Voyager Innovations bags three trophies at the 53rd Anvil awards

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

Voyager Innovations—the digital innovations arm of PLDT and Smart Communicationshas again exemplified excellence in its various public relations campaigns and initiatives, bringing home three trophies at the recently held 53rd Anvil Awards.

FINTQ’s PR campaign for KasamaKAa grassroots-based, self-help, and digital-enabled social intervention and last mile solution to promote financial literacy and inclusive growth—bagged a Gold Anvil award. Meanwhile, PayMaya Philippines’ PR campaign for its product launches titled Building One Cashless Society with PayMaya and Voyager’s internal program for employees dubbed as Everyday is Launch Day: Voyager Group Occupies Launchpad both received a Silver Anvil Award.

“These awards are testaments that an effective strategic communications plan leads to positive social change and yields positive results for the business. We are honored that our programs were recognized by a prestigious organization like the Public Relations Society of the Philippines as it cements the effectiveness of the tools we create aimed to support the business and touch lives of the people in communities we serve,” said Nick Bautista Wilwayco, Associate Director and Head of PR and Communications (VOY) at Voyager Innovations.

The annual Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines recognizes the best programs and tools that meet the highest PR standards. It is one of the most coveted prize in the Public Relations industry as entries are rigorously screened by seasoned PR practitioners in the country.

KasamaKA, PLDT-Smart Foundation donate Php5 Million to Tindig Marawi for digital halal microfinancing pilot

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

KasamaKA advocates for financial inclusion in Mindanao covering displaced microentrepreneurs in Marawi City through Tindig Marawi. In photo (from left): Mindanao Peace Advocate and Actor Robin Padilla, BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla, Jr., FINTQ Managing Director and KasamaKA Founder and Lead Convenor Lito Villanueva.

As part of its program to accelerate financial inclusion nationwide, FINTQnologies Corp.’s (FINTQ) KasamaKA, through PLDT-Smart Foundation, has handed over Php5 million donation to Robin Padilla’s Tindig Marawi movement.

The amount, which will be managed by Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation in partnership with local cooperatives in Mindanao, will serve as seed capital to pilot the country’s first digital halal microfinancing initially for 500 displaced microentrepreneurs in Marawi City. It covers half of the Php10 million that KasamaKA – FINTQ’s income and community builder program – intends to donate to kickstart the Tindig Marawi Livelihood Fund to rebuild businesses and economic activities in the aftermath of the terror attack in the city.

FINTQ is the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations, the digital innovations company focused on developing emerging market platforms.

“We are one with the government in enabling our Muslim brothers to optimize their full potential. This collaboration with KasamaKA and Tindig Marawi is just an initial step to more capacity-building initiatives leveraging on mobile technology,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, Chairman of PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PLDT Smart Foundation.

“We thank KasamaKA and the BSP for allowing us to make this dream a reality. Our commitment to help rebuild Marawi through capacity-building and community empowerment is the reason why we are all here. This project supports President Duterte’s program to bring all the necessary assistance to develop Mindanao. And this is now a reality,” said Robin Padilla of Tindig Marawi.

The ceremonial handover for the donation was witnessed by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. during a courtesy call made by Tindig Marawi and FINTQ officials. “This initiative is perfectly aligned with the BSP’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion. We commend the people behind this movement in giving our fellow Muslim Filipinos the chance to again start their microeconomic activities in Marawi City. This will ultimately bring Mindanao to a digitally inclusive financial system,” said Espenilla.

Voyager Innovations and FINTQ President and CEO Orlando B. Vea reiterated the call for financial inclusion: “This collaboration is part of our initiatives to push for inclusive digital finance in critical areas. We hope to further reach more individuals as we aim to include 30 million Filipinos in the formal financial system by 2020 through our various platforms and solutions.”

“In KasamaKA, we believe that the story of financial inclusion is not complete without Mindanao. Our vision of being inclusive starts with our Muslim brothers and sisters. What makes this extra special is that it relives the spirit of ‘bayanihan’ and sense of community amongst our Maranaos in Marawi and the rest of our fellow Filipinos in Mindanao,” said Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director and KasamaKA Founder and Lead Convenor.

Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation is a member of AMIN Foundation, an organization that advocates for financial inclusion for Muslim Filipinos. It aims to provide a culturally-sensitive and faith-based microfinance assistance, on top of rebuilding the livelihood of the survivors of the Marawi siege to bring back economic activity in the city.

KasamaKA is a grassroots-based, self-help, and digital-enabled social intervention and last mile solution to promote financial literacy and inclusive growth. It is a cost-efficient, convenient, secured, and transparent shared services platform to expand the reach of banks, financial services and insurance sector to the unbanked and underserved Filipinos providing microsavings, microinsurance, microinvestments, and lending products. To know more, visit www.kasamaka.com

Tindig Marawi is a movement created by Padilla to increase awareness on the critical needs of the people in war-torn Marawi and gather support from different individuals, corporations, and organizations in rebuilding the city.

Lendr recognized as best consumer finance product in PH for 2017

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

In Photo (from left to right): Neeti Aggarwal, The Asian Banker Senior Manager, Research; Guillaume Danielou, FINTQ; Richard Hartung, The AsianBanker International Advisor; Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director; Agustin Santiago, FINTQ; Foo Boo Ping, The Asian Banker Managing Editor.

Pioneering and award-winning digital lending platform Lendr recently bagged yet another international recognition as it was recently named the “Best Consumer Finance Product” at the Asian BankerPhilippine Country Awards 2017 held recently in Makati City.

Lendr (www.lendr.com.ph), developed by Voyager Innovations’ financial technology arm FINTQ, allows prospective borrowers to search for thebest loan, file their applications and submit requirements online or via mobile phones, eliminating the need to go to a physical bank branch or to fill out long and complicated application forms.

“Lendr has been making inroads as the leading digital lending platform in the country today, and this accolade from The Asian Banker further illustrates how it has become a pervasive and useful platform for financial inclusion,” said Lito Villanueva, Managing Director at FINTQ. “Withthe right mix of a digitally-enabled platform, a set of partners that is willing to take the risk in digital, and a sustainable business model that has proven to be a win-win for all, we have created a breakthrough solution that benefits everyone with Lendr.”

This is the second time that The Asian Banker has recognized Voyager for its role in developing breakthrough digital innovations, with Voyager President and CEO Orlando B. Vea receiving the Asian Banker Innovation Leadership Achievement Award for the Philippines early this year.

Sustainable performance

Lendr was recognized for promoting financial inclusion among Filipinos nationwide, including those in far-flung provinces out of reach by thetraditional banking system. At the same time, it helps enable banks and other financial institutions by providing a common platform where they can engage with new markets via digital and mobile technology.

The Asian Banker awarded Lendr for exhibiting “a sustainable business performance in 2016,” since it has so far helped disbursed more than P24 billion in loans to users in 100% of Philippine provinces, 91% of cities, and 26% of municipalities nationwide.

It is the first non-bank product to receive such a distinction from the prestigious institution.  

To date, Lendr has partnered with more than 50 bank and non-bank institutions in various stages of onboarding, offering loan products such as personal loan, salary loan, OFW loan, car loan, housing loan, trucks & equipment loan, motorcycle loan, DepEd loan, and farmer/fisher loan, among many others.

FINTQ is the leader in customer-centric, demand-driven, mobile-first, value-creating, and inclusive digital financial innovations through collaboration across strategic markets with award-winning and pioneering platforms, products and services. It is the largest and the only financial technology business in the country with diverse digital banking and finance portfolio of platforms including lending, security, micro-savings, micro-investments, insurance, disbursements, micro-credit and virtual banking, among others.

In its three years of existence, FINTQ has garnered more than 30 local and international awards for its various platforms.

For more information about FINTQ and all of its products and services, please visit www.fintq.com.

FINTQ’s KasamaKA and Lendr recognized at the Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2017

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

In Photo: FINTQ Managing Director and KasamaKA Founder and Lead Convenor Lito Villanueva receives the Most Innovative Fintech Collaboration Award for Kasama/ Lender Partnership from The Asset.

Two homegrown initiatives of FINTQnologies Corp.’s (FINTQ) were recognized at the recent Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2017, a preeminent annual awards excellence program that distinguishes the best in class for the digital and finance industries across the Asian region.

KasamaKA– a community and income builder program– and Lendr–its digital lending platform– were named as the Most Innovative Fintech Collaboration by The Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2017. 

