Foot soldiers of change

In many communities across the country — where sari-sari stores line dusty roads and tricycles buzz between barangay centers — an often-unheralded force pushes the boundaries of economic opportunity: Microfinance workers.

- JAIME ARISTOTLE B. ALIP, PHD

These foot soldiers of change travel miles each day, meeting with microentrepreneurs in humble surroundings, offering not just loans but hope, guidance, anda bridge to the formal financial world.

Their efforts come at a pivotal moment: just last month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a major lending boost for MSMEs, directing the Department of Information and Communications Technology and digital banks to expand mobile and online loan services to micro, small, and medium enterprises nationwide. This bold push dovetails with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ ongoing agenda to deepen digital payment systems like QR Ph—underscoring the human element that makes technology work on the ground.

Jayrald’s journey:

From delivery boy to loan officer

Jayrald Mangay-ayam worked various jobs before joining ASKI Microfinance in 2018. “Mula sa pagiging delivery man ng fast food, naging karpintero, at ngayon ay isa na akong microfinance loan officer,” he shares with pride. Through a family friend’s referral, he landed a probationary role at ASKI. The work was demanding—traveling to far-flung sitios to collect payments, process loans, and educate clients.