Camille Puentespina makes blockchain fun for Filipinos

Can a blockchain debate feel like a game night? At Bitskwela, Chief Technology Officer Camille Puentespina thinks so. By mixing playful tools like poll battles with serious tech, she’s making sure web3 education in the Philippines is as engaging as it is empowering.

"Okay, honestly, I am a firm believer of UX. So more than all the tech stack, I feel like the most important thing is all about the users, especially when we're talking about regional sales like the Philippines," Puentespina told The Crypto Radio at Philippine Blockchain Week. 

She explained that Bitskwela thinks carefully about how to “sell it in a way that's easy, in a way that's easily digestible” – especially for learners in the deeper regions of the country. From Bitskwela’s website design to its children’s books launching soon, the focus is always on simple language, interactive illustrations, and gradual learning steps, including “a mini 10-item quiz” followed by more complex ideas.

For students, Bitskwela Dev offers an on-cloud platform where they can “code, copy ideas, and build their own smart contracts or dApps.” Puentespina explained, “They don't need to prepare anything on the libraries. All they just need to do is put in the code that they see on the screen and then deploy, and the transaction is hash.”

Learning through experimentation

For Puentespina, product development is all about trial and error. “It's not like you can always hit the bull's-eye in one go,” she said. That’s why Bitskwela has dedicated research teams across content, marketing, and product design, constantly checking in with users to refine the experience.

The team follows what she called “the three to five rule,” where small user groups are tested first, and if needed, adjustments are made before scaling. “We really try to make it as lean as possible, because obviously a startup doesn't have all the resources in place,” Puentespina said.

She estimates that about 20% of their efforts go into research, while “a lot of the development is really the bigger box,” reflecting the company’s experimental approach.

Internship programs are part of this experimentation culture. “We have the interns do a lot of their own ideas, sell it out, see how it goes, and then if it works with the first set of users, then we try to scale,” she said. Interns are encouraged to pitch “crazy” ideas, helping cultivate a company environment where innovation can come from anyone.

Building trust through neutrality

In a crypto world often dominated by speculation, Bitskwela is careful to stay educational, not promotional. “We don't commit to anything on the side of like, 'Okay, buy this coin or invest in this one',” Puentespina said. Instead, the focus is on providing neutral, technical education to help people explore web3 confidently and independently.

Beyond its local programs, Bitskwela has engaged in international partnerships that add creative elements to its platform. Puentespina said, “There are games that we've developed before where, in general, it's educational in nature, but also brings sponsorship with our partners.” These partnerships help balance engaging experiences with meaningful learning, without compromising the company’s educational mission.

Preparing Filipino talent for web3

Bitskwela Dev is being introduced in Philippine schools to help students learn blockchain by building directly in the cloud. Photo: Unsplash / 1ndex

As Southeast Asia becomes one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto regions, Bitskwela’s work arrives at an important moment. Puentespina sees big potential in the local developer community, particularly in helping web2 developers transition into web3.

“There’s a lot of market in the space,” she said. “It's just managing how to grow their knowledge, how to grow their experience, from web2 to web3.” With Bitskwela Dev being rolled out in Philippine schools, students will soon have access to hands-on coding tools, smart contract templates, and cloud-based deployments – no complicated setup required.

For Puentespina, these efforts are about more than just teaching blockchain; they’re about unlocking new economic opportunities. She wants to see Filipino talent step confidently onto the global stage, building, innovating, and leading in the next generation of digital technologies.

A mission beyond technology

“It’s just about time that the Philippines steps up and you should be on the lookout for sure,” Puentespina said with conviction. Her vision extends beyond classrooms or code: it’s about equipping Filipinos – from five-year-olds to professional developers – with the understanding and skills they need to shape the country’s digital future.

By making blockchain education fun, approachable, and interactive, Bitskwela is proving that web3 doesn’t have to be intimidating. With Puentespina at the helm, the message is clear: learning about emerging technologies isn’t just for experts – it’s for everyone.