Blackout Manila Creates a New Breed of Festival Experience

 

Manila, Philippines, October 28, 2025 — On October 11, 2025, something truly extraordinary took place. As the sun shone down on Bridgetowne Open Grounds, Blackout Manila redefined the festival experience for thousands of people.

At every corner of the venue, there was an activity for everyone. Gamers could meet their favorite creators and sample their merch, participate in Beyblade tournaments, play retro games and board games, groove to Just Dance, and more. One’s artistic side was spoiled for choice as attractions such as nail art, tattoo artists, sticker vendors, and the offerings of Guhit Pinas and Patrons of the Arts.

Attendees had no shortage of entertainment at the center of the venue thanks to the thrilling booths of the event’s main sponsors. Lootbox offered arcade games, and a meet and greet with legendary players Yawi, H2WO, Sumpak, and Renejay. Lootbox also gave artists the chance to show off their creativity as they turned the Lootbox booth into a giant mural.

The Anichess booth offered the opportunity to demo the genre morphing digital chess game officially endorsed by titans of the pro chess world in Magnus Carlsen and Anish Giri while the myriad minigames at the Tevi booth gave hopefuls the chance to win generous cash prizes.

Bolstering all this was Ginebra San Miguel Inc.’s Versatile Bar & Lounge, allowing attendees to beat the heat with refreshments and try out creative cocktails crafted with Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue, GSM Premium Gin, Antonov Vodka and Primera Light Brandy.

Their lineup of cocktails cleverly incorporated the above-mentioned liquors into unique blends that celebrated video game culture and artistry such as Level Up Lime, Blacklist Elixir, Savage Mix, and Inferno Burst.

There was no shortage of action on the main stage either as a multitude of musical acts hyped the crowd hour after hour. The day began with a variety of bands, from heavy metal to alternative rock. As the day went on, fans were treated to more musical styles from hip-hop to pop, as well as novelty acts including pro wrestling cosplay.

The main event of the evening began with the lineup of P-pop artists including KAIA, 1st One, New:ID, and 6ENSE. The idols lit up the stage, showcasing the rising talent in the growing P-pop scene. Headlining act Iyaz sent the event into a frenzy as he played his hit songs ‘Solo’ and ‘Replay’ amidst other crowd pleasers.

Capping off night were some of the hottest DJs in the local scene right now including Bandit, Patty Tiu, Jonnel Trinidad, Carla Cray, Sigrid, and Rolf who kept the party going into the early morning.

Against all odds, Blackout Manila delivered on its promise of being a place where gaming, music, and arts would collide into a new frontier of entertainment. From top to bottom, from sun out to sun down, the event was a melting pot of cultures and interest spheres, where anyone could feel included and seen. With an atmosphere full of potential, it will be interesting to see where Tier One Entertainment takes this concept moving forward.

This Press Release has also been published on VRITIMES

 

Bitget Announces Global Pivot to Universal Exchange (UEX) on 7th Anniversary

 

Bitget, a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform and Web3 company, announced a historic pivot on its seventh anniversary, officially transitioning from a centralized exchange (CEX) to the world’s first Universal Exchange (UEX).

This fundamental shift is defined by Bitget’s vision to seamlessly integrate centralized, decentralized, and traditional finance, offering unparalleled interoperability across crypto and real-world tokenized assets. The UEX platform is engineered to provide instant access to all on-chain assets, AI-driven trading tools, and a secure, enhanced infrastructure for managing, growing, and transferring wealth without barriers.

“We’re shifting towards providing easier access and clean integration of emerging finance into our daily lives,” said Gracy Chen, Bitget CEO. “As the first UEX, Bitget is bound to lead this transition with tools and products that meet both current and future demands of users worldwide.”

The UEX announcement culminates seven years of consistent growth, highlighted by the company’s anniversary theme, #GearUpTo7. Inspired by the concept of motorcycle champions who “break conventions, as if shifting into a seventh gear that doesn’t really exist,” Chen noted that this mindset is the foundation of the platform’s new strategic direction. “Only by breaking conventions can we move forward at full speed,” she added.

