This project - Project to Develop Standards for Microfinance - has five
major components, namely:
- Coalition Formation.
This entails the formation of a coalition of NGOs and other agencies which
are involved in microfinance. It includes the formation of a core group
of microfinance practitioners and policy advocates into a Policy Advisory
Group (PAG) that will both be the life source and the driving force for the
Project.
The specific outputs of this component on coalition formation are: (1) the
formation of the PAG indicated by core group members signifying formal
agreement based on a selection criteria; (2) formation of coalition with
members formally signing an agreement; (3) strategic plan to be evidenced by
an approved Project Implementation Plan (PIP); and (4) regular and special
meetings with the PAG meeting monthly and/or as needed, and with general
membership meeting on a semi-annual basis.
- Design and Conduct of a National Microfinance Survey.
A national survey shall be undertaken to identify, locate and gather
relevant data on existing NGOs that are involved in the delivery of credit
and savings services to the poor. The survey is expected to yield data on
basic performance indicators that shall serve as a major input in the
development of standards. The establishment alone of a statistical database
on microfinance in the Philippines will be a major breakthrough.
This component on the design and conduct of national microfinance survey
shall produce (1) an inventory of MFIs; (2) a framework for the national
microfinance survey; (3) training of enumerators; and (3) conduct of a
national survey.
The MFI inventory will consist of a database of NGOs involved in the
provision of financial services; and profiles of MFIs. The database should
be readily accessible while the profiles produced should be published and
disseminated to target audiences.
- Training of Microfinance Institutions.
Reiterative consultations will be done to elicit participation in and
ownership of the Project by microfinance institutions, who actually are,
the primary stakeholders in the standards that will be developed. Also,
training activities will be undertaken to improve the level of understanding
and working knowledge of the recipient institutions on the application of
microfinance standards and indicators.
- Development and Promotion of Microfinance Standards.
A review of existing standards will be undertaken. This Project component
will produce the standards document which will be agreed upon by the
coalition. To promote the standards there will be several regional
workshops and a big national workshops. The regional workshops will
culminate in a national microfinance summit where the standards will be
formally launched.
The standards document will also be disseminated and, to the extent
possible, presented to donor agencies, government agencies and the banking
sector.
- Advocacy.
Advocacy efforts will be pursued throughout the Project duration.
Linkages will be established with NGO networks, bankers' associations,
international groups, among others. Exposure trips to successful
microfinance models abroad for policy makers and MFI senior officers will be
undertaken. As part of the Project's networking activity a coalition
directory will be distributed to all members and concerned national and
international agencies. Publications produced at various stages of the
Project shall also be distributed to these institutions. The Project
shall also facilitate the linking of agencies into an information sharing
network through the provision of an on-line service. This network shall
serve as a forum for advocacy of standards developed.
