DTI Iloilo holds financing forum for startups

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Iloilo successfully held the Capital Connections: Financing Forum for Startups on Dec. 4, 2025, at Goldberry Lite Hotel to make financing more accessible for emerging entrepreneurs.

The forum brought together five major lending institutions—Bank of the Philippine Islands, Security Bank, Lifebank, First Standard Finance Corporation, and Small Business Corporation—to present specialized loan products for startup and early-stage businesses.

By gathering lenders in one venue, the event aimed to simplify the loan application process and help entrepreneurs better understand which financial programs fit their needs.

DTI Iloilo said the forum helps bridge the gap between startups and financial institutions by offering direct guidance on requirements, loan terms, and procedures, saving entrepreneurs significant time and effort.

The initiative also strengthens the province’s support system for innovators who often struggle to secure capital during their early operations.

The DTI Iloilo provincial office team, led by trade-industry development specialist Kent Novie Tacsagon and assisted by Negosyo Center business counselors Niño Anthony Eder and Ram Ydnar Tribulete, played a key role in coordinating the event and assisting participating startups.

DTI, through its regional and provincial offices, implements nationwide programs to improve the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and link them to markets and financing as part of its mandate to promote inclusive, innovation-led growth.

The financing forum forms part of DTI Iloilo’s broader efforts to connect startups with both public and private lenders, including Small Business Corporation, the government’s financing arm dedicated to MSME and startup development.

DTI Iloilo continues to implement programs that enhance MSME competitiveness and expand access to financing, recognizing these as essential drivers of local economic growth.