亚开行-衡量菲律宾妇女在金融包容性和创业方面的进展：微型、小型和中型企业调查结果（英）-2023.10-110页_2mb

Measuring Progress on Women's Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship in the Philippines

Introduction

• Philippines' MSME sector accounts for 63% of employment and 99.5% of businesses, with 66% owned by women (WMSMEs).
• MSMEs face significant hurdles in accessing finance, with WMSMEs disproportionately affected.

Methodology & Findings

• Mixed-methods approach: 1,000 MSMEs surveyed (60% women), focus groups, and financial institution interviews.
• WMSMEs dominate trade and food services; barriers include lack of registration, complex processes, and limited access to finance (58% vs. 37% for men).
• Gender disparity in financial services use: 17% of WMSMEs vs. 38% of men use business accounts; 9% of WMSMEs vs. 12% of men use business loans.

Financial Services Adoption

• Only 17% of WMSMEs use digital financial services, compared to 44% of men-owned MSMEs.
• WMSMEs face higher barriers to loans, including collateral requirements and complex procedures.
• Mobile/e-wallet usage is higher for SMEs (30%) than microenterprises (10%), indicating uneven digital inclusion.

COVID-19 Impact

• WMSMEs increased emergency savings by 27%; however, revenue expectations remained lower than male counterparts.
• Digital finance adoption accelerated but was slow among microenterprises due to limited awareness and infrastructure.

Conclusions & Recommendations

1. Increase Digital Banking and Financial Access

   • Financial institutions offer tailored, easy-to-use digital products and services for WMSMEs.
   • Promote mobile and e-wallets to ensure accessibility and affordability.

2. Develop Gender-Sensitive Policies

   • Relook at sex-disaggregated data collection to capture WMSME needs.
   • Ensure clear definitions of women-owned enterprises to target support effectively.

3. Boost Financial and Digital Literacy

   • Conduct capacity-building programs and financial education for WMSMEs, focusing on new technologies and market integration.

4. Ensure Data Collection by Gender

   • Strengthen government and financial institutions' reporting to inform evidence-based policies.

Key Challenges

• Barriers: Collateral requirements, complex loan processes, lack of awareness and digital skills.
• Opportunities: Digital finance, non-bank lenders, and gender-inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.