Global Impact and Milestones

The commitment to universal access is reflected in Bitget's key initiatives and product development over the past year.

Bitget continued its focus on inclusivity through its educational charity projects, Blockchain4Youth and Blockchain4Her. These initiatives have positively impacted over 15,000 youngsters and collaborated with around 60 universities globally. This effort is strengthened by Bitget's commitment with UNICEF to educate 1 million people on blockchain technology by 2027.

Bitget also demonstrated its technical leadership with progressive milestones, including the introduction of GetAgent, the world’s first all-in-one AI crypto trading assistant. Furthermore, the recent launch of the Bitget Wallet Card in specific Asia-Pacific markets, such as the Philippines, makes crypto spendable in daily life by connecting self-custodied digital assets directly to Mastercard and Visa.

To mark the anniversary, Bitget hosted global celebratory events, including the #GearUpTo7 Sprint Challenge with a $400,000 USDT prize pool, global motorcycle parades, and the inaugural Smart Awards to recognize outstanding traders. The celebration was amplified by an energetic anniversary anthem from crypto music influencer Lil Bubble and a TopGear afterparty.

Bitget’s global brand presence has been significantly extended through high-profile collaborations with football icon Lionel Messi, Italian professional football club Juventus FC, sports league LaLiga, and the UNTOLD music festival, connecting the company with mainstream audiences and global cultural trends, paving the way for the UEX future.

With its shift to a Universal Exchange, Bitget is focused on long-term frameworks that connect users, assets, and markets, setting new standards for security, accessibility, and innovation in the cryptospace and beyond.

Who tells the story of Tatarstan, and why should Southeast Asia listen?

 Filipino-Tatar author Emil Julienne Habibulina Luy releases All About Tatarstan, a debut that reintroduces Tatar history and culture to a global audience. The book invites Southeast Asia to see Tatarstan as a vital voice in the world’s shared story.

Author, historian, and cultural ambassador Emil Julienne Habibulina Luy—a Filipino-Tatar—explores this question in his debut book, All About Tatarstan. Now newly released, the work introduces readers to the centuries-old story of the Tatars, a community whose resilience and creativity continue to inspire in a rapidly changing world.

Far from being just a history book, All About Tatarstan is Emil’s manifesto for global empathy, cross-cultural dialogue, and the preservation of voices that risk being overlooked.

Letter of Commendation: World Congress of Tatars

In recognition of his outstanding global leadership and contributions to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, Emil received a Letter of Commendation from the World Congress of Tatars. This honor underscores his role as a bridge between cultures and his commitment to telling stories that transcend borders.

‘To be global is not to lose identity’

“My Tatar identity has given me both rootedness and responsibility,” Emil explains. “It taught me that to be global is not to erase yourself, but to use your heritage as a lens for empathy, dialogue, and service.”

This conviction runs throughout All About Tatarstan, which reframes Tatar culture not as peripheral but as integral to the global story. The book challenges misconceptions that Tatarstan is a small republic overshadowed by geography, instead spotlighting the Tatars as innovators, bridge-builders, and contributors to world culture.

The resilience of a people

Asked to distill Tatar identity into three words, Emil chose Resilient, Hospitable, and Creative. Each captures centuries of survival, generosity, and artistry—from literature and architecture to music and trade.

The author notes that resilience, in the Tatar context, doesn’t mean resisting change. “Resilience means adapting without erasing yourself,” he says. “It’s about active creativity, finding ways to remain authentically yourself while still engaging with the world.”

From Tatarstan to the Philippines

Emil’s vision extends beyond Tatar culture. As founder of Rise Philippines, a non-profit dedicated to creating opportunities for underprivileged Filipino children, he draws a parallel between cultural preservation and humanitarian work: both, he says, are about restoring dignity.

“Preserving culture ensures that a people’s story is not erased; humanitarian work ensures that a child’s future is not overlooked,” Emil shares. “In both, the principle is the same: recognition, agency, and a chance to thrive.”

Growing up in Manila also gave Emil a second homeland, one he hopes to honor in future works: “Just as I sought to amplify Tatar voices, I would love to tell Filipino stories for a wider audience.”

