LANDBANK, DICT expand AI-powered financing solutions for MSMEs

DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda (left) and LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz (center) lead the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance AI-powered solutions that will enhance MSME credit assessment, business development, and access to financing. They are joined LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte I. Conde (right).

 

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can soon benefit from faster and more accessible financing as LANDBANK and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) partner to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining credit assessment and strengthening business support.

LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda formalized the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 July 2026 at the LANDBANK Plaza in Manila. They were joined by DICT Undersecretary Christina Faye M. Condez-De Sagon, LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte I. Conde, and other officials from both institutions.

Through the collaboration, LANDBANK and DICT will utilize the ASEAN MSME AI Tech Stack to develop AI-enabled tools that simplify financing processes and make enterprises investment-ready. The mobile-first, multilingual platform — accessible in Filipino, English, and major Philippine languages — equips entrepreneurs with practical tools to scale. It strengthens MSMEs by offering targeted guidance on business planning, regulatory compliance, pricing, contract review, marketing, and access to capital and government support.

Under the partnership, the DICT will provide access to AI tools, platforms, datasets, and digital capabilities, alongside technical assistance, training, and advisory support. Meanwhile, LANDBANK will provide operational requirements and financing use cases, support pilot testing and implementation, and integrate these innovations into its MSME lending services.

"One of AI’s most promising opportunities lies in breaking down barriers to financing. As the backbone of our economy, MSMEs deserve solutions that allow them to spend less time navigating paperwork and more time actually growing their businesses. Through this collaboration, we look forward to leveraging the ASEAN MSME AI Tech Stack to make funding faster and more accessible than ever," said LANDBANK President and CEO Ortiz.

The initiative will adhere strictly to financial regulations, cybersecurity standards, and data privacy requirements to ensure the responsible and secure adoption of AI.

“This is the articulation of the President's vision with some AI solution that the team in DICT put together with partners. With LANDBANK providing the financial resources so that the MSME can finally have a complete toolkit to compete in the marketplace,” said DICT Sec. Aguda.

This latest effort complements LANDBANK's LIFTING MSMEs Lending Program, which offers tailored financing solutions to enterprises at various stages of growth. It also builds on the existing partnership between LANDBANK and DICT in advancing digital government initiatives, including the rollout of eGovPay and other digital payment solutions that make public services more efficient, accessible, and inclusive.

By expanding access to capital and accelerating digital transformation, the LANDBANK-DICT partnership directly supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) framework, equipping Filipino entrepreneurs with the tools needed to scale their businesses and generate local jobs.