Leaders from across the country’s financial and business sectors gathered for CIBI Impact 2025, a summit spearheaded by CIBI Information Inc., the Philippines’ first local credit bureau. The event drew more than 150 participants—from regulators and innovators to executives and industry thought leaders—united by a shared goal: harnessing trusted data to strengthen the nation’s financial ecosystem.
Over the course of the day, discussions zeroed in on trusted data as a vital tool to achieve nationwide growth, and how cross-sector collaboration is a critical lever for tackling systemic challenges and laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth.
“While we honor our history, we are equally focused on the future. At CIBI, we aim to preserve and nurture the legacy built over decades while continuing to evolve, transform, and innovate,” said Pia Arellano, President & CEO of CIBI. Her remarks echoed the summit’s central message: to build a future-ready financial ecosystem where barriers to financial freedom in the Philippines are taken down.
The event’s three key partners—FICO, JurisTech, and FinScore—demonstrated how the convergence of expertise can advance financial inclusion and empower better decision-making.
Rising Loan Adoption Signals New Opportunities for Philippine Lenders
FICO, known globally for its credit scoring models, shared insights on shifting consumer behavior, noting that the rising demand and uptake of loan products in the Philippines signals a growing openness among consumers to leverage credit as a financial tool—an evolution that presents a significant opportunity for market players to design more relevant, accessible, and value-driven offerings that align with these changing needs.
AI-Driven Transformation in Lending
JurisTech, a leading provider of end-to-end lending and recovery solutions, highlighted how Generative AI and Machine Learning can unify structured and unstructured data—making it more accessible, actionable, and valuable for institutions through faster decisions, sharper risk assessments, and more personalized services. This innovation empowers financial institutions to boost efficiency while delivering more tailored customer experiences.
New Paths to Credit for Those Without a Financial Footprint
FinScore, an alternative credit scoring company powered by telco data and advanced analytics, highlighted how alternative data can unlock credit access for “credit invisible” individuals. By leveraging mobile usage patterns and behaviors, FinScore enables financial institutions to confidently serve millions of Filipinos with little to no traditional credit history.
The program also featured panel discussions and keynote addresses from prominent figures, including Peter B. Favila, former Monetary Board Member and Trade Secretary; Nicholas Mapa, Chief Economist & Market Strategist at Metrobank; and Atty. Ben Joshua A. Baltazar, President & CEO of the Credit Information Corporation. Across sessions, one theme consistently emerged: progress is dependent on collaboration and data-driven decision-making.
“When we put trusted data into action, we are not just making transactions possible—we are making transformation possible,” Favila said, capturing the spirit of the day.
By the summit’s close, participants left not only with fresh insights, but also with stronger networks and a renewed commitment to initiatives that could reshape the future of finance in the Philippines and beyond.
