The Australian government has rolled out a PHP172-million impact loan programme to provide greater access to finance for women entrepreneurs in the Philippines.

According to a statement from the Australian Embassy in Manila on Wednesday, the initiative is designed to strengthen gender-inclusive economic growth by enabling women-led businesses to access much-needed capital.

Funds will be channelled through Australian Development Investments (ADI) in partnership with female-led lender ARQ SME Finance.

“The Philippines is home to extraordinary Filipina entrepreneurs—but many face barriers when they seek funds to grow their businesses,” said Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown PSM. “Australia is proud to partner with ARQ to help create more business opportunities for women and build economic growth that benefits women and men alike,” he added.

The embassy highlighted that the loan facility will prioritise enterprises that actively promote gender equality in areas such as leadership, workforce participation, supply chains, and human resources.

Abigail Tan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ARQ SME BDC, welcomed the investment. “This investment is a catalyst for resilient, inclusive SME growth,” she said. “It enables ARQ to scale support for Philippine enterprises that embed gender equality, financial governance and sound business practices—driving long-term opportunity across communities.”

The funding was first announced by Innes-Brown at the 2X Global Summit on September 2. It represents the first ADI-backed project in the Philippines, marking a significant step for Australia’s flagship impact investment fund in the region.