Maya rolls out credit program for market vendors, PUV drivers

MANILA, Philippines — Digital bank Maya has rolled out a new credit program for market vendors and public transport drivers under the Paleng-Kita initiative, linking their QR payment activity to collateral-free loans.

The program builds on the Paleng-QR Ph program of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Department of the Interior and Local Government. The program aims to onboard small vendors and drivers to the QR Ph payment system.

The digital bank said merchants who use the Maya app and accept payments through QR Ph can now qualify for loans under Paleng-Kita through Maya Advance, the company’s digital credit product.

Credit lines start at P3,000 and are approved based on transaction history and other data, without the need for collateral or paperwork. Maya uses an AI-driven scoring system to assess creditworthiness.

“Many small vendors and transport drivers have never had access to formal credit,” Maya Group president and Maya Bank co-founder Shailesh Baidwan said. “By using their cashless payment history, we can offer them fair, transparent credit.”

Based on data from the Department of Trade and Industry, only about four percent of the country’s total bank loans go to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which make up 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines.

Maya said its program aims to give small entrepreneurs an alternative way to access credit based on actual business activity.

The bank said Paleng-Kita also supports the BSP’s digitalization and financial inclusion goals by embedding credit into daily transactions.

“We’re not just offering credit—we’re recognizing the real work of vendors and drivers who keep the economy going,” Renan Santiago, Maya’s head of MSME business, said.

“By using their digital payment activity, we’re making finance more accessible, more relevant, and more empowering for everyday Filipinos.”