Discovery Capital Finance Corp. (DCFC) has secured a new credit facility from BDO Unibank, boosting its capacity to finance small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as non-bank lenders play a growing role in narrowing the country’s longstanding credit gap.
The funding line from the country’s largest universal bank will allow Discovery Capital to accelerate loan releases, expand into underserved regional markets, and broaden its lending portfolio as demand for business financing continues to rise outside Metro Manila.
The partnership combines BDO’s funding strength with Discovery’s digital lending platform and nationwide distribution network, reflecting a broader trend of banks working with specialized finance companies to reach borrowers that are often underserved by traditional banking channels.
Discovery said the additional funding will support entrepreneurs seeking working capital and expansion financing, with the company also preparing to enter the real estate lending segment. The move comes as SMEs, which account for more than 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines, continue to face limited access to affordable credit despite their outsized contribution to employment and economic activity.
“Through this partnership with the country’s number one bank, we can further cater to and expand our market throughout the country,” said Discovery Capital Finance President and Chief Executive Officer Diosdado C. Salang Jr.
“This credit line provides us with crucial funding capacity to deepen our footprint in key regional growth areas and directly address the capital needs of local businesses. We are actively establishing additional satellite offices across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to make our specialized lending products accessible to more communities,” he added.
The company plans to open 10 more offices nationwide by 2027 while expanding beyond business loans into real estate financing.
Discovery said its fully automated lending platform, which integrates customer onboarding, credit evaluation, and loan administration, enables faster loan approvals while maintaining disciplined risk management.
As banks increasingly rely on partnerships to broaden financial inclusion, the tie-up highlights how technology-enabled lenders are complementing traditional financial institutions in extending credit to provincial enterprises. Improving access to financing outside major cities is widely seen as critical to accelerating regional investment, supporting job creation, and sustaining the growth of the country’s SME sector.
