The Philippines’ credit landscape is at a turning point, with consumer demand for financing continuing to rise, yet limited access to financial services, insufficient credit data, and high delinquency rates highlighting the need for trust, transparency, and collaboration. The country’s first and only local credit bureau, CIBI Information, Inc., recently convened its inaugural industry summit, CIBI Impact 2025, which gathered over 150 regulators, senior executives, partners, and decision-makers to address sector realities and chart a path forward. The clear call to action is that the future of Philippine credit lies in trusted data, cross-sector collaboration, and innovative solutions that can expand financial inclusion and fuel sustainable growth.
Rising demand and shifting consumer behavior are driving the need for trusted data and collaboration, with insights shared at the summit highlighting a surge in credit demand, a remarkable rise in tradelines, and growing demand for Pay Later/Buy Now Pay Later products. Consumer engagement with credit reports is also increasing, with over 10 million credit reports accessed by mid-2025. However, a trust gap continues to constrain the industry, with 49% of Filipinos remaining unbanked and only 1% of loan applications being accepted due to insufficient credit data.
Trusted data is seen as a catalyst for breaking this cycle, enabling companies to make decisions faster, boost efficiency, and increase profitability. Transparency also strengthens relationships, reduces risk, and shortens time to revenue. Fragmented or misleading data, however, compromises confidence and leads to poor lending decisions, higher defaults, and failed partnerships. Cross-sector collaboration is equally vital, with no single entity able to address systemic barriers alone. Progress demands shared accountability, policy alignment, and innovative solutions that meet evolving consumer needs.
The CIBI Impact 2025 summit showcased the importance of collaboration, with regulators, financial institutions, and fintechs coming together to strengthen trust, expand credit visibility, and extend services to more Filipinos. Partners such as FICO, JurisTech, and FinScore demonstrated how ecosystem-led strategies can achieve inclusion through coordinated action. Looking ahead, CIBI president and CEO Pia Arellano reaffirmed the bureau’s role as a catalyst for inclusion, announcing initiatives such as the Fraud Bureau and CIBI Advanced Tier platform to enhance transparency, reinforce compliance, and strengthen trust in the system.
The need for reliable, responsible, real-time data is greater than ever, and the industry must innovate and collaborate to keep pace with demand. By anchoring progress on trusted data and collaboration, the industry can transform rising demand into meaningful access, unlocking a more inclusive financial future for the Philippines.
