A working mother in Metro Manila found a crucial financial lifeline in a small-amount, short-term loan product, highlighting the role of accessible digital credit in helping Filipinos cover immediate daily needs.
Josephine Russiana, 45, who cleans condominium units in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig, turned to GLoan Sakto, a “sachet-type” loan offered by Fuse Financing Inc., the lending arm of GCash, when her family’s hard-earned income fell short.
Russiana, a mother of three, needed money for her children’s school allowance one day when her usual daily budget of P200 was not enough.
She was instantly granted P100 through GLoan Sakto, a product designed to help cover immediate needs like food or utilities and eliminate the need to resort to unregulated, high-interest lenders.
“I bring in money for my family but sometimes it is not enough,” Russiana said.
Her financial situation tightened after her husband, a former motorcycle taxi rider, lost his job when the family could no longer make monthly payments on the bike. He now works part-time as a family driver, leaving Russiana as the family’s primary source of income.
GLoan Sakto allows eligible users to borrow small amounts, instantly credited to their digital wallets, with repayment set within 14 days. This type of lending is often used as “pambale” or a quick fix for essential expenses.
After her initial successful repayment, Russiana’s loan limit was increased to P300, which she used for commuting, and eventually to P1,000, which helped with food and utility bills. Her timely repayments, she said, were key to increasing her access to credit.
“I pay before the due date. I never let anything go overdue,” Russiana said.
The small loan served as Russiana’s entry point into the formal credit system.
Fuse Financing Inc. president and chief executive Tony Isidro said stories like Russiana’s demonstrate the product’s goal: “to give hardworking Filipinos access to safe, reliable, and dignified credit.”
“Too many families fall into debt traps because traditional loans are out of reach,” Isidro said. “With GLoan Sakto, we are showing that even the smallest amount, paired with responsible repayment, can open doors to financial confidence and stability.”
Fuse has served 9.5 million unique borrowers to date, with 90 percent of them being first-time users of formal credit through the company.
“At Fuse and GCash, we believe that there is good in doing good business—that’s why we make affordable loans accessible, even to ‘high-risk’ segments because they are the ones who were traditionally sidelined by other lenders and yet needed support the most,” Isidro said.
GCash aims to use GLoan Sakto to empower millions of Filipinos by offering an alternative to predatory lending and fostering long-term financial stability.
