.png){kind=logo}
2 weeks ago
14
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
MANILA, Philippines — Many Filipino entrepreneurs are now accustomed to using e-wallets for everyday transactions, but not everyone has fully made the shift to digital finance—often due to limited exposure and concerns over online security.
Five years after the pandemic, Fernando Gonzales, 57, a small business owner in Muntinlupa, continues to adjust to cashless transactions. Meanwhile, Ayrene Advincula, 53, uses e-wallets to pay bills online but has yet to adopt them for her business, citing fears of being scammed.
Microentrepreneurs Ayrene Advincula and Fernando Gonzales
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are widely recognized as the hope of the economy. Sadly, many of them struggle to survive beyond their early years due to slim margins, unpredictable cash flow and limited access to digital financial tools.
GCash aims to address this gap through Wais Tindera, a financial literacy caravan aimed at building stronger money habits and onboarding more nano- and micro-entrepreneurs into the digital economy.
Helping MSMEs move beyond survival mode
Wais Tindera’s goal is to equip small business owners with practical, easy-to-understand knowledge they can immediately apply to their daily operations—something that Muntinlupa MSMEs, including Gonzales and Advincula, took home.
“MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, yet many close within five years because running a business in the Philippines remains challenging,” CJ Alegre, head of sustainability at GCash, said.
“Through Wais Tindera, we equip nano- and micro-entrepreneurs with practical skills to start, manage and grow their businesses, while introducing digital tools like GCash that help them operate more efficiently and safely,” he added.
GCash head of sustainability CJ Alegre
Wais Tindera covers practical topics MSMEs regularly face—budgeting, savings, borrowing, cybersecurity and digital payments—in an interactive and engaging way, alongside games and raffles for the attendees.
These sessions also introduce GCash tools that can help business owners manage transactions and reduce their reliance on cash.
From small stores into digital community hubs
One of the key tools highlighted in the program is GCash Pera Outlet Plus, which allows sari-sari stores, salons, small cafés and other micro-businesses to offer cash-in, cash-out and bills payment services in their communities.
Alegre explained, “Most nano and micro entrepreneurs want to thrive, but many are still in survival mode. With GCash Pera Outlet Plus, small stores can earn additional income by serving as cash-in and cash-out hubs, while gaining access to digital services like business loans. This transforms a regular tindera into a tech-enabled community partner.”
By acting as digital touchpoints, these micro-businesses can create an additional revenue stream for themselves as well as bring financial services closer to customers who may not have easy access to banks.
Making borrowing more accessible and responsible
Access to capital remains one of the biggest hurdles for MSMEs, especially first-time borrowers who often lack collateral or formal credit histories.
Wais Tindera also addresses this challenge by educating entrepreneurs on responsible borrowing and introducing them to lending options available within the GCash ecosystem.
“Through Fuse, the lending arm of GCash, GCash Pera Outlet members can access collateral-free loans of up to P350,000, assessed through an AI-powered scoring system,” Alegre said.
This program allows first-time borrowers to access fair, safe and manageable credit, and grow their business with dignity.
He emphasized that this makes borrowing sustainable and aligned with a business owner’s capacity to repay, helping them grow without falling into debt traps.
Supporting the shift to a cash-lite economy
Many micro-entrepreneurs still operate informally, relying heavily on cash and handwritten records. Through simple onboarding and fast approvals, GCash aims to lower the barriers for these businesses to go digital.
“With GCash Pera Outlet and GCash for Business, MSMEs gain tools that help them track sales, manage transactions and organize daily operations. This helps them transition into a more cash-lite and inclusive digital economy,” Alegre shared.
Local government leaders have also expressed the importance of digital and financial literacy as more transactions move online.
During the caravan, Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Stephanie Wong discussed how programs like Wais Tindera help entrepreneurs make better-informed decisions about capital and business growth.
“One of the biggest challenges our micro-entrepreneurs face is financial literacy—knowing where to invest their capital and how to grow their business sustainably,” she said. “Digital platforms help address this gap by making transactions more accessible and easier to manage.”
However, scams and fraudulent transactions remain a major concern for MSMEs that are new to online platforms—and which is why cybersecurity is one of Wais Tindera’s core pillars.
“Security is our top priority. From OTP verification to confirmation checks, safeguards are embedded in every transaction,” Alegre stressed.
Vice Mayor Wong thanked the Wais Tindera caravan for teaching their local entrepreneurs how to identify and avoid scams as part of their digital journey.
By combining education with accessible digital tools, the program aims to help MSMEs build confidence in using technology and in making smarter financial decisions for the long term.
Focusing on budgeting, savings, borrowing, cybersecurity and digital payments, Wais Tindera will continue to visit other parts of the country this year, with the goal of reaching more micro-entrepreneurs and helping them grow their businesses.
Editor's Note: This #Brandspace story is created with GCash. It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent of our Editorial newsroom.
