Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Skyro Partners with LenderLink to Strengthen Credit Assessment and Responsible Lending in the Philippines

 


 Skyro, an SEC-registered fintech platform in the Philippines, has joined LenderLink’s Credit Intelligence Network, gaining access to real-time credit insights from a growing network of financial institutions, while contributing its own consented borrower data to the network.

The partnership gives Skyro a broader view of borrowers' credit histories to support more accurate and comprehensive credit assessments.

The partnership comes as Skyro expands its role in Filipinos’ everyday financial lives. Following its recent brand refresh, Skyro is moving beyond financing individual purchases to providing financial solutions to everyday needs.

Since launching in the country in 2022, Skyro has issued more than three million loans, with products and services designed to support customers across more moments in their financial lives.

Access to more comprehensive and timely credit information can help lenders better understand borrowers' financial behavior, including those whose credit histories may not be fully reflected in traditional records.

Under LenderLink's consent-based model, borrower information is shared only with the requesting lender, and only when the borrower provides consent. This gives lenders additional context about how customers manage credit across different financial products, beyond what may be visible through their own records.

With access to a broader range of credit information, lenders can make better-informed assessments as customers use different financial products and services. For borrowers, this can mean their financial behavior is assessed using a more complete picture of their credit history.

“Skyro is evolving from a financing provider into a broader financial partner for its customers. That evolution makes access to timely, reliable credit intelligence even more important,” said Christo Georgiev, Co-Founder and CEO of LenderLink.

“We’re excited to have Skyro join the network and contribute to a stronger collective view of Filipino borrowers. By bringing together credit insights from participating institutions, we can help lenders to make better informed decisions and strengthen responsible lending across the industry.”

For Skyro, the partnership builds on its existing approach to technology-driven credit assessment. The company’s proprietary AI-driven credit decisioning model already combines traditional and alternative data with advanced analytics to support fast, carefully assessed credit decisions.

LenderLink's network provides another source of credit information that can complement Skyro's existing capabilities while its expanding product portfolio is designed to meet customers across more everyday financial needs.

“Responsible lending starts with understanding the customer,” said Nasim Aliev, Skyro Co-Founder and Co-CEO. “As Skyro grows into a broader financial partner, we want to keep improving how we understand credit behavior and serve customers responsibly. Through LenderLink, we can draw on more timely and comprehensive credit information to support better-informed lending decisions. At the same time, we're helping build a stronger credit information network that benefits the wider financial ecosystem.”

Today, the network connects 40+ contributing institutions and more than 45 million credit records, with over 1.5 million unique borrower records exchanged monthly. Through LenderLink’s secure, consent-driven infrastructure, participating institutions can access real-time credit data across multiple contributors through a single API.

As lending continues to move faster and customers increasingly use multiple financial products, the ability to see the bigger picture becomes increasingly important.

Skyro joining LenderLink is another step toward a credit ecosystem where better data is not held in silos, but becomes more useful when shared responsibly.

About LenderLink Inc
LenderLink is the Philippines' first real-time, consent-based credit data exchange, connecting a growing number of financial institutions across a shared pool of more than 45 million borrower records. LenderLink enables faster, fairer credit decisions by giving lenders secure, real-time visibility into borrower history, helping bring millions of underserved Filipinos into the formal financial system.

The platform is ISO 27001-certified, recognized by the Credit Information Corporation (CIC) as a Certified Technical Service Provider, and aligned with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Open Finance Framework (BSP Circular No. 1122). Backed by Kaya Founders, Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN), and Iterative, LenderLink is building the infrastructure for faster, more informed and more collaborative credit decisions in the Philippines.

About Skyro
Skyro is a high-growth, digital-first fintech group delivering scalable, responsible financial access across high-potential emerging markets. Powered by proprietary data science, AI-driven credit decisioning, and alternative-data scoring, the company combines a mobile-native experience with modular fintech architecture to serve underserved client segments at scale.

As of 2026, Skyro has a registered user base of more than 7 million and a credit portfolio exceeding $200 million. The company's ambition is to become a leading full-spectrum financial services group across high-potential markets by combining capability proven at scale with a commitment to building each business around the needs of the market it serves.

