Quezon City, Philippines. At the Regional Summit on Inclusive Economic Empowerment to Accelerate Climate Action and Low Carbon Solutions, Vince Rapisura, co-founder and president of the Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI), delivered a compelling presentation on the state of nano enterprises in the Philippines—highlighting their struggles, resilience, and potential to contribute to climate adaptation if properly supported.
Speaking before women-led social solidarity economy (SSE) organizations, government agencies, and development partners, Rapisura framed nano enterprises as the “invisible backbone” of the Philippine informal economy. He revealed that while the Department of Trade and Industry recognizes 1.1 million microenterprises, around 8.1 million nano enterprises—defined as businesses with assets below ₱150,000 and no formal employees—are left out of official statistics and largely unserved by government programs.
“These are mostly women-run businesses, borne out of necessity, not opportunity,” Rapisura said. “They are not innovating because they want to. They are surviving.”
SEDPI’s research, in partnership with the World Bank and Ateneo de Manila University, shows that most nano entrepreneurs did not choose business as a career path. Instead, they were driven to entrepreneurship due to the lack of employment, economic shocks, and family obligations. Despite these challenges, Rapisura emphasized that women nano entrepreneurs demonstrate stronger income stability during disasters than informal wage labor, especially among men.
In response to these realities, SEDPI launched several initiatives. Its damayan program—SEDPI KaTambayayong—offers fast, low-documentation benefits to disaster-affected members without requiring loans. Since 2017, it has released over ₱37 million in solidarity benefits, offering an alternative to high-interest emergency loans. “People first. Not market-based, but mission-based,” Rapisura asserted.
He also criticized the current punitive financial systems that label clients as “delinquents” when they miss payments due to illness or disaster. Instead, he proposed a compassionate approach: fixed service fees, no penalties, and treating members as “recovering, disaster-vulnerable clients.”
On housing, Rapisura highlighted how informal settlers live in hazard-prone areas with substandard homes. Citing a pilot project where a couple named Lot-Lot and Nonoy struggled to finish their ₱350,000 home due to flooding and financial constraints, Rapisura called for public subsidies.
“Climate-adaptive housing shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be a right,” he argued, proposing that the Loss and Damage Fund under the UN and COP-47 be mobilized to subsidize low-income housing.
Rapisura concluded his talk with a call to action. “Wala pa tayong Loss and Damage Fund, but we can start small. Help us build a safer home for Lot-Lot. Kahit ₱100 lang, malaking bagay.”
The presentation resonated with the summit’s themes of gender-responsive climate resilience and inclusive economic empowerment through the SSE framework. As Rapisura reminded the audience, “Ang pagyaman, napag-aaralan at napagtutulungan.” Through collective effort, even the smallest enterprises can weather the storm.
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