GCash hosted the Wais Tindera Caravan in Muntinlupa to provide financial literacy to small business owners. More than a hundred storeowners and aspiring entrepreneurs attended to learn about budgeting, saving, borrowing, and cybersecurity. The program included support from Hapinoy to enhance MSME operations.
Just a short distance from the Muntinlupa City Museum, under the La Guerta court, more than a hundred storeowners and aspiring entrepreneurs gathered for GCash's Wais Tindera Caravan. This initiative aims to empower micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through financial literacy, with assistance from Hapinoy, a social enterprise offering training, micro-financing, and business opportunities.
Lean Purawan, head of training at Hapinoy, delivered a session on organizing business finances using the KITA framework: Kilalanin at alagaan ang suki (get to know and care for customers), Ingatan ang transaksyon (protect transactions), Tamang tools sa tindahan (right tools for the store), and Alerto sa tindahan (be alert against scammers). He stressed that savings can start with the right mindset, strategy, and discipline, using GCash's GSave, a coin bank, or programs like MP2 and WISP Plus.
On budgeting, the GCash ecosystem provides tools such as GSave for multiple goals, automated bill payments, and transaction history to track expenses. For loans, GCredit is suggested for urgent needs and GGives for installments. CJ Alegre, GCash head of sustainability, explained, "Access to capital remains one of the biggest barriers for small business owners, with traditional formal lenders requiring collateral and informal lenders charging high interest. Through FUSE, the lending arm of GCash, members of GCash Pera outlet can access collateral-free loans up to P350,000."
The caravan also addressed cybersecurity, listing common scams like phishing, investment scams, and fake selling. GCash uses face scanning and in-app OTP for security. Alegre added, "Through the Wais Tindera Financial Literacy Program, we equip nano and micro entrepreneurs with practical skills to start, manage, and grow their businesses. And we introduce digital tools like GCash to help them run operations more efficiently and safely."
A participant noted, "Unang-una, naging wais kami na hindi po pala madaling ma-iscam, natuto kami kung pano [ang gawi ng] mga scammer. Maraming natutunan kanina doon lalo sa pagba-budget na hindi basta-basta." (We became confident that it can be difficult for us to get scammed because we learned about the tactics of scammers. We also learned about budgeting and that it should not be taken for granted.) Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Stephanie Teves-Wong praised it, saying, "Ito po ay isang napakagandang programa para sa ating mga small, medium entrepreneurs dito sa Muntinlupa." (This is a wonderful program for our small and medium entrepreneurs here in Muntinlupa.) According to GCash, 50% of MSMEs close every five years due to challenges.