The Asset particularly recognized how the two initiatives have worked hand-in-hand to pursue financial inclusion and cater to the underserved and unbanked communities in the Philippines. FINTQ, the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations, is the sole entity awarded by the coveted award-giving body from the Philippines.

Receiving the award is FINTQ Managing Director and KasamaKA Founder and Lead Convenor Lito Villanueva.

“With the recognition of the digital platforms and programs we have created to attain Voyager and FINTQ’s big goal of including 30 million Filipinos by 2020 in the formal financial system, we are all the more inspired to develop more digital financial platforms to achieve our goal,” said Villanueva.

The Asset Triple A Digital Awards for 2017 recognizes financial institutions and technology firms that have excelled in innovating and developing a unique digital experience for customers across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. Its process for the selection of winners is backed by a stringent methodology and rigorous approach.

The Asset Triple A Awards has been built upon a stringent methodology, combined with the rigorous approach to the selection of the winners of the coveted Triple A Awards.

FINTQnologies Corp. is the leader in customer-centric, demand driven, evidence-based, and mobile-first digital financial innovations by way of engaging regulators, enabling enterprises, and empowering individuals. FINTQ is committed to accelerating universal digital access to finance at scale via pioneering financial technologies in growth and emerging markets. It is the financial technology arm of Voyager Innovations under the PLDT Group. To know more, visit www.fintq.com

CIMB taps FINTQ’s Lendr to achieve scale as it enters the Philippine market

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

In Photo (from Left): Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director; Orlando B. Vea, Voyager Innovations and FINTQ President and CEO; Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT, Voyager Innovations, FINTQ Chairman; Samir Gupta, CIMB CEO, Group Consumer Banking; Gurdip Singh, CIMB Group Chief Strategy Officer; Vijay Manoharan, CIMB Senior Managing Director for Digital Banking and Decision Management, Group Consumer Banking.

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

In Photo (from Left): Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director; Orlando B. Vea, Voyager Innovations and FINTQ President and CEO; Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT, Voyager Innovations, FINTQ Chairman; Samir Gupta, CIMB CEO, Group Consumer Banking; Gurdip Singh, CIMB Group Chief Strategy Officer; Vijay Manoharan, CIMB Senior Managing Director for Digital Banking and Decision Management, Group Consumer Banking.

CIMB taps FINTQ’s Lendr to achieve scale as it enters the Philippine market

Kuala Lumpur-based CIMB has started to beef up its operations in the Philippines by tapping FINTQ—the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations—for its lending business.

CIMB, Malaysia’s second largest lender, is the first foreign bank in the ASEAN region to tap Lendr for its digital-only strategy in the Philippines. Through the agreement, CIMB will gain access to prospective Filipinos seeking for loan products that best suit their needs.

This move by the Malaysian lender is in line with its strategy to establish itself as a ‘digital-only bank’ in the country. A digital retail banking strategy trims banks’ cost-to-income ratio—a measure of efficiency and productivity for banks. A lower ratio indicates a higher efficiency and profitability for a company.

Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz, CIMB Group CEO said, “We are pleased that our relationship with PLDT has evolved into a strong, strategic partnership with its related companies. We are confident that by leveraging on these partners’ local strengths as well as CIMB’s extensive digital experience, we will be able to provide our customers in the Philippines with a seamless digital banking experience. CIMB is excited with the prospects that the Philippines market offers and we are also confident that our differentiated strategy based on digital and partnerships will bring a strong value proposition into the market.”

“We are excited to collaborate with CIMB on this fast growing FinTech space. This is in line with our mission to collaborate with partners and develop mutually beneficial propositions. This is just the start of a long-term fruitful partnership with one of ASEAN’s largest banks,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan Chairman of PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and FINTQ.

“This collaboration with FINTQ paves the way for CIMB to further expand its reach and grow its scale as it begins to operate in the Philippine market. This also empowers our consumers as they gain access to more loan products through our Lendr platform, where they can easily secure access to funding anytime, anywhere through their mobile phones,” said Orlando B. Vea, Voyager Innovations and FINTQ President and CEO.

