Global Dominion expands lending push as it steps up focus on underserved credit markets
By Alexandria Grace C. Magno, Reporter
FINANCING COMPANY Global Dominion Financing Inc. (GDFI) is expanding its product offerings and pursuing larger and longer-term loans as it deepens its focus on underserved borrowers, its chief executive officer said.
“We’re already in conversations with both local and international creditors who have expressed confidence in Global Dominion’s track record, and that gives us the ability to move into larger ticket loans and longer-term products, which effectively expands our addressable market,” Global Dominion President and Chief Executive Officer Patricia Poco-Palacios said in an interview with BusinessWorld.
“We’re also developing focused offerings for women MSMEs, a segment that is deeply underserved and that I am personally passionate about,” she added.
Ms. Poco-Palacios said the company operates in a niche segment of the financing industry that caters to borrowers often outside traditional bank lending, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), professionals, and clients in industries such as pre-owned vehicles and trucking.
“We didn’t just identify these gaps. We designed our operations from the ground up to serve them well,” she added.
Global Dominion Financing is a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-regulated financial institution providing loans for various needs, including vehicle purchases, business capital, tuition, home improvements, emergencies, and medical expenses, with flexible payment options.
The company has expanded to 196 branches nationwide, with 50 certificates of authority granted by the SEC in the first quarter of 2026.
In real estate financing, the company has formed a dedicated team to develop its products, policies, and structures and is now working to integrate these into its broader operations.
Ms. Poco-Palacios said the company is also upgrading its digital systems to streamline loan processing and enhance data capabilities.
“Digital transformation will be the defining force, not just in how products are delivered, but in how risk is assessed and how clients are understood,” she said.
“Technology is our top priority this year. We are migrating to a new, API-based loans management system developed in-house by our IT team, which goes well beyond basic demographic and payment data,” she added, noting that the shift is expected to improve responsiveness to client needs.
She also said tighter regulation of financing companies could reshape the industry by encouraging more sustainable practices and improving borrower conditions.
“I expect tightened regulation on the financing company side to be a defining trend as well. And I actually welcome that,” she said. “Stronger regulatory standards will push firms to invest in more sustainable operations, which should ultimately bring down rates and improve the experience for clients.”
Looking ahead, Ms. Poco-Palacios said the company aims to build a legacy centered on financial inclusion, particularly for underserved clients such as MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, and other borrowers often overlooked by traditional lenders.
“I hope that Global Dominion’s legacy is one of genuine inclusion — that we are remembered as an institution that saw potential where others saw risk, and that we built something that truly lifted people up. Angat lahat,” she said.