CDC Explores Partnership with i4C.PH: Setting a New Standard for National Resilience in Clark, Pampanga

 

preview Clark Development Corporation Joins i4C.PH 2026 National Resilience Summit as Resilience Partner. A summit on security, disaster resilience, and cybersecurity runs November 3 to 5 at SMX Convention Center Clark.

CLARK FREEPORT, PAMPANGA, September 28, 2026. The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has joined the i4C.PH 2026 Summit as a Resilience Partner. CDC will encourage businesses operating in the Clark Freeport Zone to send delegates to the summit, which runs November 3 to 5 at SMX Convention Center Clark.

Clark hosts the summit as a region with a documented recovery record. The area rebuilt after the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo and the departure of US forces from Clark Air Base later that year. It has since withstood the 2019 Central Luzon earthquake and repeated typhoon flooding, including Typhoon Carina in 2024.

i4C.PH integrates physical security and safety, disaster risk and crisis management, and cybersecurity into one scenario-based program. Each day covers one discipline:

November 3: Physical security and safety

November 4: Disaster risk and crisis management, including a specialized activity with CDC

November 5: Cybersecurity

"Crises spread across departments. An earthquake can cut power, the outage can open a door for an attacker, and the attack can slow down the response. i4C.PH trains the people who handle each part of that chain to work together before it happens," said Augustus Caesar Esmeralda, Founding Chief Convenor of i4C.PH.

The program includes simulations, training sessions, and hands-on exercises. Participants contribute to the National Resilience Protocol, a shared framework developed during the summit. Organizations can register delegates for single days or the full program, with group packages available for teams of three to ten.

Click here to register for the event. The full program is available at https://i4c.ph/.

About i4C.PH i4C.PH is a national platform for integrated security, crisis resilience, and digital trust in the Philippines. It operates as an event, a platform, a movement, and a protocol, built on the view that today's risks are systemic, cumulative, and interconnected. Learn more at https://i4c.ph/.

About Ace And Assiociates Risk Management, Inc.
Ace and Associates Risk Management, Inc. (AAA) provides asset protection and risk management consultancy services, with an emphasis on the convergence of all aspects of security from conception to implementation. The company describes itself as the only all-Filipino, independent security risk management and consulting firm that is globally certified in the Philippines. Its team combines globally accepted corporate best practices with knowledge of local conditions. AAA is one of the conceptualizers of i4C.PH, together with Resilient.PH and Security Matters. i4C.PH: Resilience Reimagined is a national, multi-sector platform that advances integrated security, crisis resilience and digital trust across the Philippines. It convenes leaders and practitioners from government, defense, public safety, critical infrastructure, industry, technology and academia around the convergence of physical security and safety, cybersecurity, and disaster and crisis management. The program follows the Resilience Programming Framework (RPF) from The Resilient.PH, a systems-based approach that treats resilience as a continuum from foresight and prevention through preparedness, response, recovery and long-term adaptation.

Monday, October 19, 2026

Korea and ASEAN Deepen Cultural Partnership as 2026 Innovative Culture Forum Comes to Manila

 


The 2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum (PIC), organized by Korea's MCST, KOFICE, and the ASEAN Foundation, will be held on November 7, 2026, at the Ayala Museum in Makati City. Themed "On Human Creative Sovereignty," the forum gathers policymakers and creative leaders from Korea and all 11 ASEAN states to discuss generative AI, copyright, and cultural IP. MapleStory's Chang-seop Kim will deliver the keynote, followed by four sessions with over 20 experts.

2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum to Convene at Ayala Museum on November 7, Championing the Future of Human Creative Sovereignty and Cultural IP
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea (MCST), together with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and the ASEAN Foundation, has officially announced that the “2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum (Partnership for Innovative Culture - PIC)” will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the prestigious Ayala Museum in Makati City.

