Opening opportunities for the youth: DOST-ASTI highlights blockchain applications across various sectors

In an era of rapid technological advancement, terms such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cybersecurity, big data, robotics, and the Internet of Things became some of the newest buzzwords. However, these technologies are not mere trends—they are key forces reshaping how public and private institutions operate.

Thus, adapting to these changes is crucial, and who better to prepare for the future of these technologies than our next generation of scientists and engineers?

To contribute to this need, the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) held a tech forum titled “ASTIg Tech Talks Season 2: Blockchain for Young Innovators” on 20 September 2024 at the Main Stage of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Tent in Pasay City as part of the  2nd National Youth Science, Technology, and Innovation Festival (NYSTIF).

In line with the NYSTIF’s theme “STEM VIBE: Engaging the Youth in Providing Solutions and Opening Opportunities”, this forum aimed to ignite young minds with the potential of blockchain, encouraging them to explore science, technology, and innovation as powerful tools to create a better and sustainable future.

An introduction to blockchain

The first speaker of the forum, DOST-ASTI Senior Science Research Specialist Roxanne S. Aviñante, introduced the concept of blockchain to the student participants.

Emphasizing its immutability, she described blockchain technology as a tamper-proof and tamper-evident database “that keeps data safe and secure across many computers.” She further explained that it uses a distributed ledger to record all of its transactions.

“When someone wants to add a new block or a piece of data, everyone in the network checks if it’s correct so ito ‘yung tinatawag natin na consensus,” she said. “If it’s correct, it’s added to the chain, and everyone gets the copy of the updated ledger.”

She also mentioned that, alongside AI, cybersecurity, big data, and cloud computing, blockchain as an emerging technology is experiencing high demand and interest. It was also noted that the availability of job opportunities in blockchain is high

Blockchain as a solution: Going beyond cryptocurrency

The second topic of the event, focused on non-fungible tokens (NFTs), was presented by Science Research Specialist I Marc Jerome T. Tulali. He explained that NFTs are digital assets or tokens stored in blockchain, each representing a unique item such as artwork, digital content, or media.

As a fun fact, Aviñante said that blockchain’s first application was in cryptocurrency. However, beyond cryptocurrency, the technology has since revolutionized various other sectors.

For online identity security, Aviñante shared that DOST-ASTI is developing the Self-Sovereign Identity Empowerment: Reinventing Rights and Attributes (SIERRA), a blockchain-based system for managing intellectual property. She explained that this project aims to decentralize user privacy by establishing a straightforward data-sharing framework for applications and services, leveraging blockchain technology to protect personal information.

This project aims to address the following privacy concerns in sharing data across services: data ownership, data transparency and auditability, and fined-grained access to personal data.

Another blockchain application is on traditional voting systems. According to Tulali, such systems often lack transparency and adequate audit mechanisms for verifying results, which leads to public distrust. These systems are also vulnerable to manipulation and rely on an administrator to manage voting data. He then emphasized that blockchain can resolve these issues effectively through its tamper-proof nature, transparency, end-to-end verification, and decentralization.

He also emphasized the challenges in supply chain management, particularly issues with traceability that impede the tracking of product origins and movements. Additionally, he noted concerns related to fraud, counterfeiting, and operational inefficiencies arising from manual tasks.

Tulali stated that blockchain can enhance traceability and transparency by enabling a clear flow of product movement. The technology also mitigates risks of fraud and counterfeit risks while improving operational efficiency through process automation and reduction of data discrepancies.

Opportunities for young innovators

In his closing, Tulali recommended online educational courses to encourage student participants to learn more about the field. He also enumerated four potential careers in blockchain, including blockchain developer, blockchain architect, NFT artist, and blockchain researcher.

Lastly, he shared that other areas of innovation using blockchain include gaming and entertainment, healthcare, government and public sector, central bank digital currencies, and decentralized finance, identity, and physical infrastructure.

“The future of blockchain–and technology in general–belongs to you, our young innovators” he said.

This tech forum was one of the many techno-fora conducted during the 2024 NYSTIF, themed “STEM VIBE: Engaging the Youth in Providing Solutions and Opening Opportunities” that ran from 18-21 September 2024 at the PICC Forum Tent, Pasay City. (By Rudy S. Parel, Jr., DOST-STII)

Student participants respond to a question raised by DOST-ASTI Senior Science Research Specialist Roxanne S. Aviñante, the first speaker of the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute’s tech forum titled “ASTIg Tech Talks Season 2: Blockchain for Young Innovators” (Photo from Henry A. de Leon, DOST-STII)

Science Research Specialist I Marc Jerome T. Tulali, the second speaker of the Department of Science and Technology Advanced Science and Technology Institute’s tech forum titled “ASTIg Tech Talks Season 2: Blockchain for Young Innovators”, discusses the use of blockchain technology in various sectors Photo from Henry A. de Leon, DOST-STII