Marawi entreps, soldiers to benefit from P3 program's P100M loan allocation

By DTI-OSEC-PRU
July 20, 2018

MARAWI CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) offered microfinance solutions amounting to P100M to Internally Displaced People (IDPs) during the Marawi Entrepreneurship and Job Fair held last July 16 at the Mindanao State University main campus in Marawi City.

DTI invited Marawi entrepreneurs to take advantage of the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso Program (P3), a microfinance program for micro-entrepreneurs with loans as low as P5,000. P3 was established by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to combat the prevalence of 5-6 lenders who offer interest as high as 20% per month.

Under the P3 Program, DTI allotted P50 million for IDPs and another P50 million for wounded soldiers and families of soldiers killed during the Marawi siege. Of these amounts, P5.28 million has been loaned to 364 IDPs and P11.96 million has been released to 167 soldiers and/or their families.

P3 loans are released a day after applications are approved and borrowers only need to submit to their nearest Negosyo Center a certification of their business. The said certification need not be a business permit as Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), DTI’s microfinance arm, accepts certificates from market associations for market vendors.

DTI and SBCorp are working on further simplifying the requirements to address these concerns as some Marawi entrepreneurs can’t provide a certification since they could only set up stalls along the main roads after the siege.

“President Duterte’s vision for P3 is for it to replace 5-6 as the primary source of working capital for micro entrepreneurs. To do this, we are working to rival their wide reach and accessibility,” said DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.