SEC, IFC Hold Trainings to Boost Financing Options for Business Sector

The SEC collaborated with the IFC to hold the 2nd Roundtable on Non-Deposit Taking Lenders and Training on Factoring from March 10 to 12, 2025 at The SEC Headquarters in Makati City.

​The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to enhance financing options in the corporate sector as it teamed up with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for the conduct of training on non-deposit-taking lenders (NDTL) and factoring.

​The Commission, in partnership with the IFC, conducted the 2nd Roundtable on NDTL on March 10, convening regulators, industry leaders, and financial institutions to discuss best practices, challenges, and opportunities in NDTL supervision, funding mechanisms, and financial inclusion strategies.

NDTLs refer to financing and lending companies that play a vital role in expanding credit access, particularly for sectors underserved by traditional banks, such as small and medium enterprises, start-ups, agribusinesses, and the informal economy.

“By offering more flexible and innovative financial solutions, they help bridge funding gaps and drive economic activity. However, despite their importance, many of them continue to face challenges in securing stable and cost effective funding, which limits their ability to grow, innovate, and better serve their target markets,” said Kenneth Joy A. Quimio, Officer-in-Charge of the SEC Financing and Lending Companies Department, in her opening remarks.

“Through this dialogue, we aim to identify actionable strategies that will enable NDTLs to diversify their funding sources and enhance their role in financial inclusion,” she added.

The roundtable featured discussions led by Jinchang Lai, Principal Operations Officer of the Financial Institutions Group Advisory Services for Asia and the Pacific at the IFC, Ms. Quimio, Golda Cainglet of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Carlo Lazatin of the Philippines Finance Corporation.

“Rest assured that the Securities and Exchange Commission is at the forefront of facilitating these efforts through effective regulation and policy formulation that promotes the development of the Philippine corporate sector, the securities and capital market, and the protection of the investing public,” SEC Commissioner Rogelio V. Quevedo said in his closing remarks.

Meanwhile, the training on factoring held from March 11 to 12 provided financial professionals with a comprehensive understanding of factoring, supply chain finance and risk management.

Factoring enables businesses to improve their access to financing through the release of potential accounts receivable and infusing companies with liquidity to expand and develop.

The training, led by Kheng Leong Lee, Former Asia Director of Factoring Chain International, Eric Ilano, Project Coordinator of Land Registration Authority; Bernardo Contri, Country Anchor for Philippines, International Finance Corporation and Francisco Ed Lim, Senior Legal Counsel at ACCRALAW, among others, covered legal and accounting aspects, operational best practices, and the role of digital platforms in supply chain finance.

“We remain firm in our advocacy for an enabling regulatory landscape that supports the proper and sustainable growth of the factoring business,” Mr. Quevedo said in his opening remarks.

“Let us strive together to forge a dynamic and responsible factoring community that spurs economic innovation, and builds an inclusive and richer future for the entire Filipino people by unleashing its full potential and creating a more competitive and vibrant economy,” he added.