Through Lendr, consumers can apply for their desired loan products by visiting Lendr’s website: www.lendr.com.ph or through the Lendr app (for Android phone users initially). They simply need to create their Lendr account and profile, provide all necessary information and submit their application with their desired lending partner of Lendr at their most convenient time, without having to visit a bank branch.

“As the Philippines’ leading digital lending service with the most extensive digital footprint covering all provinces in the country, Lendr aims to always provide our partners and consumers a 24/7 accessible mobile platform solution that caters to their respective needs. As our first foreign bank partner in the ASEAN region for Lendr, this collaboration with CIMB allows us to grow our ecosystem of partner financial institutions while at the same time providing more options for our consumers,” said Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director.

FINTQ’s partners for Lendr, its pioneering and award-winning digital lending platform include: China Bank Savings, PNB Savings Bank, RCBC Savings Bank, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank, Camalig Bank, Inc. (A Rural Bank), Philippine Business Bank, Producers Savings Bank Corp.,First Circle, PawnHero, Esquire Financing, Inc., ALGO Leasing and Finance, Inc., EastWest Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, Maybank Philippines, Inc., Insular Bank (A Rural Bank), Development Bank of the Philippines, JK Capital Finance, Philippine Bank of Communications, Asialink Finance Corp., Bank of Commerce, and MCC MoneyShops Finance Co. Inc. FINTQ will also be working with CoopHub to make digital lending more accessible to over 26,000 cooperatives nationwide.

Lendr has the most expansive loan offerings. On top of the traditional salary, personal, home and auto loan products, it offers mobile crop loan, medicine loan, mSME loan, overseas Filipino loan, and truck and equipment loan, among others. It now has disbursed in excess of US$580 million in loans since it was launched in 2015.

Every consumer has the right to access financial services. With Lendr, we aim to be the leading organization in promoting digital financial inclusion in the Philippines and other emerging markets. Lendr is our flagship platform that allows bank partners to reach more customers, while it provides consumers easy, fast and secure access to funding anytime, anywhere, with the use of their mobile devices, Villanueva said.

FINTQnologies Corp. is the leader in customer-centric, demand driven, evidence-based, and mobile-first digital financial innovations by way of engaging regulators, enabling enterprises, and empowering individuals. FINTQ is committed to accelerating universal digital access to finance at scale via pioneering financial technologies in growth and emerging markets. It is the financial technology arm of Voyager Innovations under the PLDT Group. To know more, visit http://www.fintq.com

1 Million barangay constituents receive free microinsurance from KasamaKA

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

KasamaKA gives out 1 million microinsurance policies to barangay constituents during the 2018 Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National Assembly.

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

FINTQ Managing Director and KasamaKA Founder and Lead Convenor Lito Villanueva with North Cotabato Barangay Chairmen during the 2018 Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National Assembly.

Accelerating financial inclusion at the grassroots through microinsurance

True to its mission of supporting the government’s thrust of promoting inclusive growth in the country, FINTQ, through its grassroots-based financial inclusion program KasamaKA, is providing 1 million free microinsurance policies to unbanked and underserved Filipinos across the 42,000 barangays nationwide. 

“We all need security and protection from any uncertainties. With this affordable and accessible microinsurance policies under the KasamaKA Microinsurance Program, this will kickstart the massive nationwide financial literacy campaign to educate millions of unbanked and underserved Filipinos on the importance of being financially secured and insured,” said Lito Villanueva, FINTQ Managing Director, and Founder and Lead Convenor of KasamaKA. 

For his part, Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said: “We welcome KasamaKA as a national digital enabler towards achieving our goals to exponentially grow the country’s insurance penetration rate to 4% by year 2020 from 1.7% in 2017. This is the first of its kind initiative in the country.” 

Insurance penetration rate is the ratio of premiums over GDP. The national insurance penetration grew to 1.64% last year from 1.61% in 2016.

The distribution of the 1 million free microinsurance policies is an initiative under the KasamaKA Ka-Barangay sa Kaunlaran, a capacity-building initiative in collaboration with Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas. It was announced during the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National Assembly last February 27 at the Manila Hotel. A month ago, its National Executive Board, through a national resolution, unanimously adopted KasamaKA as a social advocacy and a national movement for financial inclusion across 42,036 barangays in the country. 

