Backed by a Php 1.75 billion credit facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB),

Fuse Financing continues to enable Filipinos and MSMEs to borrow with dignity- moving away from predatory lending

In the heart of Barangay Bagong Silangan, the rhythmic sound of a freezer door opening and closing marks the pace of Ivy Joy Tomasar’s day. Two years ago, the 33-year-old mother of three was one of millions of "unbanked" Filipinos— with no credit history, no collateral, and little hope of securing a traditional bank loan.

Today, she is a business owner.

Tomasar turned to digital credit to fuel her aspirations. Driven by the need to support her three children, she first secured an online loan via GLoan, the flagship cash loan product of Fuse Financing Inc., the lending arm of GCash. With this initial capital, she launched a frozen food business in 2023. Today, her store stands as a testament to her hard work and the power of accessible financial tools.Tomasar’s story is becoming the new blueprint for nano and micro entrepreneurship in the Philippines. Access to credit is no longer confined behind strict paperwork but is now readily available through an online app, making formal and fair credit possible and accessible.

“Marami pong babae ang walang trabaho, katulad ko. Nag-try akong manghiram sa GLoan, at ginamit ko ito sa negosyo. Ngayon, hindi na lang ako nasa bahay, nakakapag-negosyo na ako at nakakatulong sa asawa ko at sa mga anak namin,” said Tomasar.

Similarly, Amelyn Rafael, 50, from Brgy. Taugtog, Botolan, Zambales, uses GLoan to pay for the ingredients of her online tokwa-sisig store—her source of income to take care of her four children and father, a dialysis patient. Her business operates on a consignment arrangement, in which she pays for the ingredients only after the sale has been made.

“Malaking tulong ang GLoan, basta magagamit mo lang talaga sa negosyo, sa tamang paraan, o sa pangkabuhayan para sa pamilya,” Rafael noted.

The MSME capital crunch

The Philippine economy runs on businesses like Tomasar’s and Rafael’s. Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) make up 99.6% of all businesses in the country and employ two-thirds of the total workforce, with 53% of small and medium enterprises led by women. Yet, they remain the most underserved.

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