{"id":58957,"date":"2025-06-25T18:53:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T10:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sedpi.com\/en\/?p=58957"},"modified":"2025-08-17T22:13:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T14:13:47","slug":"sedpi-calls-for-urgent-action-to-support-nano-enterprises-at-un-women-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sedpi.com\/en\/sedpi-calls-for-urgent-action-to-support-nano-enterprises-at-un-women-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"SEDPI Calls for Urgent Action to Support Nano Enterprises at UN Women Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Quezon City, Philippines<\/em>. 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\u2014highlighting their struggles, resilience, and potential to contribute to climate adaptation if properly supported.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Speaking before women-led social solidarity economy (SSE) organizations, government agencies, and development partners, Rapisura framed nano enterprises as the \u201cinvisible backbone\u201d 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\u2014defined as businesses with assets below \u20b1150,000 and no formal employees\u2014are left out of official statistics and largely unserved by government programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are mostly women-run businesses, borne out of necessity, not opportunity,\u201d Rapisura said. \u201cThey are not innovating because they want to. They are surviving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEDPI\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to these realities, SEDPI launched several initiatives. Its damayan program\u2014SEDPI KaTambayayong\u2014offers fast, low-documentation benefits to disaster-affected members without requiring loans. Since 2017, it has released over \u20b137 million in solidarity benefits, offering an alternative to high-interest emergency loans. \u201cPeople first. Not market-based, but mission-based,\u201d Rapisura asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also criticized the current punitive financial systems that label clients as \u201cdelinquents\u201d when they miss payments due to illness or disaster. Instead, he proposed a compassionate approach: fixed service fees, no penalties, and treating members as \u201crecovering, disaster-vulnerable clients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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 \u20b1350,000 home due to flooding and financial constraints, Rapisura called for public subsidies.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cClimate-adaptive housing shouldn\u2019t be a luxury. It should be a right,\u201d he argued, proposing that the Loss and Damage Fund under the UN and COP-47 be mobilized to subsidize low-income housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rapisura concluded his talk with a call to action. \u201cWala pa tayong Loss and Damage Fund, but we can start small. Help us build a safer home for Lot-Lot. Kahit \u20b1100 lang, malaking bagay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presentation resonated with the summit\u2019s themes of gender-responsive climate resilience and inclusive economic empowerment through the SSE framework. As Rapisura reminded the audience, \u201cAng pagyaman, napag-aaralan at napagtutulungan.\u201d Through collective effort, even the smallest enterprises can weather the storm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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