Track Record

Microfinance

Capacity building services

Trained close to 33,000 microfinance and social enterprise stakeholders from approximately 3,200 development organizations in 31 countries worldwide à Austria, Belgium, Benin, Burikna Faso, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam and the Philippines

Participated in various conferences worldwide to showcase its microfinance social enterprise models – Benin, Burkina Faso, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Spain, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the Philippines

Implements the Ateneo-SEDPI Microfinance Capacity Building Services. 2,800 currently enrolled in the Diploma Course in Microfinance while 500 have already graduated

Developed more than 80 courses on microfinance that is customized at the local context and benchmarked with international good practices

Regularly conducts public-run trainings all over the Philippines

Impact of microfinance to end clients by SEDPI-assisted MFIs: 70% are better able to send children to school; 43% improved housing; 38% had increase in savings; 37% had increase in income and 25% improved diet.

Growth and development of rural banks and microfinance institutions

The National Confederation of Cooperatives gave an award to SEDPI in 2017 recognizing its efforts in developing the microfinance manual used in cooperatives. Sine 2007, the manual was used and replicated to 67 cooperatives nationwide with over PhP1 Billion in savings mobilized and PhP2 Billion in loans released.
Conducted due diligence audit with ASA Philippines to float PhP4 Billion bonds under the Asian Development Bank’s Credit Guarantee Investment Facility
Built the capacity of 23 microfinance institutions to develop agricultural financing products with the Department of Agrarian Reform’s Micro-Agri Loan Product which generated PhP75 million in savings and release over PhP343 million in agricultural loans.
SEDPI provided Technical and mentoring assistance (TAMA) to at least 100 MFIs all over the Philippines. Through TAMA, the MFIs were able to improve policies and practices in order to achieve better financial performance and organizational sustainability
People’s Alternative Livelihood Foundation for Sorsogon, Inc. (PALFSI) – PALFSI was able to reverse consecutive years of losses of almost PhP50 million when it started its rehabilitation program with SEDPI in 2013. SEDPI guided PALFSI to negotiate restructuring of its debt with funders to allow it breathing space to recover. For 2016, PALFSI has emerged from negative equity for the first time in five years. It also started expansion of its operations in the same year.
Abuyog Saint Francis Xavier Cooperative (AFFCO) – AFCCO was able to enhance its organizational efficiency through SEDPI’s interventions. It was able to reduce costs in half while maintaining the portfolio amount and quality. It was also able to improve its COOP-PESOS rating from 80 to 87. In 2011, SEDPI introduced pro-poor micro-agr financial products that currently performs much better than its original design. It was also able to design restricted savings for climate change adaptation against natural calamities.
Progressive Bank, Inc. (PBI) – Through SEDPI’s TAMA in 2007, PBI increased its number of clients from 13,000 to 27,000 in four years and was able to grow its portfolio from PhP30 million to PhP122 million. It also introduced performance-based incentive scheme to staff. PBI currently covers five provinces in Western Visayas from just two.
Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes, Inc. (ARDCI) – In 2005, SEDPI provided organizational appraisal and TAMA to ARDCI. It improved its portfolio at risk ratio from 36% to 1% in 18 months. It also reversed four years of cumulative net losses amounting to ~PhP20 million and achieved breakeven in one year. Since then, ARDCI has grown to be the biggest and strongest MFI in the Bicol region with an outreach of 100,000 clients from 9,000. It also grew its loan portfolio from PhP80 million to PhP1 Billion.

Social entrepreneurship

Training partner of Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship
Finalists to the Entrepreneur of the Year Award of Ernst and Young in 2012
Developed training modules on social entrepreneurship for the National University of Singapore and Ateneo de Manila University
Developed two training programs and conducted the training of trainers for social enterprises in Vietnam through Center for Social Initiatives Promotion.
Has a sister company that supports the incubation of start up social enterprises
Supported at least 30 start up social enterprises under incubation: Good Food, Route +63, Klinikalusugan, Solar Solutions, Magis Solutions, Lingap Galing Cleaners, Web Retail for SE products, Tribal Tours, Job Placement for Informal Sector, and Microfranchise.
Training partner of the British Council in the “I am a Changemaker” Competition for Social Enterprise Ideation

