Global Dominion Brings Financing Push to Pasig's Small Businesses

Micro, small and medium enterprises make up 99.63 percent of all business establishments in the Philippines and account for more than 6.35 million jobs, or nearly 67 percent of employment, according to 2023 Philippine Statistics Authority data cited by Global Dominion Financing Inc.

That's the scale behind the company's pitch at the first Pasig City Micro Finance Summit, organized by the city's Local Economic Development and Investment Office. Global Dominion used the venue to present two programs, GLOW and Ka-Partner Academy, aimed at entrepreneurs who often can't get credit from traditional lenders.

What are GLOW and Ka-Partner Academy?

GLOW, which stands for Giving Limitless Opportunities to Women, provides financing and business guidance to women entrepreneurs. Ka-Partner Academy takes a different angle: practical financial and business education for individuals looking to develop their enterprises. Both programs open their learning sessions to non-borrowers as well, not just customers.

The two initiatives sit alongside Global Dominion's core collateral-based financing products. Its Sangla OR/CR arrangement lets vehicle owners secure loans using their official receipt and certificate of registration — while keeping the vehicle on the road.

That detail matters for transport workers. Jeepney and tricycle drivers, and other operators who depend on their vehicles for daily income, can borrow against their paperwork without losing their means of earning. Global Dominion highlighted this group as a core segment it intends to reach through partnerships and community outreach in Pasig.

Why does the lender frame this as job protection?

Global Dominion head of business development Mark Billante tied the financing push directly to household income. "When we help a small business grow, we also protect the jobs and incomes of the families who depend on it," Billante said in a press statement.

His framing rests on the employment weight of the sector. With MSMEs providing more than 6.35 million jobs and representing nearly 67 percent of employment, the argument goes, every small business that survives or expands carries dependents with it.

The summit itself doubled as a financial education exercise. Entrepreneurs in attendance were encouraged to separate personal and business finances, maintain updated records, and assess whether a business is consistently profitable before expanding.

What comes next in Pasig?

Global Dominion plans to deepen its engagement with local entrepreneurs and transport workers through partnerships and community outreach, the company said.

President and CEO Samuel Cariño positioned the company as a long-term stakeholder rather than a transactional lender. "Global Dominion has always seen itself as a partner in the growth of Filipino entrepreneurs, and we look forward to working with more of Pasig's business owners and transport workers," Cariño said.

The Pasig summit is a first for the city, and Global Dominion's presence signals how non-bank lenders are courting the microfinance segment where traditional banks hesitate. For the lender, the calculation is straightforward: nearly two-thirds of Philippine employment flows through businesses this small, and most of them lack the collateral paperwork conventional credit demands.