Money problems don’t always come from a lack of hard work. Sometimes, it’s just about access. A market vendor who wants to expand her stall, a delivery driver who needs to fix his truck, or a mom dreaming of turning her kitchen recipes into a small business, all have the drive, but not always the financial support. For many Filipinos, that’s where the story stops.
Asialink Finance Corporation wants to change that narrative. For almost three decades, the company has been building bridges for those often left out of traditional banking, giving everyday people and small business owners the chance to start, grow, and recover. Their mission is simple: help someone today.
At the forefront of Asialink’s next chapter are President and CEO Samuel “Sam” Cariño and Chief Operating Officer Eleanor “Lea” Yap, two leaders who understand that finance should empower, not intimidate. Sam, who built his career leading marketing and expansion initiatives in the financial sector, brings a future-focused vision rooted in operational excellence and empathy. Lea, known for her strategic leadership and sharp financial insight, believes growth happens when people feel supported, not pressured.
Together, they’re leading Asialink toward a more human kind of finance, one that feels less corporate and more connected to real lives.
That human touch is exactly what drew Jolina Magdangal to the cause. A longtime advocate for women’s empowerment, Jolina joined Asialink as the face of WAIS, short for Women’s Access to Inclusive Support, a loan program built to help women-led MSMEs thrive.
For Jolina, WAIS goes beyond numbers. “It’s not just about lending money,” she shared in an interview. “It’s about confidence, trust, and empowerment, helping women believe in their own strength.”
Launched with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), the WAIS loan offers up to ₱20 million in financing with low interest rates, flexible terms, and no post-dated checks required. In just a few months, it has already reached over 1,000 women nationwide, with total disbursements growing from ₱10 million to over ₱525 million.
It’s a powerful statement of what happens when women are given the tools to lead, businesses grow, communities flourish, and families gain stability.
Asialink’s partnerships with ADB, IFC, and Malaysian equity firm Creador are fueling an even greater impact. These collaborations strengthen Asialink’s capacity to fund small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country, especially those owned by women. Each investment is a step toward a more inclusive economy, one where financial growth benefits everyone, not just the privileged few.
Today, with over 250 branches nationwide and profits surpassing ₱1 billion in 2024, Asialink continues to redefine accessible financing. Guided by its values of #Heartwork, Inclusivity, Growth, and Ownership, the company sees lending not as a business transaction but as a partnership in progress.
As Sam Cariño puts it, “When you make finance more human, you don’t just create loans, you create futures.”
And for Jolina, that future looks a lot like hope. WAIS is a reminder that financial empowerment isn’t reserved for the elite, it belongs to every Filipina ready to take her dreams seriously.
Because being wise with money isn’t just about saving, it’s about knowing you deserve a chance to grow.
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Jasmine Curtis-Smith is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now, as she shares her thoughts on good storytelling in films, as she’s set to star in upcoming movies Open Night, a 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sapphic film entry; and Manila’s Finest, an upcoming 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) crime drama movie.
Read the Stylish Magazine September-October 2025 cover story here.
Watch out for a new #StylishPodcast episode featuring our cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith, dropping soon on Facebook and YouTube.
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