Representatives from the World Bank Group and Small Business Corporation during the 360 Institutional Diagnostic Mission for SBCorp. In the photo are, from left to right: back row: Bede Pohlen (WBG), VP Wally Don G. Calderon (SBCorp), Roopam Upadhyay (WBG), Graeme Harris (WBG), Christian Rodriguez Torres (WBG), President and CEO Robert C. Bastillo (SBCorp), Jaime Frias (WBG), and Bernardo Contri (WBG); front row: Natkanda Butwongwasu (WBG), SVP Rowena G. Betia (SBCorp), Sonal Akhaury (WBG), VP Corazon A. Dimayuga (SBCorp), Atty. Aileen L. Amor-Bautista (WBG), Arijit Chandra (WBG), SVP Lourdes M. Baula (SBCorp), Yroen Guaya Melgar (WBG), and VP Atty. Candice A. Cabrido (SBCorp). Also part of the SBCorp delegation is SVP Angelito B. Acupan, who is not shown in the photo.

 

The Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), in partnership with the World Bank Group (WBG), has successfully concluded a two-week 360 Institutional Diagnostic Mission aimed at strengthening SBCorp’s institutional capacity, governance, operating model, risk management, and long-term sustainability as the government’s primary financing institution for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). 

Conducted from April 27 to May 8, 2026, the diagnostic was undertaken in support of the SME COMPETE+ Project, a flagship Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) initiative designed to help Philippine small and medium enterprises (SMEs) become more competitive, export-ready, and better integrated into domestic and global value chains. The project is led by the DTI Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), with SBCorp serving as one of the key implementing agencies, particularly in expanding access to finance for SMEs. 

The mission provided SBCorp and WBG with a strategic platform to jointly assess the Corporation’s systems, processes, institutional capabilities, and readiness to support expanded SME financing under SME COMPETE+ while reinforcing SBCorp’s broader development finance mandate. 

The engagement formally commenced on April 27, 2026, through a kick-off meeting attended by SBCorp’s Management Committee, led by President and CEO Robert C. Bastillo, together with senior officials including SVP Rowena G. Betia, SVP Lourdes M. Baula, SVP Angelito B. Acupan, VP Corazon A. Dimayuga, VP Candice A. Cabrido, and VP Wally Don G. Calderon. They were joined by a multidisciplinary WBG delegation composed of specialists in financial sector development, human resources, digital systems, SME finance, and institutional strengthening.

Over the course of the two-week diagnostic, SBCorp and WBG undertook a comprehensive assessment of the Corporation’s institutional systems, strategic priorities, operational processes, and readiness to support expanded SME financing under the SME COMPETE+ Project while reinforcing SBCorp’s broader development finance mandate.

The diagnostic was further enriched by the participation of SBCorp Group Heads and technical teams who served as subject matter respondents across the mission’s various workstreams, providing operational, strategic, and institutional insights essential to the assessment. 

A combination of desk reviews, technical discussions, stakeholder interviews, and branch visits is expected to produce an Institutional Assessment Report together with a Roadmap and Implementation Plan that will guide SBCorp in identifying priority reforms and strategic investments in systems, human resources, governance, and risk management to strengthen institutional resilience and support sustainable portfolio growth.

As the country’s foremost government financing institution for MSMEs, SBCorp continues to play a critical role in expanding access to finance for underserved enterprises nationwide. The 360 Institutional Diagnostic underscores SBCorp’s commitment to continuous improvement, stronger governance, operational excellence, and greater development impact. 

By working closely with the World Bank Group, SBCorp aims to build a more resilient, scalable, and responsive institution capable of better serving Philippine MSMEs, supporting inclusive enterprise growth, and contributing meaningfully to national economic development. 

 

Representatives from the World Bank Group and Small Business Corporation during the 360 Institutional Diagnostic Mission for SBCorp. In photo are, from left to right: back 1st row: Alper Ahmet Oguz (WBG), Jaime Frias (WBG), VP Lynnuel G. Victorio (SBCorp), Pasquale Di Benedetta (WBG); 2nd row: Katrisse Lim (SBCorp), Ma. Theresa Bernabe (SBCorp), VP Heide M. Vega (SBCorp), Atty. Candice A. Cabrido (SBCorp), SVP Lourdes M. Baula (SBCorp), SVP Angelito B. Acupan (SBCorp), and President and CEO Robert C. Bastillo (SBCorp); front row: Atty. Aileen L. Amor-Bautista (WBG), VP Corazon A. Dimayuga (SBCorp), SVP Rowena G. Betia (SBCorp), Sharon Kirenga Lwamafa (WBG) and Grace R. Dalisay (SBCorp).