digital jobs targeted by 2028, fostering a future-ready workforce through hands-on learning.

Key Takeaways

• Mindset Shift for Participants: Students like Nicholo dela Rosa report dreaming bigger after gaining blockchain exposure, moving beyond local limitations to global digital opportunities.
• Practical Impact Despite Challenges: Even with typhoon disruptions reducing completers to 50 from 127, the program delivered core skills in Move and on-chain building, supported by local infrastructure.
• Broader Educational Need: While initiatives like this advance digital literacy, experts emphasize pairing them with foundational improvements in reading, math, and critical thinking for sustained success.

Conclusion

The Sui Builder Program exemplifies how blockchain education can reach remote corners like Palawan, equipping Filipino students with Move programming skills and on-chain development expertise. Backed by Mysten Labs, Yield Guild Games, and government support, it addresses systemic gaps highlighted in reports from the OECD and World Bank, where the Philippines lags in global proficiency scores and digital readiness, with education spending at 3.6% of GDP in 2024. Paolo Lising, a global development student at Harvard University’s Extension School, stresses that while access is vital, lasting change requires stronger foundational education to navigate complex systems, as seen in past crypto adoptions like Axie Infinity. As the nation aims for 8 million digital jobs by 2028, programs like this signal a commitment to inclusive growth—encouraging more youth to build the future of crypto and Web3.