Pink Raft wins 1st Runner Up from the First Stellar Philippines Hackathon

The BlockLabs Inc celebrated a remarkable achievement when two of their talented interns secured the 1st Runner Up position at the prestigious Build on Stellar Philippines Hackathon, which took place from May 18-24, 2026. Carl Macabales from Mapua Institute of Technology Makati and Mychal Pejana from Far Eastern University Institute of Technology demonstrated exceptional innovation and technical prowess under the expert mentorship of Mark Hugh Neri, Co-founder of The BlockLabs Inc.

This intensive 7-day online hackathon brought together the brightest minds in the Filipino tech ecosystem, including developers, designers, and founders, all united by a common vision to build transformative financial solutions on the Stellar blockchain. The event's ambitious goal was to make money work better for every Filipino, and the participants rose to this challenge with remarkable creativity and determination.

The winning team developed "Pink Raft," an ingenious project designed to revolutionize how developers interact with the Stellar Network. Their solution addressed a critical pain point by enabling easier deployment of programmable payments without requiring deep knowledge of Rust or Soroban Smart Contracts. This breakthrough innovation promised to democratize access to Stellar's powerful blockchain capabilities, making it more accessible to developers across different skill levels.

The competition was fierce, with the team facing off against 30 other talented groups from across the Philippines. Through rigorous evaluation rounds, only 15 teams qualified for the final pitching session, which took place on May 23 at PDAX. The live and online hybrid format allowed for dynamic presentations and valuable networking opportunities between finalists and industry leaders, including members of the Stellar Philippines team.

The final pitching round showcased the cream of the crop in Filipino blockchain innovation, with each team presenting their solutions to a panel of expert judges and industry stakeholders. The atmosphere was electric as teams demonstrated their technical achievements and articulated their vision for the future of finance in the Philippines.

This outstanding performance has earned Carl and Mychal, along with their mentor Mark Hugh Neri, the opportunity to advance to the next level of competition – the Stellar APAC Hackathon. This regional championship will see them compete against top teams from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, representing the best blockchain talent across Southeast Asia.

The success of Pink Raft and the team's advancement to the APAC level demonstrates The BlockLabs Inc's commitment to nurturing young talent and driving innovation in the blockchain space, while contributing to the broader goal of financial inclusion across the region.