The act of supporting small businesses comes in many forms. For some, it is a full-time job. Master of Development Management student Patricia Ann Matibag is an account officer for small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loans at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). Part of DBP’s work is to champion Filipino entrepreneurs i. Her work focuses on finding prospective SME borrowers, evaluating their creditworthiness, developing financing packages, and managing their loan accounts.
Matibag had already spent time contemplating taking a Master in Business Administration degree but discovered the MDM program through a colleague who enrolled in the program last year. She veered away from the prospect of pursuing an MBA after learning about the MDM program’s social entrepreneurship focus.
She determined that Development Management was a better fit for her than an MBA particularly because she wanted to learn more about development financing. “As a loans account officer, I have mainly focused on the business side of our loan accounts. The development side is incorporated in our credit policies and lending programs, but I admit that I have not really given it much thought as my everyday job. I wanted to delve deeper into the developmental aspect of extending SME loans. I hope that the MDM program will open more career options for me,” she shares.
Shortly after her admission into the program, Matibag also became a scholar under the Asian Development Bank – Japan Program Scholarship (ADB-JSP). She learned about the scholarship program while inquiring about MDM. As an ADB-JSP scholar, she is expected to contribute to the economic and social development of the Philippines upon the completion of her studiesii.
Starting her academic journey felt unnerving at first. Matibag reflects on the learning curve she had to face during the first few days of her MDM classes. She admits to feeling slightly out of her depth in the beginning. But she also felt inspired to maintain an attitude of learning. Being surrounded by an incredibly diverse peer group who offered varied perspectives encouraged her to persist and remain curious.
She maintains an optimistic outlook as she progresses through her studies, “I hope to go beyond what I usually do and truly make an impact to borrowers and clients. In my own way, I hope to become an impact leader.” Matibag urges future leaders to stay the course, face challenges, and learn from them. “Always be reminded of your vision and aspirations to keep on pushing forward.”
Students like Matibag enroll in the Master in Development Management program to evolve into leaders who bridge social divides and help communities flourish through sustainable and inclusive development initiatives. The Master in Development Management is an impact leadership program where students go through a rigorous academic journey and meaningful skills development. The program develops leaders who can scale social impact through social entrepreneurship, transformative policy implementation, and impact-first investing. If you would like to learn more about the program, visit devatwork.aim.edu or send an email to mdm@aim.edu.
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i Development Bank of the Philippines, “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises”, https://www.dbp.ph/developmental-banking/micro-small-and-medium-enterprises/
ii Asian Development Bank, “Scholarships in Asia and the Pacific”, https://www.adb.org/work-with-us/careers/japan-scholarship-program/institutions