History beyond textbooks

Part of what makes All About Tatarstan compelling is Emil’s multidisciplinary lens. A student-athlete and economics enthusiast, he compares Tatar history to a soccer match—full of strategy, defense, offense, and teamwork. He also examines Tatarstan as a vital trade hub, where ideas and goods intersected across continents.

What surprised him most in his research was just how far Tatar influence extended—beyond their homeland into Central Asia, Russia, and the Ottoman world. “Tatars were global actors,” Emil emphasizes, “and their story is proof that every culture, no matter its size, can shape the wider world.”

A spark for dialogue

When asked what conversation he hopes his book might spark, Emil’s answer was simple: Whose stories are missing from our understanding of the world?

“If All About Tatarstan encourages someone to explore not only Tatar heritage but also the overlooked cultures around them, then it has achieved its purpose,” he says. “Curiosity is the first step toward empathy and meaningful cross-cultural dialogue.”

All About Tatarstan is now available on BookshelfPH.

About Bookshelf PH

Bookshelf PH is a community of writers and storytellers dedicated to publishing and promoting Filipino values. As a publisher and online bookstore, Bookshelf PH offers comprehensive services —including writing, editing, design, and distribution —to guide authors from their initial idea to the printed page. Through its marketplace, it provides a platform for both established and aspiring writers to connect with a broader audience, aiming to inspire creativity and foster a love for local stories.

This Press Release has also been published on VRITIMES 

Unified Trading Infrastructure: HNZLLQ Offers Institutional-Grade Security Solution for 12.2 Million Crypto Users in the Philippines

 

Addressing Local Traders' Multi-Platform Management Challenges, Platform Integrates Spot, Futures, and DeFi Services into Single Interface

The Philippines, as the world's 9th largest cryptocurrency adopter, currently hosts approximately 12.2 million digital asset holders, representing 6.13% of the national population. However, local traders face security threats and operational complexity that hinder further market growth. Philippine financial institutions lost $104 million to cyberattacks in 2024, while 97.5% of crypto users indicate the need for stronger security protection measures.

Market fragmentation is particularly pronounced in the Philippines. Traders typically need to simultaneously use 3-5 different platforms to complete spot trading, futures contracts, DeFi yield generation, and asset storage—not only increasing private key management risks but also generating high fees and time costs from frequent fund transfers between platforms. HNZLLQ platform, launching services for Southeast Asian markets including the Philippines, addresses these practical pain points of local traders through technological innovation.

HNZLLQ employs a unified gateway architecture that integrates multiple digital asset services into a single platform. Philippine users can complete cryptocurrency spot trading, perpetual futures operations, and access rigorously vetted DeFi protocols within the same interface, without managing multiple accounts and seed phrases. The platform's intelligent system continuously analyzes on-chain data, market sentiment, and historical trends to provide traders with emerging opportunity identification and risk warnings. The portfolio management function automatically constructs asset allocations based on user-defined risk preferences and conducts dynamic rebalancing during market volatility, helping local investors achieve diversified investment without requiring specialized knowledge.

Security is HNZLLQ's core focus for the Philippine market. The platform employs a hybrid custody model, storing the majority of user assets in offline cold wallets while maintaining only necessary operational funds in hot wallets protected by Multi-Party Computation technology. This architecture eliminates the theft risk associated with traditional single private keys. The adaptive security system learns each user's operational habits, immediately triggering verification processes when detecting abnormal login locations or large withdrawals. The platform also compares deposit addresses in real-time against global scam databases, proactively blocking transfers to malicious wallets, providing Philippine users with protection against locally common phishing attacks.

In terms of technical performance, HNZLLQ's Poseidon matching engine processes over 2 million orders per second with trading latency below 1 millisecond, guaranteeing stable execution even during intense market volatility. The platform operates under a compliance-first framework and has selected the Philippines as one of the initial expansion regions in Southeast Asia.

About HNZLLQ

HNZLLQ is an Intelligent Digital Asset Gateway combining high-performance Trident architecture with institutional-grade security infrastructure, providing unified trading solutions for high-growth markets in Southeast Asia.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES