PHILGUARANTEE attended and recognized at the SME Finance Forum: A SME Water & Sanitation Value Chain Forum

From left to right: PHILGUARANTEE PCEO Alberto Pascual, Meike Kencanawulan Martawidjaja (Director of Infrastructure Financing, Ministry of Public Works and Human Settlements), Mr. Dian Kusuma (Head of Risk Management Division, PT Jamkrida Jawa Tengah), CARD SME Bank Deputy Director Rosanna Cacha, RBAP Executive Director Rafael Amparo and Water.org Portfolio Lead Dick Pajarillo

August 6, 2024 — The SME Finance Forum held at the Fairmont Hotel on August 6, 2024, brought together key figures to discuss enhancing access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Organized by Water.org in collaboration with the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), the event featured a distinguished panel addressing the complexities of SME financing. PHILGUARANTEE’s President and CEO, Alberto Pascual, participated in a panel on Credit and Risk Guarantees, emphasizing the role of government guarantees in mitigating risks associated with water projects and supporting national infrastructure investment. The discussion highlighted various credit guarantee programs available to financial institutions and their role in managing financial risks.

Mr. Rafael Amparo, Executive Director of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP), praised PHILGUARANTEE’s Agrarian Guarantee Fund Program (AGFP) for its improvements in turnaround time for guarantee claims and its positive impact on rural banking. Ms. Rosanna Cacha, Deputy Director for Risk Management at CARD SME Bank, also lauded PHILGUARANTEE for its robust risk support, which has encouraged increased lending to the agricultural and MSME sectors. The forum underscored the progress made in SME financing and fostered a collaborative environment for stakeholders to exchange strategies and solutions.

From: Strategy Management and Communications Department