More than 400 women entrepreneurs gathered for the kickoff of the Wais Tindera Caravan, a financial literacy program of GCash aimed at helping nano, micro, small and medium enterprises adopt digital financial tools and practice responsible borrowing.

Launched in celebration of International Women's Day, the initiative brought together sari-sari store owners, street food vendors and other small business operators to strengthen their financial management skills and expand access to digital services.

According to a 2025 study by the Boston Consulting Group, about 75 percent of sari-sari stores in the Philippines still operate offline, while only seven percent use business software, limiting their access to digital payments and online customers.

GCash said the caravan aims to close this gap by bringing practical digital finance training directly to grassroots entrepreneurs.

“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,” said CJ Alegre, head of sustainability at GCash.

“Our goal is to transform everyday transactions into digital ones, supporting the growth of small businesses while advancing financial inclusion across the country,” Alegre added.

Access to financing

The program also promotes access to credit for women-led businesses through GCash’s financing arm, Fuse Financing Inc..

Women lead about 55.8 percent of MSMEs in the Philippines but often face barriers in accessing traditional loans due to collateral and documentation requirements.