NEWS & ARTICLES

Last year brought significant challenges and developments for Philippine small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Access to financing remains an issue: banks only lent 4.52% of their loan portfolio to SMEs as of June 2024. In August and October, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reduced...

The nation is teetering on the brink of chaos. A fragile political ecosystem is under intense strain, especially with the scrutiny surrounding the 2025 national budget, which is laden with accusations of corruption. If not addressed with urgency and precision, this may reach a point...

How to manage finances and where to access capital, which are critical for sustainability, are questions often asked by business owners and leaders. In an earlier article featured in a MAP column, entitled “The Journey of MSMEs: Are we there yet?,” I cited limited financing and...

Government documents often sparkle with noble ideas. For example, AmBisyon 2040, a government manifesto spearheaded by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), portrays a life for Filipinos in 2040 that is matatag (resilient), maginhawa (comfortable), and panatag (peaceful). The manifesto’s 2040 goal is “a prosperous middle-class society where no one...

With technology being at the forefront of all financial services being made available, which lending platform is really pro-poor, and inclusive? The days of “5-6” (a usurious lending scheme of yesteryears) seem to be numbered if technology makes borrowing money simpler and less cumbersome. These days,...

For companies seeking individuals to appoint as members of their Board of Directors, a common source is the pool of CEOs approaching retirement. Many professionals, including entrepreneurs, often assume that “there is no life after retirement.” In reality, vast opportunities exist to leverage one’s skills...

The Agrarian Reform Law is one of the most controversial and divisive laws ever enacted in the Philippines. It required the martial law powers of President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. and the popularity of President Corazon Aquino to have it passed and expanded. From the time...

Why do we fuss over board diversity, especially when it comes to women’s representation? Because we believe a diverse board makes for a more profitable company. And what is a company doing business for anyway? Is not profit the first thing on anyone’s agenda at...

Transformative digitalization has been the buzz words in business operations these past years. With all the expert knowledge and successful cases, why do some businesses still seem to hit brick walls? By now, most companies should already have successful digitalized business processes and focus on...