Manila, Philippines — Our team has just wrapped up a productive Business Mission to the Philippines. Over three days in Manila (13–16 October), we engaged with senior government leaders to explore opportunities for stronger public-private collaboration.
Representing CRIF were Novi Rolastuti, Alice Kuo, Giacomo Degli Innocenti, and Marlo Cruz, who contributed to discussions on digital finance, credit data ecosystems, regulatory innovation, and SME enablement.
We held institutional meetings with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Finance Philippines (DOF), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), where we exchanged perspectives on policy developments, digital infrastructure, and inclusion.
At Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), we discussed the transition to a new hybrid credit bureau model and the broader convergence of open finance, credit data, and national ID systems. CRIF will continue to engage around licensing and pilot initiatives that support SME visibility and credit access.
Our dialogue with Department of Finance Philippines (DOF) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) focused on the growing importance of UBO transparency and AML compliance. CRIF is well-positioned to support future validation and monitoring needs, particularly for cross-border and foreign-entity data.
With Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), we explored the evolving regulatory landscape around secure API access and digital reporting infrastructure. We see opportunities to contribute to innovation-friendly compliance frameworks, especially as the market prepares for an EU-Philippines FTA and expands its green finance agenda.
At Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), discussions highlighted the early-stage development of ESG standards for SMEs. With the intention to serve as a neutral data and knowledge partner, CRIF supports early efforts around capacity-building, framework alignment, and regulatory coordination.
Thank you to our hosts for the open dialogue, and to the EU-ASEAN Business Council for convening such a valuable platform.