ADVANCE.CBP (Advintel, Inc.) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aiming to expand access to formal financing for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), held at DTI Head Office in Makati City on August 6, 2026.
((From left to right) DTI BSMED Officer-in-Charge Myrtle Faye Solina, DTI Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona, Dennis Martin, CEO of ADVANCE.AI, and Michelle Anne Chan, Director and Country Manager of ADVANCE.AI and ADVANCE.CBP (Photo: ADVANCE.CBP)
This collaboration provides the foundation for launching SME Trust, a dedicated credit profile registry that integrates digital identity verification, credit data systems, cybersecurity, and electronic Know Your Customer technologies into the DTI’s network of over 1,400 Negosyo Centers nationwide.
According to Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), over 1.2 million MSMEs make up 99.63% of all registered business establishments in the country, employ 63% of the national workforce, and contribute approximately 40% to GDP. Yet access to formal credit remains a persistent barrier: most small businesses lack the documented financial track record that banks, lenders, and commercial partners require to extend credit and transact with confidence.
Know who you’re working with — before you sign
At its core, SME Trust will give every Philippine MSME a verified business profile — a structured, data-backed record that businesses and lenders can rely on. For the first time and upon consent, fellow SMEs can review the behaviour of prospective partners before entering commercial arrangements, reducing exposure to fraud, payment delays, and counterparty risk before anything is signed.
SME Trust will be built in three phases: establishing a verified business profile for every MSME through DTI’s Negosyo Centers; opening the network to partner platforms and institutions; and ultimately generating MSME credit scores that give lenders the data they need to approve financing with confidence.
Unlocking credit from banks and financial institutions
For financial institutions, benefits translate directly to the credit approval workflow:
More accurate risk assessment — standardised credit profiles built from verified data replace fragmented, self-reported financials
Automated loan approvals — machine-readable credit records enable straight-through processing, reducing turnaround time for MSME loans
Regulatory compliance — structured credit data supports BSP reporting requirements and responsible lending practices
“SME Trust will help financial institutions make more informed lending decisions while giving entrepreneurs greater opportunities to obtain fair and affordable financing. It will ensure that businesses in rural communities enjoy the same digital visibility as those in urban centers. It will also enable DTI to provide more focused interventions by identifying areas where entrepreneurs may need additional mentoring, training, or business development support,” said Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona, Department of Trade and Industry.
“Filipinos are among the most entrepreneurial people in the world – yet MSMEs have lacked the trusted data infrastructure to prove their credibility and unlock financing. SME Trust changes that: a verifiable business identity, a pathway to formal credit, and a foundation towards building a more inclusive, data-driven financial ecosystem in the Philippines. Our partnership with DTI, starting with this MOU, marks the beginning of that transformation,” said Michelle Anne Chan, Country Manager, ADVANCE.CBP.
