Nichel Gaba, CFA

When Manny Ayala of Endeavor/Endeavor Philippines asked me on Rappler why I started Tonik, I didn’t talk about deposits or payments. I talked about the $100B consumer credit market in the Philippines that nobody wants to touch. Why? Traditional banks justify it by saying Filipinos won’t pay back, it’s too much fraud, too much effort. I’ve always believed the opposite: • Credit inclusion can be done profitably—with the right data, risk models, and partners. • That’s why we took the leap into the BSP pilot as the first licensed digital bank—to prove credit inclusion and lending-first banking works in PH. • Today we’ve grown to 2.5M+ onboarded clients, $70M loan book, doubling yearly, with 25%+ RAROC and contribution margin positive. And here’s the line that still drives me: “We may never be the biggest bank in the Philippines, but we will be the most valuable—once we crack this $100B opportunity.” It was one of the more candid and interesting conversations I’ve had in a while. Thank you Manny Ayala! Was fun, man! 👉 If you believe credit > payments as the real engine of financial inclusion, drop a 🔥 below. 😎 🤘 Full interview link in the comments 🎥 #Fintech #DigitalBanking #FinancialInclusion #EmergingMarkets #TonikBank

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BDO, BOI and EDC showcase investment opportunities in the PH As the Philippines ramps up efforts to create a more investor-friendly climate, BDO Unibank, Inc. in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments, Export Development Canada, and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in Manila, co-hosted an investment briefing with Canadian companies at BDO Makati. The event highlighted key provisions of the government’s Strategic Investment Priority Plan and CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) MORE Act, offering enhanced incentives for high-value investments. Discussions centered on how the Philippines is refining its investment strategy to provide greater clarity, competitiveness and alignment with investor needs, backed by strong collaboration with the private sector. BDO is regulated by the BSP (www.bsp.gov.ph). Please visit the About section of BDO Unibank LinkedIn page for more details.

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The Philippines must move beyond consumption-led growth and build a productivity-driven economy to fully unlock its potential, EastWest Bank chief executive Jerry Ngo said on Monday. Speaking at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) forum, Ngo laid out a strategy that includes: Raising capital formation to 30 percent of GDP; spurring agricultural growth by 2–3 percent annually; expanding manufacturing employment to a quarter of the labor force by 2030; and harnessing artificial intelligence to “turbo-charge” productivity, especially in services. “We have room to cut rates further — inflation is manageable, the dollar is soft, and global trade realignments are lowering import costs,” Ngo said. “This can support household spending, but ideally in ways that benefit local producers,” he said. He called for urgent reforms in education to prepare the workforce for AI-driven industries, warning that without decisive action, the country could squander its “demographic dividend” — 64 percent of Filipinos are of working age, with a median age of 26, far younger than many Asian neighbors. “The danger is not stagnation. The danger is the middle-income trap,” he said. Ngo’s remarks supported the statements made by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan in the same forum. (Excerpt from Malaya newspaper coverage of my remarks at the Economic Journalist Association of the Philippines forum)

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🎊 GOOD NEWS! Japan-based credit rating agency Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) has affirmed the Philippines’ high investment-grade ‘A-’ rating with a stable outlook, underscoring the country’s robust economic growth, rising private and public investments, and sound fiscal management. R&I upgraded the Philippines to the coveted ‘A-’ level in August 2024, which was the country’s first-ever A-rating upgrade under the Marcos Jr. administration. An ‘A-’ rating is a strong investment-grade score that reflects robust creditworthiness and macroeconomic stability. It signals confidence to investors and creditors, resulting in lower interest rates on borrowings of the national government and the private sector. READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/eY9Vavxg #DOFUpdates

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Robinsons Retail, in partnership with the Ateneo Center for Continuing Education (CCE), successfully concluded its General Management Development Program (GMDP) at the Ateneo John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM) last September 22, 2025.   The GMDP brought together 24 emerging leaders from across Robinsons Retail for a four-month program focused on strategic thinking, financial management, people leadership, and driving innovation. Over 17 in-person sessions, participants deepened their management capabilities and applied their learnings through Action Learning Projects designed to address real business challenges.   Present during the culminating ceremony were Ateneo de Manila University VP for Administration and Robinsons Retail Independent Director Rodolfo Ang, Graduate School of Business and CCE Dean Jet Magsaysay, and JGSOM Dean Roberto Martin Galang; Technopoly Inc. Principal Consultant Martha Lauren Tan; and members of Robinsons Retail’s management team.   Through the GMDP, Robinsons Retail continues to invest in leadership development to strengthen its management bench, encourage cross-functional collaboration, and prepare future-ready leaders to drive the company’s long-term growth. #WeAreRobinsonsRetail #CreatingMeaningfulBreakthroughs

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Security Bank has partnered with Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC)—the pioneer in premium university residences in the Philippines—to be one of its strategic financing partners to expand home ownership opportunities for Filipinos.    This collaboration will enable the Bank offer exclusive loan offerings, competitive interest rates, and streamlined processing through its well-established housing loan programs to TLDC’s buyers.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/g9HKcMgV   #BetterBanking 💚💙​

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