Villanueva who is also the chairman of the FinTechAlliance.ph noted that with a microinsurance policy, Filipinos will have an additional source of financial assistance to help them cope and recover faster in times of natural disasters or unfortunate events in their lives.

Atty. Edmund R. Abesamis, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National President concurred, saying: “KasamaKA levels the playing field as it empowers even our marginalized constituents to avail and enjoy the benefits of digital financial services. They no longer need to request and wait for the release of financial assistance from various government offices. With their insurance coverage, they now have peace of mind as their beneficiaries are entitled to avail immediate release of their accident-related claims to cover for their needed expenses, all through the use of their mobile phone.”  

The distribution of free microinsurance policies will run from February 27 to March 13 only. Insurance coverage period will be for three months. Beneficiaries of policyholders are entitled to the following claims: Accidental death and disablement, PHP20,000; Total and permanent disability due to accident, PHP2,500; Burial assistance due to accident, PHP5,000; Daily accident hospital benefit,PHP200 per day for a maximum of 10 days hospitalization due to accident; and Fire cash assistance, PHP5,000.

To avail of the free microinsurance, an individual has to register as a KasamaKA member by simply texting KKK to 29292 or signing up at KasamaKA’s website:  www.kasamaka.com. For SMS registration, type in REG <Space><First Name>/<Last Name>/<Date of Birth, MMDDYYYY>/<Address> and send to 29292. For website registration, provide your Full Name (Kumpletong Pangalan); Date of Birth (Araw ng Kapanganakan); Nationality (Nasyonalidad); Present Address (Kasalukuyang Tirahan); Source of Income  (Saan galing ang iyong kasalukuyang kita); and Mobile Number.

“Once you are registered, you will receive your KasamaKA Builder ID Code, which will also serve as your insurance policy number. Your beneficiaries need to provide your Builder ID Code to claim the benefits under your policy,” Villanueva explained, adding: “You will also receive a text message from our partner insurance companies and brokers.” Among them include Pioneer Insurance,  Malayan Insurance, Sun Life Financial, Country Bankers Insurance, Gotuaco del Rosario Insurance Brokers and a lot more. 

To make an insurance claim, beneficiaries need to call 0999-9932161 and provide the policyholder’s KasamaKA Builder ID code number. 

The KasamaKA Builder ID Code of policyholders also serves as their referral ID for KasamaKA Loans via Lendr which will allow them to earn PHP300 for every successful loan release. And soon, this includes the KasamaKA Microsavings and KasamaKA Microinvestments. 

KasamaKA is a grassroots-based, self-help, and digital-enabled social intervention and last mile solution to promote financial literacy and inclusive growth. It is a cost-efficient, convenient, secured, and transparent shared services platform to expand the reach of banks, financial services and insurance sector to the unbanked and underserved Filipinos providing microsavings, microinsurance, microinvestments, and lending products. To know more, visit www.kasamaka.com

FINTQnologies Corp. (FINTQ) is the leader in customer-centric, demand driven, evidence-based, and mobile-first digital financial innovations by way of engaging regulators, enabling enterprises, and empowering individuals. FINTQ is committed to accelerating universal digital access to finance at scale via pioneering financial technologies in growth and emerging markets. It is the financial technology arm of Voyager Innovations under the PLDT Group. To know more, visit www.fintq.com 

Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 2246

 

KasamaKA Primer

Millions of Filipinos still have limited or no access to affordable financial products and services. It’s either they live in far-flung areas, it’s expensive, or they simply do not know anything about alternative options. To address this gap, KasamaKA was born as a grassroots-based, self-help, and digital-enabled social intervention to promote financial literacy and inclusive growth. KasamaKA is a cost-efficient, convenient, secured, and transparent shared services platform to expand banks and non-banks’ reach to the unbanked and underserved markets, providing microsavings, microinsurance, microinvestments, and lending to all Filipinos.

About FINTQ

FINTQ is the leader and award-winning financial technology provider of customer-centric, demand-driven, mobile-first, value-creating, and inclusive digital financial innovations. It is the largest and the only FinTech business in the country with diverse digital banking and finance portfolio of platforms including lending, security, micro-savings, micro-investments, micro-insurance, disbursements, micro-credit and virtual banking, among others.

For more information about FINTQ and all of its products and services, please visit www.fintq.com.

Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officially adopts FINTQ’s KasamaKA as the financial inclusion program in barangays

Strengthening financial inclusion in barangays. Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officials turns over the National Executive Board Resolution adopting KasamaKA as the official financial inclusion program in barangays to Voyager Innovations executives. In photo (L-R) LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo; LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz; PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis; and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva.

Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas officially adopts FINTQ’s KasamaKA as the financial inclusion program in barangays

KasamaKA, FINTQ’s income and community builder program for financial inclusion, has further expanded its reach in grassroots communities after the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LNB) issued a National Executive Board Resolution, making it as the national program to accelerate financial inclusion in barangays.

The Board Resolution was turned over by LNB President Atty. Edmund Abesamis, LNB NCR Regional Chapter President Ricardo Corpuz, and LNB Press Relations Officer Marlon Manalo to PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva in the recently held FINTQ’s Disruptors’ Ball.

Under the Board Resolution, barangays are set to adopt KasamaKA–the first-of-its-kind program that aims to accelerate financial inclusion in the Philippines. It combines financial literacy with an income opportunity builder that rewards responsible usage of digital financial services such as digital micro savings, lending, micro insurance, and micro investments. The adoption of the program is aimed to protect individuals from predatory lenders, more popularly knows as 5-6 operators. It also supports President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s initiative to reduce poverty by 2020.

Each LNB Member Barangay will appoint their Barangay Community Leader (BCL) who will be tasked to facilitate the voluntary participation of their constituents in various financial inclusion activities such as information dissemination campaigns and financial education programs in barangay assemblies with the help of FINTQ.

The BCLs will also have to identify sari-sari stores that will cater as the Barangay Digital Community Centers that will serve as the “last mile customer touchpoint” for digital financial services in their respective communities.

“Financial inclusion is definitely part of our capacity building measures. Being at the grassroots, KasamaKA will enable our over 42,000 barangays to have greater awareness and access to inclusive digital financial services. As a national movement for inclusive growth, it will surely have a ripple effect on economic growth and development,” said LNB President Atty. Abesamis.

For his part, FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva said “The adoption of KasamaKA by the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas in their vast network will certainly empower most, if not all Filipinos, in the country as it aims to aid these communities in conducting sustainable financial education campaigns and at the same time expand their community livelihood and create more income-generating opportunities.”

“This collaboration has a huge potential and will certainly amplify KasamaKA’s reach to help us achieve our goal of including 30 million Filipinos by 2020 in the formal financial system. It is likewise a strong boost to make the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ vision of increasing the digital financial transactions in the country from the current one percent to 20 percent by 2020 into a reality,” Villanueva added.

Barangay constituents particularly the likes of ambulant vendors, farmers, and self-employed workers who remain financially excluded can learn more about available, accessible and affordable financial services. At the same time, they can also earn up to P300 additional income every time they use a service or successfully refer a relative, a friend or their regular customer in the KasamaKA program.

To make financial inclusion work, KasamaKA combines technology and a grassroots-based approach. Filipinos can sign up to become part of KasamaKA by just registering online at www.kasamaka.com or by texting REG <Space><First Name>/<Last Name>/<Date of Birth, MMDDYYYY>/<Address> and send to 29292 to jumpstart the free registration process. Once signed-up, a member will receive his own KasamaKA Builder ID code via SMS. Once registered, members are given incentives based on referrals and transactions made in services that are giving rewards via KasamaKA.

FINTQnologies, Corp. (FINTQ) is the global pioneer in mobile-first financial technology innovations for emerging markets. It is the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations. Working in collaboration with partners such as banks, financial institutions and governments, among its key thrusts is to accelerate inclusive digital finance in the era of digital economy. Its platforms and services encompass areas including loans, insurance, micro savings, disbursements, anti-fraud security, and cloud e-banking platforms. For more information, visit www.fintq.com and www. lendr.com.ph..

