Background and History

OUR JOURNEY

Key milestones in SEDPI’s growth, partnerships, programs, and contribution to financial inclusion and social enterprise development.

2004
July 30

SEDPI is established as a private organization providing capacity building services and social investments to microfinance and microenterprise stakeholders.

July

Developed social investments to MFIs.

2005
March

SEDPI management team starts managing the Ateneo Microfinance Capacity Building Program.

December

Became recognized by international participants through their participation in public-run training courses.

2006
March

SEDPI becomes a member of the International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions.

August

SEDPI facilitates the Ateneo-BPI partnership for Microfinance Capacity Building all over the Philippines.

November

SEDPI delivers its first international training course in the Netherlands through Oxfam Novib.

December

Inked partnership with World Wildlife Fund to establish microfinance operations in environmental hotspots and to mobilize social investments.

2007
March

The Diploma Course in Microfinance is first conducted for the Central Bank of Nigeria.

June

The first training on Financial Literacy for Remittance Senders is given overseas to various migrant groups. The first course on Financial Literacy for Remittance Receivers is conducted in cooperation with Microfinance Opportunities and BPI. These two events mark the start of SEDPI’s advocacy in leveraging remittances for development through microfinance and financial education.

July

SEDPI begins providing capacity building services to MFI partners of the People’s Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC), the largest wholesaler of microfinance funds in the Philippines.

International Engagement

SEDPI heads are invited as resource persons or facilitators on microfinance and remittances at international conferences held in Benin, Burkina Faso, Luxembourg, and the U.S.A.

November

SEDPI becomes a member of the European Microfinance Platform.

December

Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes, Inc. is successfully rehabilitated, leading to the microfinance industry’s recognition of the effectiveness of SEDPI’s services.

2008
March

SEDPI Capital Credit, Inc. (SCCI) is created to provide wholesale funds to small and emerging MFIs, and to mobilize socially responsible investments.

April

SEDPI delivers the training course The New Frontier: Linking Microfinance and Remittances in Bali, Indonesia under the Academy for Microfinance Development in Asia.

June

SEDPI is accredited as a service provider of the People’s Development Trust Fund of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

July

A financial education module on microinsurance is pilot tested in cooperation with Microfinance Opportunities.

October

A partnership with Cordaid is established to provide capacity building services and wholesale loans to MFIs, to train remittance senders and receivers on financial literacy, and to provide a guarantee mechanism to Filipino migrant investments. The Netherlands-based Cordaid is one of the world’s biggest international development organizations with a network of almost a thousand partner organizations in 36 countries.

2009
January

SEDPI increases its capacity by providing Technical and Mentoring Assistance to 10 MFIs all over the Philippines simultaneously.

March

Set up the first training hub in the Philippines in cooperation with Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation.

August

Conducted research on housing finance for the Philippine Business for Social Progress.

October

Conducted organizational appraisal to the fastest growing MFI in the Philippines, ASA Philippines Foundation, Inc.

2010
February

SEDPI launches online courses on microfinance.

May

SEDPI top management participates in the development of a social entrepreneurship curriculum with the National University of Singapore and Ateneo de Manila University.

June

SEDPI conducts Financial Literacy for Remittance Receivers nationwide in partnership with Western Union.

July

SEDPI is commissioned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Bankable Frontiers Associates to do a study on payment methods.

July

SEDPI partners with the British Council to conduct trainings on social entrepreneurship.

September

SEDPI’s chairperson was invited by the Greenwich University in London to present his research paper on guarantee mechanisms for microfinance institutions.

2011
May

SEDPI shared its strategies and showcased achievements on leveraging remittances for development through microfinance in Hyderabad, India.

June

SEDPI participates in the League of Corporate Foundation’s Corporate Social Responsibility Expo advocating social entrepreneurship in the corporate jungle.

November

SEDPI’s CEO was invited as a panelist in the most prestigious international conference for microfinance, the Global Microcredit Summit in Spain.

December

SCCI reaches a portfolio of PhP100 million.

2012
March

SEDPI presents its experience on social entrepreneurship at the Asia Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. It also successfully registers SEDPI Social Enterprise Ventures, Inc. (SEDPI SEVI).

April

SEDPI conducts training on social entrepreneurship to university lecturers and signs partnership agreement with CSIP in Hanoi, Vietnam.

May

SCCI gets credit line from the Land Bank of the Philippines and accreditation with Department of Agrarian Reform ARCESS.

June

SEDPI presents its experience on financial literacy and investment mobilization for migrants in Jerusalem, Israel.

