SEDPI

Mariel Vincent A. Rapisura	Edwin M. Salonga
Emilenn Kate Sacdalan	Elmar Benjie Panahon
Desiree Muñoz	Florence Adviento
Francis Vincent Parma	Agnes Raña

Mariel Vincent A. Rapisura
President (SEDPI)
President and CEO (SEDPI Capital)

Faculty Member and Microfinance Program Manager
(Ateneo de Manila University)

Vincent Rapisura holds a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship for Social and Development Workers from the Asian Institute of Mangement and studied Rural and Agricultural Finance in the Netherlands. He recently finished a course in Microenterprise Development at the Southern New Hampshire University in the United States of America. He teaches social entrepreneurship and microfinance at the Ateneo de Manila University. Concurrently, he heads two organizations he founded - the Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI) and SEDPI Capital Credit, Inc. (SCCI).

Starting a career in microfinance soon after he graduated, Vince has gained considerable experience in the field of microfinance having worked in two local pioneering development organizations in the Philippines and an international microfinance training firm. He spearheaded the development and delivery of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Microfinance Diploma Course. The diploma course has attracted participants from Asia, Africa and Latin America. He is currently an active member of the remittance working group of the European Microfinance Platform and has worked in this area for the International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions in Benin, Burkina Faso and Luxembourg.

One of his most noted achievements is having been able to grow the portfolio of a microfinance program seven-fold from PhP 16 million to PhP 134 million. At the same time, he was able to reduce their portfolio at risk (PAR) ratio from 54% to 0%. Vince is well known to turn around the performance of ailing microfinance institutions and create market niches for those that are struggling with competition. His expertise is in the areas of social entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and mentoring assistance to both microfinance and microenterprises. He has conducted and facilitated various researches in the areas of impact assessment, client satisfaction and program evaluations, and has assisted several organizations access funds both from donors and commercial sources in the local and international market.

Together with like-minded social investors, Vince has established a portfolio for social investments that combines the principles of social responsibility and financial returns through SCCI. From a meager PhP45,000 portfolio seed fund, the portfolio has grown to PhP9 million in three years. The fund is currently being invested in social enterprises such as microfinance institutions, cooperatives and individuals who operate social enterprises. In the last three years, the fund has performed modestly and consistently enjoys 0% default. The fund is currently attracting investors from abroad particularly those coming from remittance-sending countries to the Philippines such as the United States of America, Hong Kong, Dubai and other European countries.

Edwin M. Salonga
CEO (SEDPI)

Chairperson, (SEDPI Capital)

Faculty Member,
University of the Philippines Faculty Member,
Ateneo de Manila University

Edwin Salonga is a concurrent lecturer at the University of the Philippine’s Master of Management Program and the Ateneo de Manila University’s Development Studies Program. Graduating Cum Laude and proceeding to earn his Master’s Degree in Public Administration both from the University of the Philippines, his expertise lies in organizational development in government and development organizations. He is known among training and mentoring assistance clients of his ability to rally management staff to commit to the attainment of targets. He does this through the provision of tools on how to achieve the targets coupled with motivating incentives schemes that will surely gain institutional buy in. Edwin has also conducted performance appraisals and mentoring assistance for microfinance institutions all over the Philippines and has written papers on microfinance for his doctoral program.

Edwin is largely responsible in developing training courses for the Ateneo Microfinance Capacity Building Program. He is known among training participants to effectively integrate structured learning experiences and adult learning techniques in his training style. Edwin never fails to be evaluated as an excellent trainer and mentor by his MFI clients both in local and international settings. He integrates market research results on field in trainings in a manner that specific audiences would appreciate. He also pushes the bar further into translating these research results in operational terms offering training participants with practical and readily applicable tools and information to improve organizational performance.

Edwin led the delivery of the Ateneo de Manila’s Diploma Course in Microfinance to the management staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Lagos in 2007. Due to the astounding reception of the participants in the training, the Central Bank of Nigeria has made the Diploma in Microfinance an annual program for its management staff. He has also lead the delivery of training courses in key cities in the Philippines in partnership with the Bank of the Philippine Islands and the People’s Credit and Finance Corporation. As one participant puts it, one can never have enough of Edwin’s training delivery.

Emilenn Kate D.S. Sacdalan

Senior Program Officer (SEDPI)

Program Officer,
Ateneo Microfinance Capacity Building Program

Emilenn Kate Sacdalan graduated with a double degree in Development Studies and Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University. She is currently pursuing a Masters Program on Community Economic Development in Southern New Hampshire University, United States of America. As one of the pioneer members of SEDPI, she provides indefatigable and reliable delivery of customized and public-run training courses and; technical and mentoring services to microfinance institutions in several key cities and provinces all over the Philippines. She has worked on the documentation of best practices of microfinance institutions in the Philippines commissioned by the National Confederation of Cooperatives and the Peace and Equity Foundation.

As young as she is, Emilenn already leads SEDPI’s front liners in field research. Her excellent communication skills with the grassroots allow her to automatically integrate in communities where crucial data are gathered for research. She seamlessly conducts focus group discussions and completes surveys in the most efficient manner. From her front line work, Emilenn is able to transform data into valuable information through rigorous statistical analysis and then later translate these in operational terms that could be understood by microfinance practitioners.

Elmar Benjie B. Panahon
Program Officer,
Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

Benjie Panahon graduated with a Degree in Management Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines and was assigned in Eastern Samar where he developed, organized, and conducted various trainings for both microfinance staff and clients.

Benjie’s experience in microfinance is further developed in SEDPI, where he currently works as Program Officer. He has conducted various microfinance and microenterprise researches around the country, including those commissioned by the Sustainable Economic Activity Development, Plan-Philippines, Peace and Equity Foundation, and CordAID. He likewise has conducted trainings and mentoring assistance for several microfinance institutions.

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Desiree Muñoz
Program Officer,
Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

Desiree Muñoz finished her degree in Community Development at the University of the Philippines. Des had conducted impact assessment field researches with Life Bank Foundation and Rural Bank of Katipunan. She has also conducted market research assessing the demand and supply for rural financial services in one of the most remote islands of the Philippines, Cagayancillo, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund.

Florence Adviento
Program Officer,
Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

Florence Advineto finished her degree in Management Economics at the Ateneo de Manila University. She had a short stint with Metro Bank, the largest commercial bank in the Philippines after graduation. After rendering volunteer work to SEDPI in its inception, she is now a regular employee of the organization. Florence has keen eyes on details which is crucial in the conduct of researches and writing reports. She has participated in several organizational appraisal projects of SEDPI.

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Francis Vincent Parma
Program Officer,
Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

Francis Vincent Parma finished his degree in Development Studies at the Ateneo de Manila University. Francis is the youngest employee of SEDPI and is currently in the process of acquiring skills and knowledge in the conduct of researches, training and technical assistance.

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Agnes Raña
Chairperson,
Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc.

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