FROM THE MARGINS Last August, the Insurance Commission (IC) reported that in the first quarter of this year, 51.70 million lives were insured by microinsurance. Microinsurance promotes financial inclusion since it allows the poor to hedge against risks such as death, injury and damage to...
FROM THE MARGINS Two weeks ago, I had an opportunity to visit Bandhan Bank, a banking and financial services company headquartered in Kolkata, India. I thank my good friend, Mr. Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, for his gracious invitation to their 8th year-anniversary celebration. My friendship with...
FROM THE MARGINS How can we promote financial inclusion alongside financial stability and integrity? How do we capitalize on the transformational impact of technology while ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups are not left behind? These critical questions will be discussed in the 2023...
FROM THE MARGINS I had the opportunity to experience the famous Kadayawan Festival, Davao City’s annual cultural celebration that features street dancing, floral float parades, concerts and other activities. Held every third week of August, the Kadayawan highlights the rich and diverse cultures...
FROM THE MARGINS More Filipinos are becoming part of the formal financial system. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Eli Remolona, Jr. has announced that their goal to raise to 70 percent the number of adult Filipinos with bank accounts will be achieved this year. This is great news! Only...
FROM THE MARGINS Aug. 17 to 24 is National Microfinance Week. It remains an important anti-poverty measure, now subsumed under the broader financial inclusion advocacy. With an enabling environment fostered by regulators, the Philippine microfinance industry continues to thrive, serving millions of...
FROM THE MARGINS Two news items made me happy last week: the easing of inflation to a 16th-month low and the continuing improvement of the labor market, with joblessness projected to be reduced next year. Inflation is slowly being managed, but we need to be vigilant about the effects of global...
FROM THE MARGINS It’s typhoon season once again. We need to brace ourselves for torrential rains even as we are still recovering from the havoc caused by Typhoons Egay and Falcon. Aggravated by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), these typhoons affected more than 2.3 million people in 4,111...
FROM THE MARGINS I believe that people are put in our lives for a reason. Throughout my life journey, I had been blessed by people who led me through paths that helped me touch the lives of countless others. I have been working with the poor for decades and have seen hope — and hopelessness —...
FROM THE MARGINS President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. will be delivering his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) today. We expect to hear positive reports on his priority programs, particularly on agriculture, energy, infrastructure, technology, tourism, education, tax reform, health, and other...
FROM THE MARGINS I take my hats off to new Insurance Commission (IC) Chief Reynaldo Regalado, who considers microinsurance integral to the Commission’s bid to increase insurance penetration. Microinsurance offers protection tailor-fitted to the poor, with affordable premiums, simple documentary...
FROM THE MARGINS While attending a meeting of the microfinance credit bureau, I was touched when a long-time colleague in the industry told me that he was following my column. He told me, “Aris, you know that we are one of the pioneering MFIs in the country, but over the years, as we expanded, we...
