Wais Tindera Caravan celebrates women entrepreneurs with essential digital financial tools

In celebration of the International Women’s Day, over 400 women entrepreneurs, from sari-sari store owners to street food vendors, took center stage at this month’s kick-off of Wais Tindera Caravan, the flagship financial literacy (finlit) program of GCash designed to empower nano, micro, small, and medium enterprise (NMSME) sector with the skills to grow their businesses through digital financial tools and responsible borrowing.

Most small businesses struggle to go digital due to limited access and know-how. According to a 2025 Boston Consulting Group study, 75% of Filipino sari-sari stores operate offline, with only 7% using any business software, limiting access to digital payments and online customers. GCash is helping address this gap by bringing practical training directly to store owners through the Wais Tindera Caravan.

“Sari-sari stores are the heart of every community, and through them, we’re driving digital enablement at the grassroots level. By going digital, NMSMEs can serve more customers, reduce cash-handling risks, and manage transactions more efficiently. Our goal is to transform everyday transactions into digital ones, supporting the growth of small businesses while advancing financial inclusion across the country,” CJ Alegre, GCash Head of Sustainability, said.

Empowering women-led MSMEs with credit access

While women lead 55.8% of MSMEs in the Philippines, many still face barriers to capital due to collateral and documentation requirements from traditional lenders, often relying instead on personal savings or informal financing.

Through its financing arm, Fuse Financing Inc., GCash is helping address this gap by promoting responsible lending through initiatives like the Wais Tindera Caravan.

“Celebrating women’s entrepreneurship, the Wais Tindera Caravan empowers women entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital economy. At Fuse, we support these initiatives by providing accessible lending options with fair rates and promoting responsible borrowing to help build long-term business resilience,” said Baby Aquino, Chief Product Officer at Fuse Financing, Inc.

Through the GCash app, entrepreneurs can access GLoan for MSMEs, allowing them to secure financing without collateral. Fuse is further expanding access through its ₱1.75-billion loan facility from the Asian Development Bank, targeting at least 60% for women-led MSMEs and 50% for borrowers in high-poverty provinces. 

As of end-2025, Fuse has disbursed ₱362 billion in loans to 10.5 million borrowers, with three in five borrowers being women.

Engaging with grassroots communities, one barangay at a time

Launched by GCash in November 2025, the Wais Tindera Caravan has already reached more than 10,000 NMSMEs through sessions held in 18 barangays across Metro Manila and Mindanao.

The caravan visited cities including Quezon City, Pasig, Makati, Manila, Caloocan, Taguig, San Juan, Marikina, Las Piñas, Mandaluyong, and Muntinlupa, drawing strong participation from local communities. Sessions in Batasan Hills (Quezon City), Tonsuya (Malabon), and Malanday (Valenzuela) alone gathered over 1,400 participants.

Outside Metro Manila, the program reached sari-sari store owners in Tagum, Davao, recording its largest turnout with over 1,500 NMSME participants, highlighting the growing demand for accessible financial and business literacy programs nationwide.

Participants received hands-on guidance on managing cash flow, saving, and adopting digital solutions to sustain and expand their sari-sari stores. Following its run in Quezon City, the Wais Tindera Caravan continues its rollout in Manila, Iloilo, Dagupan, and Albay this March during Women’s Month.

Supporting NMSMEs to scale

“Empowering the wais tindera is not just a mission; she is the backbone of financial inclusion. When she grows, her entire community wins,” said Alegre. “The Wais Tindera Caravan is designed to deliver immediate results. We are giving nano-MSMEs finlit and digital tools they need to achieve ‘Dagdag Kita’ and avoid bad debt.”

The sessions aim to build store owners’ confidence so they can make informed financial decisions, adopt digital tools, and gradually scale their enterprises.

GCash remains committed to meeting our Filipino entrepreneurs where they are. By integrating fintech and finlit in more communities nationwide, we create more resilient finance hubs that serve their communities’ needs.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

ADVT.

This article is brought to you by GCash.