Holding this year’s landmark forum in the Philippines carries exceptional diplomatic significance, as the nation assumes the 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship. Organized around the overarching theme, “On Human Creative Sovereignty: Shaping the Future of Imagination and Cultural IP,” the international conference aims to establish a high-level multilateral dialogue addressing the profound impact of generative artificial intelligence and digital transformation on creative industries, copyright protection, and cross-border intellectual property economies across Asia.

The forum is distinguished by an authoritative lineup of creative leaders and policymakers from Korea and all 11 ASEAN member states. Notably, Mr. Chang-seop Kim, General Director of NEXON’s iconic gaming franchise MapleStory, will deliver the forum’s Keynote Address. Reflecting on MapleStory’s unprecedented two-decade success across Southeast Asia via MapleStory SEA, Mr. Kim will share invaluable industry insights on expanding gaming worldviews into transmedia cultural intellectual properties (IP), sustained community building, and cross-sectoral brand collaborations.

Following the keynote, four comprehensive thematic sessions spanning Policy Governance, Industrial Expansion, ASEAN-Korea Multilateral Cooperation, and Youth Leadership will bring together over 20 prominent regional experts. Key discussions will explore how local cultural resources, indigenous heritage, and everyday creativity can be systematically transformed into legally protected, high-value cultural assets in alignment with the long-term strategic objectives of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Alongside the academic and policy sessions, the forum is intrinsically linked with the contemporary art exhibition, “Gathering Point,” curated at the Ayala Museum from November 7 to November 13, 2026. The special seven-day showcase brings together visionary contemporary artists from six Asian nations, including the Philippines’ internationally acclaimed Mark Justiniani, Latthapon Korkiatarkul (Thailand), Kim Joon (Republic of Korea), Ari Bayuaji (Indonesia), Adam Phong (Malaysia), and Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand). Through diverse mediums ranging from kinetic optical installations to acoustic archival work, the exhibition demonstrates how physical materials, everyday memories, and collective traditions are reinterpreted through creative sovereignty.

The Organizing Committee has officially initiated an exclusive Application-Based Pre-Registration process for local arts and cultural administrators, museum and gallery curators, hotel art collection managers and senior hoteliers, creative tech startup founders, and aspiring youth leaders. Shortlisted delegates will receive full complimentary access to the forum proceedings, supported by a professional simultaneous interpretation system (Korean-English). Attendees will also be hosted to an authentic premium Korean culinary luncheon buffet and enjoy a complimentary instant photo booth experience designed to commemorate regional friendship.

Furthermore, delegates who actively participate throughout the entire day’s agenda (10:00 AM to 4:30 PM) will be automatically eligible for the Grand Finale Raffle Draw during the closing ceremony, featuring state-of-the-art Samsung smart devices (including Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Fit3), official BTS and SEVENTEEN collectors' albums, and luxury Sulwhasoo K-Beauty cosmetic gift sets.

Prospective delegates, cultural professionals, and academic researchers may submit their attendance credential applications through the official Google Forms registration portal. Due to museum gallery capacities and curated seat assignments, early registration is highly encouraged.

Registration Information

Prospective attendees, arts and culture professionals, museum and gallery curators, creative technologists, and academic researchers may submit their applications via the official registration portal:

Registration Link:
Google Forms: https://forms.gle/Q4fUW5TLBXbK8oWSA
Website: https://joinenjoy.com.ph/
(Due to limited gallery capacity and curated seating assignments, early registration is highly encouraged.)

About Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc.

Established in the Philippines in 2002, Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc. (IRC) is a premier MICE and destination management specialist with a proven track record in orchestrating high-level, bilateral governmental and corporate events adhering to rigorous state-level protocol standards. Notably, IRC spearheaded local operational management for the Korea-Philippines Business Forum, held on the occasion of the South Korean President’s state visit to the Philippines to commemorate the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations. IRC is a fully accredited travel agency licensed in the Philippines, South Korea, and Cuba, and is officially designated by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea to process Korean electronic visas (e-visas). Through its flagship platform, "Join Enjoy," IRC continues to lead bilateral cultural exchange, tourism, and business connectivity between the Philippines and South Korea.

