Microfinance Archives - Page 10 of 17 - Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

Middle Managers of KDCI and Lingap Foundation Attend Training on Human Resource

Through the course, we realized the importance of addressing human resource concerns for the growth of the institution, said Edmar Sarmiento, one of the field managers of Kasagana Development Center Inc. (KDCI) who participated in the Managing Human Resource for Microfinance Institution training. The course, which was held last May 2 – 4, 2013, was delivered through the collaborative initiative of Ateneo – SEDPI, BPI Globe Banko and KDCI.

A total of 17 participants attended, all of whom are middle managers of their respective institution. The course highlighted the importance of organizational architecture and institutional culture as anchors in designing policies and systems for human resource development. The training also discussed the importance of incentive schemes in a growing and developing institution. Through the training, it is hoped that the participants will be able to increase their proficiency in handling their tasks as middle managers. As pointed out during the training, middle managers are in an intricate position within a microfinance institution because they act as mediators between the operations staff and the top management. A thorough understanding of the complexities of human resource development in lieu of growth will be provide them with skills and tools necessary to innovatively navigate their respective tasks.

One of the participants stated that they also wish to echo their learning, particularly on incentives and training needs, to their colleagues. All SEDPI trainers, Mr. Edwin Salonga, Ms. Enid Madarcos, Ms. Denise Subido and Ms. Florence Adviento were rated excellent in delivery, knowledge and overall skills as facilitators.

SEDPI Assists Bank of Makati in Microfinance Start-up

Aspiring to extend its reach to the greater majority of Filipinos, the country’s largest rural bank in terms of assets—Bank of Makati, Inc.—is tapping into the microfinance banking industry this year. To further enhance its capacity as a microfinance institution, Bank of Makati partnered with SEDPI for an 8-day management training conducted from April 29 to May 9, 2013.

The Branch Manager Microfinance Training Program was held at the BMI principal office in Makati, attended by 19 participants. SEDPI delivered topics on fundamental principles of microfinance, delinquency management, character and capacity-based lending, financial analysis, and risk management. What is perhaps unique to SEDPI’s training program is its flexibility to suit the learning needs of its participants, catering even to those with minimal or no background in delivering financial products and services to small savers and, as BMI coined, the “new enterprising generation”.

All SEDPI trainers delivered interactive sessions. The discussions enabled an environment where participants can synthesize their own experiences and knowledge in banking and loans with newly imparted concepts. This was a crucial part in correcting some practices that are potential threats to organizational growth. Finally, all trainees underwent an examination to assess their technical skills in microfinance principles. Graduates of the program will receive a certificate of completion from the Ateneo de Manila University’s Development Studies Program.

SEDPI is proud to contribute to Bank of Makati’s mission in providing economic empowerment to more Filipinos. As its tagline reads, “Malalapitan, maaasahang kaibigan,” the bank’s new venture holds promise not only for the institution, but for its future microfinance clients as well.

SEDPI Wins Bid from Small Business Corporation

On April 23, 2013, the Small Business Corporation (SBC) awarded a project to SEDPI to conduct capacity building to two microfinance institutions. The project involves two microfinance institutions under the Rural Microenterprise Promotion Program (RuMEPP). RuMEPP is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to promote entrepreneurship by developing existing microenterprises and developing new ones.

A component of RuMEPP is the Microenterprise Financing facility for Rural Development which is a nationwide wholesale financing program for microfinance institutions with focus on the 19 poorest provinces of the Philippines. SBC is a major stakeholder in the program as the wholesale lender of funds to qualified microfinance institutions.

The two microfinance institutions included in the project are Fatima Multipurpose Cooperative in Leyte and Bibak Multipurpose Cooperative in Kalinga Apayao. The two organizations will undergo capacity building under SEDPI. There will be two components of the capacity building – organizational appraisal; and technical and mentoring assistance

SEDPI Books PhP4M worth of Projects for 1st Quarter

Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI) started 2013 with an influx of clients. For the first quarter of 2013, the SEDPI booked a total of approximately PhP4 million worth of capacity building services. This is a third higher than the target of the social enterprise for the quarter. There were a total of eight projects that were booked for the period.

