“It’s our digital-first mindset,” Country Funders Finance Corp. CEO and president Ana Alingog-Lazzari said of the five-year-old company’s Growth Champions 2024 nod. “We focused first on efficiency and digitalization so when the pandemic hit, we transitioned seamlessly and even thrived doing remote operations.”
Country Funders Finance Corporation’s Customer Service office in Urdaneta, Pangasinan opened in July 2021
Country Funders began its mission of extending financial solutions to the unbanked and underbanked sectors of Philippine society in 2018. As part of the Ropali Group of Companies, its first loan products leveraged the group’s 40-year experience in the motorcycle and banking industries, and offered affordable and accessible financing to a fast-growing market segment.
The company started by leveraging its ties with the motorcyle dealership Ropali, and specialized in motorcycle loans
This has enabled Country Funders to expand its coverage to other financing products in key cities nationwide. From crop production and livestock, to sari-sari stores and other business loans, the company distinguishes itself with its singular focus of providing ordinary Filipinos with the means to achieve financial stability for themselves and their families.
And it has proven to be a winning strategy. In as many years the company has more than quadrupled its portfolio, with an over ten times increase in revenue, and double of its initial equity. The organization prides itself in serving over a hundred thousand clients’ needs so far, and is fast tracking the introduction of new solutions for its market’s growing needs.
Country Funders employees during a 2024 kickoff event
The prospect of further expansion is made possible because the company prides itself on its openness to partnerships with experts in both technological solutions and other industries.
“We couldn’t do it on our own,” said Alingog-Lazzari. “We actively seek and forge relationships with other companies that complement our vision for growth.”
Ana Alingog-Lazzari, CEO and President of Country Funders Finance Corporation
Country Funders has integrated pivotal systems to boost the company’s ability to extend its services to more customers, particularly in the areas of credit and underwriting, data storage and security, productivity and resource management, client payments, marketing, and customer relationship management. The company also looks forward to opening up new customer-facing channels in the next phases of its development.
Country Funders CEO Ana Alingog-Lazzari (seated third from the right) with Ropali Group of Companies Chairman Roberto P. Alingog (seated third from left), along with Country Funders COO Sheryl dela Cruz (seated second from left) and department and unit heads
In the past months Country Funders has also started to open up new loan products to test markets for a mini-mart franchise concept, to address the trucking needs of growing businesses, and to provide its loyal clients with small collateralized loans.
Each loan product the company offers is customized at every level – from easy application processes and requirements, to accessibility of account management and loan payments, with the help of multiple payment options open to clients whose loan terms are personalized according to their sources of income.
Country Funders Mobile App for account management
“Our focus on technology has also given us a chance to be very agile in introducing new products to our clients. We pride ourselves in putting the client first in our product design, and in understanding them so we may adjust our solutions according to their needs,” Alingog-Lazzari said.
ADVT.