WordCamp Asia 2025

After a 25-hour journey to Manila, Philippines for WordCamp Asia 2025, I quickly found myself immersed among passionate WordPress enthusiasts. As Asia’s flagship WordCamp, the conference drew over 1,700 attendees from 70+ countries.

Very cool.

Matías set the tone with a keynote reflecting WordPress’s next chapter—balancing innovation with its founding principles and exploring AI’s role in its evolution. And I particularly enjoyed Jamie’s Speed Build Challenge brining these ideas to life, as Jessica assembled a creative website homepage with blocks, while Nick showed us how to build a bespoke hero block with Cursor. There were quite a few good talks—watch them.

Between sessions, Manila revealed itself through small moments: a plate of adobo shared with new friends, conversations about AI over halo-halo, and a once-in-a-lifetime fireworks display from the Philippine International Pyromusical Competition.

These moments captured the WordPress community I know—not the one portrayed in heated online discussions that farm engagement, but people sharing ideas and building connections that transcend avatars. These authentic interactions remind me why WordPress powers so much of the web: it’s a platform that brings people together.

As I boarded my return flight, exhausted but inspired, I saw WordCamp Asia for what it truly was—not just a technical conference, but the heart of WordPress beating through its diverse, welcoming, and endlessly creative community.

Also, apparently I have a knack for Kendama.

See you next year in Mumbai.