Organization	Project Description	Location
Bank of Makati	Microfinance trainings to the bank’s management staff in preparation for expansion	Metro Manila
Climate Change Commission Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit	Environmental conditional cash transfer Subsector research Financial literacy trainings	Siargao Island
Department of Agrarian Reform	Training and Manual Development for DAR lawyers	Metro Manila, Davao, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Rizal
Institute of Social Entrepreneurship in Asia	Case study of Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Mutually Reinforcing Institutions through SEDPI CEO	Laguna
Oxfam International	Training on Making Markets Work for the Poor Subsector Research Social Enterprise Ideation for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene	Maguindanao
People’s Alternative Livelihood Foundation, Inc.	Organizational Appraisal to Improve Microfinance Operations	Sorsogon
Progressive Bank	Technical and Mentoring Assistance to Improve Microfinance Operations	Iloilo
Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan	Anti-Discrimination	Baguio

The projects with the Climate Change Commission and Oxfam International account for approximately 70% of the total contracts. SEDPI typically allocates 60%-70% of total contract cost for administrative expenses. With the projects booked, SEDPI GSE hopes to contribute to fulfilling its mission; and to contribute to the body of knowledge in the development sector.

CRBC Middle Managers Undergo Training on Financial Analysis

Last March 7 – 9, 2013 SEDPI trained the middle managers of Community Rural Bank of Catmon (CRBC) on Financial Analysis in Catmon, Cebu. The course aims to equip the participants with knowledge and skills that would enable them to format basic financial statements, compute for basic financial ratios, utilize these ratios to analyze financial performance of the bank and propose solutions based on the analyses. The training was delivered as a part of the technical and mentoring assistance that SEDPI provides to CRBC.

With plans to expand and deepen its outreach in their current area of operation, CRBC recognized the need to capacitate their middle managers on how to further make sound managerial decisions based on accurate analysis of their financial performance. Through this, the middle managers will be able to understand more deeply the impact of operational processes to their performance. During the three-day training, the participants were also introduced to the industry standard of a number of important financial measures such as portfolio quality, efficiency, profitability and financial structure.

One of the participants mentioned that the training allowed them to understand financial statements which they were not adept with prior to the training. Another participant also added that the activities, which made use of their own financial statements, are a great help in terms of providing a format and step by step actions that they can follow when they compute for succeeding financial performance of the bank.

Both trainers from SEDPI, Ms. Emilenn Kate Sacdalan and Ms. Enid Madarcos, received excellent ratings from the participants.

SEDPI, CCC Start Eco-Town Project in Palawan

San Vicente is a municipality in Palawan noted for its long beach front and dense forest covers. While it is classified as a first-class municipality, it remains vulnerable, environmentally and economically, to the devastating effects of climate change. The Climate Change Commission (CCC), through the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCAP), aims to build the resiliency of municipalities like San Vicente by creating eco-towns or ecologically sustainable and economically stable communities. The Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI) was contracted by the CCC to help San Vicente become an eco-town.

The San Vicente project commenced October 2013 and ended with the final fieldwork January 2014. It prioritized as beneficiaries those from poor families, especially women, who are micro-entrepreneurs and are also beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4 Ps).

Through SEDPI’s financial literacy workshops, participants are given the opportunity to break from unhealthy financial practices and cultivate a mindset that welcomes financial power as a value. This is a crucial first step to start a trend of strategic financial planning in the family.

This project requires the active leadership of the local government unit (LGU). The LGU’s role is critical as it should be able to create local legislation to make San Vicente friendly to microfinance and enterprise development. In aid of that, SEDPI facilitated an orientation that should give the officers a general direction in terms of creating ordinances that would secure a well-functioning market and a healthy financing scheme for the beneficiaries.

SEDPI is proud to be part of the San Vicente project. It has played the vital role of bringing together CCC, the San Vicente LGU, Dungganon Bank, and the locals to map the road towards eco-town. And SEDPI is dedicated to see this through, until San Vicente harvests its first fruit, or vegetable, of tangible success.

SEDPI Taps Microfinace Institution for Palawan Eco-Town Project

SEDPI, as partner in Climate Change Commission’s (CCC) eco-town project, facilitated a meeting between the Local Government of San Vicente, Palawan and the Dungganon Bank, on January 17, 2013. This meeting aimed to explore the possibility of making Dungganon the financial service provider for the eco-town project. The CCC project hopes to create economically stable and ecologically sustainable communities to address vulnerabilities brought about by Climate Change.

SEDPI Team, two San Vicente local government unit (LGU) officers and two municipal council members went to Dungganon-Roxas Branch to meet its Branch Manager, Mr. Rolando Deniega. It was advised that Dungganon conducts orientation with possible clients, especially those residents who are beneficiaries of DSWD’s 4Ps and who were trained on Financial Literacy by SEDPI. The orientation for the residents will highlight the promotion of Dungganon’s savings product to encourage them to save at least one to two months before considering availing loans.

An important part of the project is for the LGU to create ordinances to make San Vicente conducive for microfinance and enterprise development. The LGU should also ensure that a reputable microfinance institution, in this case, the Dungganon Bank, offer financial products that participants can avail to at least finance the start-up of their livelihood. In aid of that, SEDPI facilitated trainings on microfinance and enterprise development, and Making Markets Work for the Poor to 21 participants from the LGU. The LGU is tasked to provide trainings on vegetable farming and farm management to the 4P beneficiaries. This is to ensure that the capacity of the vegetable farmers to manage backyard gardens are sufficient to pay of loans from Dungganon Bank.

