PANAGHIUSA 2026: CARD MRI spotlights Iloilo entrepreneurs and culture

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Story and photos by Mariela Angella Oladive

The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions Publishing formally opened the first leg of its 2026 PANAGHIUSA Exposure Tour Program in Iloilo from March 26–29, bringing together media representatives from Luzon and Western Visayas for a four-day immersion in grassroots enterprise and community development.

The exposure tour took participants to partner communities in Iloilo City and Pavia, where they engaged directly with CARD MRI members and observed how microfinance initiatives support small-scale livelihoods, from sari-sari stores to food-based enterprises.

Through site visits and dialogues, the program showed how access to capital, coupled with training and support services, can build day-to-day economic resilience for micro-entrepreneurs.

A key component of the Iloilo leg was its focus on local gastronomy, highlighting Iloilo’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Delegates sampled La Paz batchoy, joined a biscocho-making session, took part in a KBL cooking demonstration and visited local food establishments where traditional dishes provide sustainable sources of income.

For participants, the immersion connected storytelling with lived experience and community engagement.

Glady Mabini, station manager of Radyo Natin FM–Calapan, said in a social media post that CARD MRI’s initiative highlights how progress and heritage can go hand in hand by bridging purpose and culture while educating communities, uplifting lives, and celebrating local roots.

“The Panaghiusa Exposure Tour for Media is more than a program, it’s a powerful movement toward eradicating poverty while honoring who we are,” she said, expressing gratitude for being part of the program.

The itinerary also included heritage sites in Iloilo such as Museo de Iloilo, Jaro Cathedral, Molo Church and Balay nga Bato, placing local enterprise within the city’s historical and cultural context.

During a media briefing at GT Hotel Iloilo, CARD MRI Publishing representative Edrian Baniana said PANAGHIUSA goes beyond showcasing microfinance alone.

“This is also an opportunity to introduce the full range of CARD MRI services—not only loans, but holistic and tailored programs designed to support clients at different stages of their lives, all anchored on the organization’s goal of poverty eradication,” Baniana said.

Those services include microfinance lending, savings and deposit services through CARD Bank, microinsurance, capacity-building and financial literacy training, health and social development programs, and support for micro and small enterprises.

As of March 2026, CARD MRI’s presence in Iloilo reflects continued outreach and the expansion of financial inclusion services.

CARD Inc. has served 35,627 clients with 112 staff members across 25 offices, focusing primarily on microfinance lending for low-income households.

CARD Bank, meanwhile, serves 33,713 clients with 68 personnel in 13 offices as a regulated thrift bank offering a broader range of financial services, including savings, deposits and other banking products.

Organizers said that while both institutions serve similar communities, CARD Inc. is largely focused on microfinance delivery, while CARD Bank expands access to formal banking and helps bridge clients from basic credit services to broader financial inclusion.

PANAGHIUSA, derived from the Cebuano term for “unity,” is the first of three scheduled exposure tours for 2026 and remains an annual platform that brings together media, partners and communities to deepen understanding of grassroots development and amplify stories of empowerment across the country.