September

SEDPI presents its experience on financial literacy and investment mobilization for migrants in Rome, Italy with the government’s Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

December

SEDPI’s research on OFW personal finance gets featured in 24-Oras of GMA7 and its CEO guested in a TV show on the ABS-CBN News Channel.

2013
January

Established SEDPI Foundation.

March

Climate Change Commission avails of SEDPI services on designing alternative livelihood and financing scheme to vulnerable groups for climate change adaptation.

May

USAID commissioned SEDPI to conduct research, design training collaterals and conduct trainings on financial literacy on the adoption of mobile money in Metro Manila, Batangas and Bulacan.

June

Small Business Corporation commissions SEDPI to provide organizational appraisal and technical and mentoring assistance services to three microfinance institutions.

December

Won public bidding at the Department of Agrarian Reform on Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship.

2014
January

Cordaid commissioned SEDPI to conduct research on the effect of Typhoon Haiyan to microfinance institutions in the Visayas.

November

Cooperative Development Authority accredits SEDPI as training provider for cooperatives.

December

Forged partnership with the Insurance Commission to advocate the importance of crop insurance to farmer clients of microfinance institutions.

2015
February

Started a series of financial literacy trainings for West Elm partner artisans.

March

SDFI receives Special Recognition from PriceWaterhouseCoopers in the Developmental Social Enterprise Awards.

August

Popularized Climate Change Commission’s Community of Practice website.

2016
January

SDFI obtains PhP30M credit line from Union Bank of the Philippines.

February

Registered SEDPI in Singapore.

July

Launched #UsapangPera, a financial literacy online talk show, and (L)Earning Wealth book launched.

September

Participated in the due diligence audit with the Asian Development Bank’s Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility for ASA Philippines’ PhP2 billion bond float.

October

Oxfam partnership for Micro and Small Enterprise Development.

November

SDFI takes over two branches of microfinance from the business failure of MILAMDEC.

December

SDFI obtains PhP30M credit line from the Development Bank of the Philippines.

2017
January

Presented SEDPI as benchmark in mobilizing migrant investments through financial literacy and investing for rural development in Sri Lanka organized by Lanka Social Ventures, Oxfam Great Britain and British Council Sri Lanka.

May

Product design market research for housing microfinance with Habitat for Humanity.

Signed memorandum of agreement with Industrial Guarantee Loan Fund of the National Economic Development Authority to implement regional trainings on innovations on financial inclusion.

Received recognition from National Confederation of Cooperatives for research conducted on best practices of microfinance.

June

Finished world book tour and investment forum for (L)Earning Wealth in 10 cities worldwide.

Established partnership with Mindanao Microfinance Council to provide capacity building services to microfinance institutions.

July

Established third microfinance branch in Lingig, Surigao del Sur.

Launched season 2 of #UsapangPera, financial literacy online talk show.

2018
January

Established fourth microfinance branch in Rosario, Agusan del Sur.

February

Trained 500 management and staff of GSIS and DepEd on financial literacy.

May

Partnership with Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG to bring socialized housing closer to microfinance clients.

July

Launched season 3 of #UsapangPera, financial literacy online talk show.

Established fifth microfinance branch in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

October

Partnered with Pag-IBIG to lower savings contribution of microentrepreneurs.

Trained policy makers on Innovations and Trends in Inclusive Finance.

November

Launched Online Courses on Financial Literacy.

Facilitated ADB Knowledge Sharing on Social Entrepreneurship.

December

Won as local partner to the Italian Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

2019
February

Digital finance study with the World Council of Credit Unions.

Launched season 4 of #UsapangPera, financial literacy online talk show.

May

Partnered with Social Security System to provide sickness and retirement benefit program of the government closer to OFWs and microenterprises.

June

Established sixth microfinance branch in Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur.

December

Established seventh microfinance branch in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.

Capacity building for climate smart social enterprises in Del Carmen.

Established network of 237 trainers on social investments in 10 countries worldwide.

2020
March

Vince Rapisura receives special citation from Pag-IBIG Fund.

MOA with CLIMBS to provide microinsurance.

Rollout of Islamic finance principles to microfinance products.

September

Established eighth microfinance branch in Montevista, Davao de Oro.

March

Established ninth microfinance branch in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

April

SEDPI USA is established – social investment advisory.

July

SEDPI Coop is established – mobilize savings and investments from social investors.

Established tenth microfinance branch in Carmen, Davao del Norte.

2022
March

Established 11th microfinance branch in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

April

Established 12th microfinance branch in Zamboanga City.

June

Established 13th microfinance branch in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte.

2023
January

Established 14th microfinance branch in Monkayo, Davao de Oro.

Established 15th microfinance branch in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

2024
January

Established 16th microfinance branch in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.