 

FINTQ kicks off 2018 with Disruptors’ Ball

From left to right: Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan; PLDT and Smart Wireless Consumer Head and SVP Oscar Reyes, Jr.; PLDT and Smart Enterprise Head and SVP Jovy Hernandez; PLDT/Smart Chief Revenue Officer Eric Alberto; Chamber of Thrift Banks President Greg Anonas; Rural Bankers Association President Gino Gabriento; GoNegosyo Agripreneurship Adviser Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar; CoopHub Chairperson Karina Zobel; Voyager Innovations President and CEO Orlando B. Vea; PLDT Group Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan; BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier; Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea; FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva; Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Teresita Herbosa; Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez; FinScore Country President Diana Krumova; Transunion Country President Pia Arellano; Credit Information Corporation President Jaime Garchitorena; Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa; BSP Credit Surety Fund (CSF) Special Program Chairman Oscar Tayko; Liga ng mga Barangay National President Edmund Abesamis

FINTQ KICKS OFF 2018 WITH DISRUPTORS’ BALL

A gathering of leaders from all sectors advocating for financial and digital inclusion in the country

FINTQ, the financial technology arm of PLDT and Smart’s Voyager Innovations, started the year by gathering all its partners at its first FINTQ Disruptors’ Ball held at the Conrad Manila where industry leaders reinforced their commitment to accelerate digital and financial inclusion in the country.

“What we are disrupting here is the state of the unbanked and underserved Filipinos,” said Orlando Vea, president and CEO of Voyager Innovations, as he opened the event. He noted that this year, FINTQ will launch a slew of platforms that will allow consumers to gain access to retail financial services, bringing the country a step further to financial inclusion.
Voyager aims to include 30 million Filipinos in the formal financial system by 2020 through its digital platforms, which is in line with the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion.

FINTQ Managing Director Lito Villanueva, in his speech during the event, said: “To be a disruptor means breaking barriers and eradicating inefficiencies to provide seamless and awesome digital customer experience.”

For this year, he said, the KasamaKA Movement will go deeper into the grassroots as FINTQ rolls out various platforms in the market such as the KasamaKA Microsavings, KasamaKA Microinsurance, KasamaKA Microinvestment and the expanded Lendr digital lending platform.

“Simply put, KasamaKA is a social and cultural revolution, a journey towards empowering Filipinos. There is no better way to explain or translate the term financial inclusion to its supposed audience than the powerful words KasamaKA—that everyone belongs, that no one is left behind,” Villanueva said, adding: “The way to include the millions of unbanked is to sachet financial products. Effectively servicing them is by way of enabling our bank partners to reach the 69% of the population that remain untapped through sari-sari stores.”

In response, luminaries from the government, non-government organizations and executives from the banking, financial services, and insurance sectors expressed their strong support for FINTQ and Voyager’s goal of financial and digital inclusion in the country.

Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his speech, delivered by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said: “I welcome the KasamaKA movement as an effective way to realize our agenda for inclusive growth.”

“Let me underscore that the government is committed to reduce poverty through financial inclusion,” Medialdea added.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier, in a speech she delivered on behalf of BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla, Jr said: “For technology to give positive disruption, it must not only be additive but instead be transformative—enriching new markets and effectively addressing needs particularly of those who have long been unserved or underserved. The BSP believes that we have an important role to play in creating an enabling environment in the development of inclusive financial technology in the country. We are taking this role very seriously and we believe that the the future of the financial system lies in the digital.”

Among those who delivered their commitments in accelerating inclusive growth through KasamaKA digital finance advocacy included Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Teresita Herbosa, Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa, Credit Information Corporation President and CEO Jaime Garchitorena, Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan, Rural Bankers Association President Gino Gabriento, Chamber of Thrift Banks President Greg Anonas, GoNegosyo Agripreneurship Adviser Ginggay Hontiveros, CoopHub Chairperson Karina Zobel, BSP Credit Surety Fund Special Program Chairman Oscar Tayko, TransUnion President Pia Arellano, and FinScore President Diana Krumova.

The Liga ng mga Barangay, through its National President Atty. Edmund Abesamis, also presented a Resolution unanimously approved by its National Executive Board adopting KasamaKA as a national grassroots-based advocacy and social movement for financial inclusion. This initiative will now be cascaded across over 42,000 barangays nationwide as a capacity-building initiative to provide financial education and promote greater access to affordable digital financial services, veering Filipinos away from informal and predatory lenders.

 “I welcome the KasamaKA movement as an effective way to realize our agenda for inclusive growth.” 

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte

Copyright © 2016 FINTQ. All rights reserved.

