DTI, LANDBANK launch lending program for MSMEs

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) have launched a new financing initiative aimed at boosting access to credit for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.

Signed on December 9, 2025, the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) introduced the Landbank Innovative Financing Thrust Towards Inclusive National Growth through MSMEs (LIFTING MSMEs) Lending Program, a tailored loan facility designed to support entrepreneurs at various stages of business growth.

The LIFTING MSMEs program offers three main loan tiers:

• Start-up businesses can borrow between PHP 100,000 and PHP 500,000.
• Growing enterprises may access loans ranging from PHP 500,000 to PHP 5,000,000.
• Expanding or “Level-up” businesses are eligible for loans of up to PHP 50,000,000.

To ease access to credit, the loan packages come with flexible payment terms and collateral options such as real estate mortgages and credit guarantees.

LANDBANK had also committed to providing borrowers with financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and business development training, while encouraging the use of digital onboarding and fintech tools to improve business operations.

Targeting inclusion and innovation

DTI, through its nationwide Negosyo Centers, will complement the program by offering training in entrepreneurship, digital marketing, and product development.

It will also take the lead in identifying eligible MSMEs for financing, particularly focusing on women-led businesses, young entrepreneurs, market vendors, and franchising ventures.

Trade Secretary Cristina A. Roque emphasized the symbolic intent behind the program’s name.

“LIFTING directly describes our goal—to lift, to empower, and to open doors for the backbone of our economy, our beloved MSMEs,” Roque said.

She further noted that access to financing remains the “biggest hurdle” for many entrepreneurs and described the program as a tool to break that barrier by “giving entrepreneurs the breathing room to innovate, hire more people, and strengthen their operations.”

Roque also hailed the DTI-LANDBANK partnership as a demonstration of the administration’s push for inclusive development.

“Bagong Pilipinas in action: government and institutions working together so opportunities reach the people who need them most,” she said.

The launch event, held at the LANDBANK Plaza in Malate, Manila, was attended by over 200 MSME representatives from Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, and Cavite, signaling strong grassroots support for the nationwide program.

The DTI-LANDBANK partnership initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in empowering Filipino entrepreneurs—particularly those from underserved communities—and in driving inclusive economic growth under the government’s development agenda.