Financial literacy

Conducted 120 financial literacy training events overseas to ~2,500 migrants in 18 countries worldwide à Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States of America
Trained more than 35,000 students, remittance receivers, migrants and young professionals in the Philippines
Conducted training of trainers (TOT) to MFI staff on how to deliver financial education to microenterprise clients
Developed and localized 11 training modules on financial literacy – (1) savings; (2) budgeting; (3) debt management; (4) microinsurance; (5) financial negotiations; (6) taking off to financial success; (7) wealth creation and asset accumulation; (8) making debt work to your advantage; (9) financial empowerment through self-mastery; (10) making financial plans work; and (11) understanding investments – making money work for you.
Impact of financial literacy trainings: 25% of those who are financially broke have gone out of indebtedness; 85% have started saving; 75% accessed government insurance for migrants; and 50% planned financial goals with family members
Mobilized over PhP34 million worth of social investments from migrants.
Provided PhP250 million microfinance wholesale loans to 20 MFIs reaching approximately 535,237 households.
Participated in various conferences worldwide as resource speaker – Luxembourg, India, Israel and Italy
Published a book on personal finance – (L)Earning Wealth: Successful Strategies in Money Management
Runs an online talk show with Rappler: “Usapang Pera: Mga Tips sa Pagyaman with Vince and Venus”

Micro-agri projects

Appraised more than 100 Microfinance Institutions that included the financial product design preferences of microfinance clients that include farmers all over the Philippines
Provided technical and mentoring assistance to more than 75 Microfinance Institutions in the Philippines that provide financial services to agri and non-agricultural clients
Pilot tested, launched and commercialized micro-agri financial products to 25 microfinance institutions
Conducted research on microinsurance that includes risk mitigation strategies for climate change adaptation for agricultural based enterprises

Climate change adaptation

Conducted research on weather-based insurance index in 7 provinces
Developed information materials for microenterprises to understand and appreciate microinsurance in general and insurance protection against climate change. The total reach is estimated at 300,000 households all over the Philippines
Conducted research on coping mechanisms of the poor on insurable events such as death, sickness, natural disasters and climate change in 12 provinces
Developed agri-based financial products for 2 microfinance institutions with primary consideration on climate change adaptation
Invested PhP15 million to renewable energy social enterprises
Pilot tested and built a model ready for replication on community shared agriculture focusing on risk-sharing of farmers and consumers on climate change events such as typhoons and floods
Designed climate change adaptation community of practice website that acts as portal for LGUs and the public at large on information on disaster and climate change

Digital finance services and fintech

Partnered with the largest commercial bank in the Philippines to open bank accounts for farmers and microenterprises that will be linked to mobile money accounts
Conducted digital finance study examining appropriate fintech platforms and as well as demand and supply of digital finance services with the World Council of Credit Unions
Commissioned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Bankable Frontier Associates to conduct focus group discussions to obtain a better picture of the demand for payment services in the Philippines
Contracted by the USAID Scaling Innovations in Mobile Money, through its implementing partner, Development Alternatives Inc., to conduct market research and development of financial education on the adoption of mobile money, including training of trainers and development of training materials such as comic books and videos
Conduct of Microfinance Trainings for BPI-Globe BanKO
Conducted research with Mercy Corps Philippines to document MFI experience in branchless banking and need for transactional services to clients like bill payments and remittances

Governance

Conducted more than 100 strategic planning sessions and community-based strategic planning for microfinance institutions, social enterprises, and community-based enterprise/organizations
Developed a course on Governance and Managing Growth of development organizations and social enterprises
Evaluated board functions of more than 100 microfinance institutions and social enterprises

Partnerships, network memberships and accreditations

Ateneo de Manila University
Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
Pag-IBIG Fund
Social Security System
International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions
People’s Development Trust Fund
Department of Agrarian Reform

Competitive advantage

85% of MFI branches assisted are in the rural areas
Directly assists 16 MFIs all over the Philippines