BSP unveils online credit scoring tool for SMEs

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, has launched a new web-based scoring system designed to improve access to credit for small and medium enterprises.

Called the Credit Risk Database Philippines Web-based Scoring System, or CRDPh System, the platform was officially launched on July 29, 2025.

It allows participating financial institutions to generate credit scores and default probabilities using anonymized financial and non-financial data submitted by SMEs.

The system is designed to simplify loan assessments by making results accessible online, eliminating the need for banks and other lenders to install separate software.

By offering a standardized credit scoring tool, the CRDPh System provides financial institutions with additional means to approve and price SME loans.

The initiative specifically addresses what experts call the “missing middle”—SMEs that are too large to qualify for microfinance yet too small to meet the stricter requirements of commercial banks.

Aside from enhancing credit risk management, the BSP said the system will also generate benchmark data to guide government policies on SME financing.

SMEs make up 99.5 percent of all businesses in the Philippines and employ more than 63 percent of the country’s workforce, according to Department of Trade and Industry data.

BSP officials said the platform builds on international best practices in SME lending and is expected to encourage banks to expand credit support to the sector, which plays a critical role in economic growth.