In order to deliver its programs to eradicate poverty, SEDPI continues to invest in its people that embark them to deliver excellence-driven and innovative products and services.

Foray in socialized housing

One of the major programs of SEDPI is socialized housing that aims to provide affordable and disaster-resilient houses to low income groups. It’s President, Vince Rapisura and Rez Oafallas, administrative manager attended a course on real estate and construction management with the Urban Planning Institute held at the Asian Institute of Management.

The course provides basic knowledge in managing housing projects to SEDPI which aims to build at least 100 socialized houses by 2021.

Strengthening AMLA compliance

The administrative staff received training on the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). This is a very important training as it plays a huge role in preserving the integrity of the staff, especially that the job in SEDPI requires the staff to frequently deal with financial transactions.

Policies and procedures were developed, based on learning from the training, to ensure that all transactions are above board and are compliant with government rules and regulations. 

Shift from microfinance to social finance

Last June 2019, SEDPI president Vince Rapisura and CEO Dimples Sacdalan went on study visits to Italy and United Arab Emirates for the technical assistance and support to the micro-finance sub-component of the Italian Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP).

 They underwent advanced training for the project specifically on guarantees, agricultural financing in Italy and Islamic finance in the UAE. These trainings were instrumental for SEDPI to transform its microfinance operations to social finance. 

Social finance utilizes cost plus through joint ventures that prohibits compounding of interest as well as excessive penalties. SEDPI views its clients as partners in development and should therefore be given rewards and incentives for good performance; and a clear path for recovery and behavioral change if they become delinquent. 

 Innovations on pro-poor financial service delivery

SEDPI’s staff in Mindanao were given training on character and capacity-based lending, basic accounting delinquency management, ethical financing, product design and development and fundamentals and principles of microfinance. The series of trainings were intended to ensure that only pro-poor advice and services on money management are extended to projects in the area. 

The organization currently provides capacity building interventions to agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat. Direct pro-poor financial services are extended in the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur where 7 branches of SEDPI operate. 

Onboarding with Pag-IBIG and SSS

With SEDPI inking of partnership with SSS and Pag-IBIG, a series of onboarding training and orientations were conducted to its management staff in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur. This is to ensure that proper information reaches SEDPI end clients and to ensure that quality services are delivered. 

Disability awareness

With the aim to increase sensitivity and awareness on the plight of persons with disability,  management staff received disability awareness training from Humanity and Inclusion.

Moving forward

As SEDPI further expands to deliver social finance and serve more development organizations, it will continue investing in its people. It treats its people as one of the key ingredients to success.