Digital Pilipinas recently gathered industry leaders and partners championing innovation, ESG, sustainable finance, and the startup community in the country to discuss how an interoperable ecosystem can benefit from cross-industry and cross-border collaborations.
Dubbed “Championing Sustainable Finance and the Startup Community in a Digital Pilipinas,” the event featured top executives from Ayala Corporation, Tangere, Dragonpay, Singapore FinTech Association — a non-profit, cross-industry initiative intended as a platform for facilitating collaboration between all market participants and stakeholders in the fintech ecosystem, and the National Development Company, a state-owned enterprise investing in various industries, joining hands to tackle the issues together.
Photo shows (from left:) Vincent Tobias, Head of Innovation of Ayala Corporation; Christian Reyes, CEO of Dragonpay; Amor Maclang, Convenor of Digital Pilipinas; Emilio Mina, owner of Caruso Ristorante Italiano; Reuben Lim, CEO of Singapore Fintech Association; Martin Peñaflor, CEO of Tangere; and Antonilo Mauricio, General Manager of the National Development Company (NDC).
The event took place at the Caruso Ristorante Italiano in Makati, where the startup community, partners, co-convenors, and friends of Digital Pilipinas gathered for an afternoon of meaningful insights, exciting innovations, and promising pitches set amidst good food and great company.
Reuben Lim, Chief Operating Officer of the Singapore Fintech Association, graced the occasion as the event’s guest of honor.
“Over 5 days, we interacted and exchanged opinions with influential sectoral bodies like Digital Pilipinas. There was plenty of laughter and networking as we got to know the delegates as well as the Philippines afresh. Supported by the push for open banking, the mandate, call, and force for financial inclusion are strong in this country. I hope our delegates manage to seize the opportunities,” Lim stated in his speech.
“The Filipino voice is the pulse of the digital economy. Our thoughts and opinions matter, and they have the power to guide brands, legislators, and the government. Together with one of our partners, Digital Pilipinas is coming up with original research on that to help shape the future of the digital economy for the benefit of every Filipino,” said Amor Maclang, Convenor of Digital Pilipinas, as she formally opened the program.
Sharing of trends and key learnings in the fintech industry
The event also served as a venue for the participants to have an open discussion on recent trends and developments in the fintech industry.
Vincent Tobias, Head of Innovation at Ayala Corporation, shared case studies and gave examples of how fintech, when combined with the power of innovation and sustainability, can be applied to address real-life challenges.
Ayala Corporation is one of the oldest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. It has been around for 190 years and has always been known for its discipline and corporate governance. However, in recent years, Ayala realized that it needs to be more innovative.
To do this, Ayala created a corporate innovation unit in 2012. The unit’s mission is to help Ayala’s subsidiaries “evolve their portfolios and business models” in order to “thrive in the digital age.”
By creating a corporate innovation unit, Ayala was able to identify and invest in new technologies and businesses that have the potential to also help the Philippines achieve financial inclusion.
“We want to be able to help the BSP in its goal of getting 70% of Filipino families banked. Thanks to our current back channels and new digital channels, we’re well on our way to achieving that goal,” Tobias said.
Not all trends are created equal
The fintech industry is rapidly changing the way people access and manage their finances.
Fintech companies are developing innovative new products and services that are making financial services more accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of their income or location. By working together, stakeholders in the fintech industry can create a fintech landscape that benefits everyone. They can make financial services more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for all, regardless of their income or location.
On the other hand, as startups stay up to date on the latest trends, especially with digitalization, industry leaders also expressed that it is important to remember that “not all trends are created equal.”
During the pitch fest, Dennis Gatuslao, Chief Commercial Marketing Officer of Bayad, said, “Startups can harness digitalization to understand their target market, create a distinct value proposition, and enhance customer experiences. Rather than simply following trends, strive to provide unique value to your customers. Assess your market position and discover how you can stand out. That could be a good start.”
Gatuslao was joined by AJ Rocero, Executive Director of Proptech Consortium of the Philippines; Antonilo Mauricio, General Manager of the National Development Company (NDC); Thomas Cheung, Managing Partner at Global Associates Consultancy; Francis Henares, CEO of Inventi Philippines; Abu Rahman, CEO of REPHIL; William Seow Synfindo, Head of Business Development and Partnerships of APAC SG Delegate of Singapore Pte. Ltd.; and Christian Reyes, COO of Dragonpay.
Also joining them at the event were Thomas Cheung, Managing Partner of Global Associates Consultancy; Martin Peñaflor, CEO of Tangere; Olivier Bariou, CEO of Doconchain; Batbaatar Purev-Ochir, Head of Sales and Marketing of AND Solutions; and Rajan Narayan, CEO of Cyberbeat.
These individuals represent a diverse range of industries and perspectives, which made for a stimulating and informative discussion. They discussed the latest trends in digitalization and sustainable finance, and how these trends are impacting the Philippines and the world.
A positive force for change in the world
Fintech and digitalization for startups have the potential to be a positive force for change in the world. They can make services more accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of their income or location. They can also help to make services more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The Digital Pilipinas Festival (DPF) and Philippine Fintech Festival Year 2 (PFF), happening on November 21 to 24, is an event that is focused on exploring the potential of fintech to make a transformative impact. The festival will feature a series of talks, workshops, and networking events that will bring together fintech leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from around the world.
Positioning the Philippines as a leading destination for fintech investment and innovation, this year’s Digital Pilipinas Festival and Philippine Fintech Festival will feature more than 20 countries’ delegates in attendance, thus being recognized as the largest digital economies event that placed the Philippines at the forefront of the global digital economy revolution.
Digital Pilipinas is now the largest private sector-led movement for creating an innovation and technology ecosystem in the country that is actively engaged in a global digital economy through its domestic and international trajectories.
To learn more about Digital Pilipinas, the Digital Pilipinas Festival, and the Philippine Fintech Festival Year 2, visit https://digitalpilipinas.ph