SEDPI hopes that participation of local banks in government projects and their openness to extend their products to the poor will do wonders in the overall resiliency of the community. Their involvement in the project should result to wider financial inclusion for those who never had the experience of being involved in financial systems. It should provide local banks opportunity to cater to clients not tapped before, and as a result, should push them to come up with more financial products and services.

ADMU AND BPI Globe BanKO Renews Partnership

With the shared mission of sustainable development and financial inclusion through developing capacities of microfinance institutions, the Ateneo De Manila University and BPI Globe BanKO inked another milestone to its partnership. The renewal of partnership between these two institutions hopes to extend further capacity building assistance and services to microfinance institutions in the country.

ADMU and BPI Globe BanKO Through the Years

The partnership between ADMU and BPI Globe BanKO started in 2007 during which one of the primary concerns of in terms of sustainability of microfinance operations is the lack of capacity building. “Back then, microfinance institutions need more than money for capital. They need to build their capacity in order to reach sustainability”, said Mariel Vincent Rapisura, Program Manager of the ADMU Microfinance Capacity Building Program. This idea became central to the establishment of the first partnership between ADMU and BPI Globe BanKO. The joint initiative aims to equip microfinance institutions – rural banks, cooperatives, non-government organizations – with relevant knowledge, skills and tools that will help them strengthen and boost their microfinance operation. It delivers research-based capacity building services to participants which allow them to identify practical points that can readily be applied to their respective institutions.

From an initial 6 training courses, the ptogram’s number of courses expanded to 35. These include core courses on fundamentals and methodologies of microfinance, market-based product design and development, delinquency management and financial analysis. To date, a total of 89 training events have been delivered to more than 1,800 participants from 279 microfinance institutions all over the Philippines. This translates to an outreach of at least 2 million microfinance clients. The training courses have also attracted participants from Asia particularly Indonesia, Singapore and Cambodia.

Establishment of Training Hubs

The rise in the demand for affordable training prompted the program to develop an innovative strategy that could address the issue. Mr. Rapisura said “If training events are conducted in Manila, other expenses far exceed the registration fee for the training. This makes institutions hesitant to send their staff. In order to address this, strategic partnerships with microfinance institutions are formed to localize the delivery of training”. Through the establishment of training hubs, training courses are made more accessible to microfinance practitioners especially those outside Metro Manila. This strategy allowed for wider geographical coverage of the training. Current training hubs include Alalay sa Kaunlaran Inc. (ASKI) in Central Luzon, Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives (NSCC) in Northern Luzon, Community Rural Bank of Catmon (CRBC) in Cebu, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) in Western Visayas, Metro Ormoc Community Cooperative (OCCCI) and Eastern Visayas Cooperative Federation (EVCF) in Leyte and Kasagana-Ka Development Center Inc. (KDCI) in Metro Manila.

Way forward

The Philippines has a relatively mature microfinance industry. The track record of the partnership, however, showed that as the landscape of industry shifted so has the challenges. Institutional capacity therefore must continuously be able to adapt to these changes. Mr. Rapisura added further that “capacity building is a loop. As a facilitator of the process, we commit ourselves to innovation to ensure that the partnership bears fruitful results”. These include identification of strategic training hub locations; development of new modules; and direct technical assistance to microfinance institutions.

ADMU and BPI Globe BanKO shall relentlessly provide quality capacity building to microfinance institutions in order to safeguard achievement of the common goal.

SEDPI and Mercator Models Hold Christmas Party at PCMC

Every year SEDPI celebrates Christmas for its management staff. It has also been a tradition for the management staff to select a certain group of marginalized sector and create a Christmas event with them. In 2012, the management staff of SEDPI chose to celebrate its Christmas Party with patients of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) on December 12, 2012.

A total of 50 children and their parents were provided with food and school supplies. Dr. Jennifer Olay, coordinated the event. She was also the host during the event. The medical staff of PCMC entertained the children with a dance number and parlor games were also conducted. Mercator models Maria Venus Raj, JC Tioseco and Benjamin Alves led the gift giving ceremony for the children.

Dr. Jennifer Olay is a fellow at PCMC. Jonas Gaffud is the CEO of Mercator Models, a leading modeling agency that is more popularly known in producing beauty queens. Dr. Jennifer Olay, Jonas Gaffud and Mariel Vincent Rapisura, SEDPI CEO, are classmates at Saint Vincent High School located in the remote province of Quirino.