Women-led businesses in Surigao del Sur have borrowed more from the government's small business lender this year than those in any other province in Caraga, according to figures released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Caraga and the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.).

From January to October 2026, SB Corp. financing programs, including its Women's Enterprise Fund, released a combined P114,554,706 to 582 women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the region's five provinces, according to a Philippine Information Agency (PIA) report published October 14.

The provincial breakdown

Surigao del Sur led the region with P37,104,226 released to 175 women entrepreneurs. The rest of Caraga:

  • Agusan del Norte: P36,118,957 to 165 women-led enterprises
  • Surigao del Norte: P16,917,900 to 105 borrowers
  • Agusan del Sur: P16,513,373 to 72 women entrepreneurs
  • Dinagat Islands: P7,900,250 to 65 businesses

The report does not break the Surigao del Sur figure down by city or town, so it is not known how much of it went to Bislig businesses.

According to PIA, 16,283 of the region's registered MSMEs are women-led, or 62.84 percent of all MSMEs in Caraga.

How the Women's Enterprise Fund works

The DTI and SB Corp. launched the Women's Enterprise Fund on June 27, 2025. Based on SB Corp.'s launch announcement:

  • Who can borrow: women-owned and women-led micro, small and medium enterprises
  • Loan size: P30,000 up to P20 million
  • Interest: 1 percent per month, computed on the diminishing balance
  • Repayment: up to five years, with an optional grace period for some financing windows
  • Collateral: only required for loans above P5 million
  • Uses: franchising, purchase order financing, business expansion, and recovery assistance

SB Corp. lists these documents for an application: a business permit (a barangay certification, mayor's permit, or Barangay Micro Business Enterprise certificate), a government-issued ID, proof of a bank account, photos of the business showing its signage, inventory and assets, and corporate papers if the business is a partnership or corporation.

Other SB Corp. programs open to women

The PIA report also lists other SB Corp. loan programs that women-led businesses can use, including RISE-UP (Resilient, Innovative, and Sustainable Enterprises, Unleash your Powers), the MSME Business Fund, Business Expansion Financing, SBCorp SUKI, Franchise Acquisition Funding, Purchase Order Financing, the Turismo Asenso Loan Program, and Falah Financing.

One example cited by PIA is Chresilda Guzon, a Butuan City convenience store owner who expanded her stock after getting a P300,000 RISE-UP loan.

How to apply from Bislig

According to PIA, women entrepreneurs can go straight to any SB Corp. office. DTI's Negosyo Centers also help business owners prepare their requirements and formally endorse them to SB Corp. In Bislig, that means the city's Negosyo Center is the closest place to start.

SB Corp.'s launch announcement also says applications can be filed online through its app at app.sbcorp.ph, after which an SB Corp. account officer follows up.

Loan terms can change, so confirm the current rates and requirements with SB Corp. or the Negosyo Center before applying.

Recognition for women in business

DTI Caraga also runs the Caraga Successful Women Entrepreneur Awards and helps organize a Women Summit with trade fairs every March during National Women's Month. "Do not be afraid to start small," said Erlinda D. Deloy, one of this year's awardees, as quoted by PIA.

Sources: Philippine Information Agency Caraga report by Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante, published October 14, 2026, with data from DTI Caraga and SB Corp.; SB Corp. announcement on the launch of the Women's Enterprise Fund (June 2025).