As the country encounters new pandemic-related challenges at the start of 2022, venture capital firm 8Ventures responds by continuing to lead projects and enterprises that support government and the private sector’s initiatives in containing COVID-19 while restoring the economy.
According to 8Ventures Chairman and CEO Jay Ricky Villarante, the company’s assistance has been strategic to ensure the steady recovery of all essential sectors in the society caught in the crossfire of the pandemic.
“Since the beginning of the medical crisis, 8Ventures has been at the forefront in securing the safety and development of the Filipino people with its mission to grow organizations that create and use new technologies to develop profitable businesses,” Villarante shared.
“We have always been sensitive to the needs of our people and the business community alike. These include our front liners in the medical fields, the educators mandated to take care of our children’s intellectual growth, and the businesses themselves who keep our economy running,” he added.
Contributing towards a better future amid the pandemic
8Ventures has been active in supporting COVID-19-related efforts of medical institutions as far back as April 2020, donating a total of PHP 250,000 to date to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Medical Foundation and the Eastern Bicol Medical Center. The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) Org. SiM – Silungang Molave (SiM), a new Community Isolation Unit for UPD, also received additional monetary support from the company.
The continuation of education throughout the lockdowns was another priority for the company. In close coordination with the Department of Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo, 8Ventures helped equip Gubat National High School in Gubat, Sorsogon, with computer equipment and supplies worth nearly PHP 800,000.
Although online classes have become necessary during COVID-19, on-campus learning is still believed to be the ideal set-up, as personal interaction between students and teachers is deemed important for child development. To ensure that the Gubat National High School students have the proper equipment when they return to the classrooms, 8Ventures donated 15 desktop computer sets with the latest hardware that allows the computers to run more powerful software that can be more relevant and useful to the classroom lessons. These were donated to equip the students and teachers with the latest technology to help them learn more relevant skills such as graphic design.
Moreover, to support the efforts of the school to implement distance learning, 8Ventures donated eight printers with multiple sets of ink supplies per printer to help the teachers print modules for students who don’t have computers or smartphones. The company also donated equipment for recording or streaming lessons for distance learning such as android TV, microphone, speakers, and other lighting and soundproofing equipment.
To help keep the teachers going on campus safe, 8Ventures also donated 400 boxes of masks and ten thermal scanners.
Secuna secures initiatives critical to the pandemic response
8Ventures’ cybersecurity testing platform Secuna forged new partnerships and collaboration to help develop solutions for pandemic management.
Contact tracing programs such as RapidPass.ph and TraceCovid.ph were developed in partnership with the DEVCON Community of Technology Experts (DCTx), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Dashboard Philippines. It is a collaborative platform that enables people to share and find locations and contact information of hospitals, groceries, and donation centers, which were critical at the time of lockdowns.
Secuna further extended their aid by helping secure organizations that supported the medical frontlines such as COVIDHeroes, SeeYouDoc, and Red Cross.
To ensure the continuity and protection of these organizations, Secuna harnessed its community of White Hat Hackers or ethical hackers who rigorously tested and reported security vulnerabilities discovered in their apps and websites.
On Secuna’s platform, DCTx and Dashboard Philippines were able to run Vulnerability Disclosure Programs (VDP) freely to prevent any form of data breach from occurring. Last April 17, 2020, DCTx received 39 unique reports on their security vulnerabilities, while Dashboard Philippines got nine unique reports.
The vulnerabilities spotted by Secuna were flaws that could have been exploited by cybercriminals had they not been discovered. The disruption of these sites could have impaired the public’s attempt to find essential items.
Secuna’s services made sure all the developed and community-driven software solutions were secure and free of exploitable vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can use to compromise millions of people’s data.
Moneybees supports Filipinos earning cryptocurrency during the pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Philippines, Filipinos have found a unique way to ease the hardship brought on by lockdowns, and this is through playing “Play-to-Earn” video games like Axie Infinity, a blockchain game that allows users to earn cryptocurrency (i.e., SLP).
8Ventures’ cryptocurrency exchange service provider Moneybees started to support Axie players and managers by offering an easy way to exchange their earned SLP directly to Peso through its partner over-the-counter (OTC) outlets and online trading desk. These partnerships were designed to make crypto transactions more accessible, customer-friendly, and secure.
Moneybees partner OTC outlets are BSP-licensed money exchangers, remittance agents, and pawnshops that can be found in strategic locations such as malls, casinos, and business centers.
Among the existing outlets are the Willyn Villarica Pawnshop in Market Market, Taguig; the Tivoli Money Exchange in Glorietta 2 and Trinoma; Monteal Money Changer in the Venice Grand Canal Mall, Taguig; and Psulit Money Changer in Intrepid Plaza, just beside Eastwood City.
Partner outlets such as the M.B. Aguirre Pawnshop in South Center Tower, Alabang; the 88 Arkade in City of Dreams Manila; the GoVIP Center in the Lemon Square Building, QC; and Erus Maerd in Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila are strategically located within or near business hubs or leisure zones.
Moneybees has also partnered with Tambunting and is already starting to roll out to their branches nationwide.
Helping Beyond the Pandemic
Aside from extending help to Filipinos left economically vulnerable due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 8Ventures also led a donation drive and relief efforts to respond to the needs of communities in Leyte affected by the typhoon Odette.
Moreover, Moneybees coordinated with one of the biggest blockchain play-to-earn gaming guilds in the world, Yield Guild Games (YGG) that raised $1.4 million in cryptocurrencies from the global crypto community for Typhoon Odette Victims, to distribute the donations in cash. To date, a total of Php31,500,000 worth of crypto has been exchanged and distributed in cash with the help of Moneybees.
“8Ventures, together with Moneybees and Secuna, remains committed to its effort to help the public in its fight against the pandemic while supporting the government and its partners in strengthening the business landscape and restoring the economy,” said Villarante.
For more information, visit https://8.ventures/, www.moneybees.ph and www.secuna.io
ADVT.