In laying down the ground work for a seamless transition of program implementation to local partner organizations and stakeholders, the National Consortium held its first organizational meeting on 28 November 2012 in Manila to define its working principles, governance mechanism, program management and quality assurance system, and membership policy/ criteria, as well as to identify and discuss its strategic thrusts and action points based on the results and experiences of running the program in the last four years.

Mr. Danilo Songco, President and CEO of PinoyME Foundation noted that after five years of undertaking the program, key milestones have been achieved towards further professionalizing the microfinance industry through the institutionalization of a ladderized training and education program for the officers and staff (Loan Officers, Team Leaders/ Supervisors & Branch Managers) of microfinance institutions (MFIs) patterned after the Dual Training System Competency-based Education (DTS CBE) of Germany. He acknowledged that the “DTS CBE for Microfinance Program” will support the microfinance industry’s supply chain with highly trained microfinance professionals in the future to address the problem of lack of qualified manpower especially those in the frontline services (Loan Officers).

For instance, as of October 2012, 16 graduates have completed the TESDA track from ASKI Training and Skills Institute based in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, all of whom are employed by the former’s mother company “Alalay sa Kaunlaran Inc.” (ASKI) and were deployed in its branches in the provinces of La Union and Cabanatuan.  ASKI has 15 scholar-students for the 2nd batch which are now being deployed for their on-the-job training (OJT). ASKI gives priority to the children of its member-clients for its scholarship program particularly in the microfinance program. And in March 2013, Bicol University (Daraga Campus) will have its first batch of 44 graduates under the CHED track with a degree in BSBA Major in Microfinance; it has launched this year its graduate program for microfinance officers/staff with unit credits given to work experience and trainings attended. The University of Makati (UMak) will graduate 21 degree-holders of BS in Microfinance through the Microfinance Equivalency Program by June 2013.

Adopting the name “National Consortium for the Professionalization of Filipino Microfinance Human Resource”, organizationally, it is supported by Local Program Committees (LPCs) at the local level, with a National Program Committee (NPC) or Governing Board at the national level, and the General Assembly as the overarching body. In the interim, PinoyME will provide secretariat function to the NPC. The LPC is composed of the MFIs and educational institution/s (EIs) in the area of operation, which will then nominate two of its officers as representatives to the NPC.

As agreed upon, the mandate of the Consortium is both policy-making and program implementer, and its membership will be composed of “Regular” for program participants and “Associate” for support institutions. Its key working principles are: positive impact on poverty groups, strong partnership, service, consultation/ consensus-building, professionalism, integrity, collaboration and communication. Seven “Strategic Thrusts” and “Action Points” were identified by the group in relation to further professionalizing the microfinance industry on human resource, institutionalizing program management and quality assurance system, developing competency of trainers/instructors, and effective local program coordination.

Among the upcoming activities of the Consortium during the transition phase (2013) are the conduct of the general assembly and the launch. The target date for the operationalization of the National Consortium is 2014.

Mr. Songco enjoined the continued support and cooperation of partner organizations and stakeholders in the future.