FINTQ introduces “Sacheted” Banking Products to Reach Unbanked Filipinos

FINTQ introduces “Sacheted” Banking Products to Reach Unbanked Filipinos

Bringing financial services through digital technology and sari-sari stores

Formal financial institutions can penetrate the unbanked and underserved market when financial products are offered in pocket-sized amounts and are easily accessible for consumers, a report from FINTQ, the financial technology arm of leading technology company Voyager Innovations, revealed.

The Inclusive Digital Finance Report (IDF) Vol. 2 titled Retail Financial Services in a Sachet Economy affirmed how sachet banking is fit for the Philippine market with most of the unbanked families owning a mobile phone and residing in communities where micro, small, and medium enterprises (mSMEs) such as sari-sari stores are prevalent.

This can be done through a radical innovation that can accelerate the state of financial inclusion in the Philippines as FINTQ enables banks to introduce “sacheted” banking products to communities, down to the neighborhood level through its various KasamaKA digital platforms ranging from microsavings, microinsurance, microinvestment, and digital lending via Lendr.

This agent banking model allows banks to tap mSMEs such as sari-sari stores to act as cash agents to reach unserved and underbanked Filipinos, through FINTQ’s platforms and network.

“We have a bold goal of including 30 million Filipinos in the formal financial system by 2020. This may be a long shot for an economy that is still cash-heavy, but we know from the very start that unbanked families could be served better when banks tap the most ubiquitous device  – the mobile phone – and the most pervasive touchpoint in the country – sari-sari stores,” said Orlando B. Vea, President of FINTQ and President and CEO of Voyager Innovations, the digital innovations arm of PLDT and Smart.

 

Sachet banking: The last mile solution

The second IDF Report, which is based on the 2015 Family Income Expenditure Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, also revealed that about 70% of Filipino families have no savings account, effectively tagging them “unbanked” under the survey’s definition. However, this segment earns ample income and owns assets that can help banks and non-banks to design financial products that are affordable for the majority of the unbanked segment.

Against this backdrop, FINTQ reignited the sachet banking model to allow partner banks and non-bank institutions to promote financial inclusivity and accommodate the less affluent segments.

For this year, under the sachet banking model, banks and non-banks can now offer financial products and services at a lower price and through FINTQ’s KasamaKA platforms: KasamaKA Microsavings, KasamaKA Microinsurance, KasamaKA Microinvestment, and KasamaKA Lending (Lendr).

“Sachet banking is the last mile solution, and FINTQ is putting this innovation to scale. In the months to come, our products will allow consumers to deposit in their bank accounts small amounts, not directly at a bank branch, but through sari-sari stores and other mSMEs. We are doing this to enable our partners in the banking and finance industry so we can all accelerate the state of financial inclusion in the country,” said Lito Villanueva, managing director of FINTQ.  

By transforming sari-sari stores into cash agents, banks could sustainably operate in low-density communities. By turning mobile phones into a “digital bank,” unbanked and underserved Filipinos could now open a savings account, apply for a loan, find affordable insurance, and make an investment without having to visit a bank branch.

Meanwhile, consumers can access the KasamaKA platforms through a mobile device any time of the day and wherever they are. Should they need to do banking transactions, they can now transact within their neighborhood through sari-sari stores tapped by their bank to serve as its cash agents.

“Accessing bank products and services will be as easy as loading up your prepaid mobile number or buying a shampoo sachet. Thanks to the BSP for the recent release of the enabling regulation to promote basic deposit account,” Villanueva said.

“Banking products and services have long been considered necessities that only the few well-to-do can afford. Today, FINTQ’s KasamaKa carries to the farthest reaches of our archipelago, savings, loans, insurance, and investment products — and with those instruments the capacity for every Filipino to aspire beyond their present circumstances,” he added.

About FINTQ

FINTQ is the leader and award-winning financial technology provider of customer-centric, demand-driven, mobile-first, value-creating, and inclusive digital financial innovations. It is the largest and the only FinTech business in the country with diverse digital banking and finance portfolio of platforms including lending, security, micro-savings, micro-investments, insurance, disbursements, micro-credit and virtual banking, among others.

For more information about FINTQ and all of its products and services, please visit www.fintq.com.