 


ASEAN-Korea Manila Forum to Tackle AI, Creativity, Cultural IP


 As artificial intelligence and hyper-digitalization fundamentally reshape global creative business models, how can Asian creators scale and safeguard their original intellectual properties? The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea (MCST), the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), and the ASEAN Foundation will address this pivotal question at the “2026 ASEAN-Korea Innovative Culture Forum,” taking place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Ayala Museum, Makati City.Framed around the urgent agenda, “On Human Creative Sovereignty: Shaping the Future of Imagination and Cultural IP,” this premier business and creative dialogue serves as a bridge connecting South Korea’s globally established IP monetization infrastructure with Southeast Asia’s rapidly expanding creative ecosystem. Taking center stage as the keynote speaker is Mr. Chang-seop Kim, General Director of NEXON’s MapleStory a pioneering Korean digital IP that has maintained peak commercial vitality and player engagement across Southeast Asia for over 20 years. Mr. Kim will dissect the strategic mechanics behind sustainable IP longevity, demonstrating how interactive gaming lore can seamlessly expand into global consumer brands, musical productions, immersive urban theme parks, and cross-platform merchandise. 

Designed to foster tangible cross-border enterprise, the forum features intensive sessions dedicated to creative IP licensing, digital copyright governance, startup scaling, and youth-led tech innovations. Senior cultural policymakers, IP attorneys, creative technopreneurs, digital agency heads, and startup incubators from Korea and ASEAN will evaluate actionable frameworks for establishing an equitable, open IP marketplace across the Asia-Pacific region.

Complementing the commercial discussions, the forum will officially inaugurate the contemporary art exhibition “Gathering Point” in the Ayala Museum Lobby, running from November 7 through November 13, 2026. Featuring groundbreaking installations by Mark Justiniani (Philippines), Kim Joon (Korea), Latthapon Korkiatarkul (Thailand), Ari Bayuaji (Indonesia), Adam Phong (Malaysia), and Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand), the week-long exhibition highlights the essential nexus between human artistic origin and industrial IP scaling.

Admission to this high-level forum is strictly by advance curated registration, catering to visual art professionals, museum curators, boutique hotel art managers, digital media creators, and tech innovators.

Accredited delegates will enjoy complimentary access to all keynote and panel sessions, comprehensive bilingual translation, an executive Korean luncheon buffet, and an interactive instant photo booth installation. To honor the commitment of delegates attending the full symposium from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, the organizers will stage a high-profile Grand Finale Raffle Draw during the concluding reception. Elite prizes include cutting-edge tech gear (Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, Galaxy Fit3, and JBL Bluetooth speakers), authentic K-pop memorabilia (official BTS and SEVENTEEN tour and vinyl albums), and premium K-Beauty collections.Registration is now accessible via the official online application form. Candidates are urged to register promptly to guarantee credentials.

Registration Information

Prospective attendees, arts and culture professionals, museum and gallery curators, creative technologists, and academic researchers may submit their applications via the official registration portal:

Registration Link:
Google Forms: https://forms.gle/Q4fUW5TLBXbK8oWSA
Website: https://joinenjoy.com.ph/
(Due to limited gallery capacity and curated seating assignments, early registration is highly encouraged.)

About Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc.

Established in the Philippines in 2002, Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc. (IRC) is a premier MICE and destination management specialist with a proven track record in orchestrating high-level, bilateral governmental and corporate events adhering to rigorous state-level protocol standards. Notably, IRC spearheaded local operational management for the Korea-Philippines Business Forum, held on the occasion of the South Korean President’s state visit to the Philippines to commemorate the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations. IRC is a fully accredited travel agency licensed in the Philippines, South Korea, and Cuba, and is officially designated by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea to process Korean electronic visas (e-visas). Through its flagship platform, "Join Enjoy," IRC continues to lead bilateral cultural exchange, tourism, and business connectivity between the Philippines and South Korea.

Zeinab Harake Parks, Casino Plus Light Up Bacolod for MassKara 2026 Electric Float Parade

  BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, 16 OCTOBER 2026 — Social media personality and Casino Plus brand advocate Zeinab Harake Parks brought sta...