ICYE-STEPS / PHILIPPINE SELF HELP FOUNDATION 2017

725 BS Aquino Drive Villamonte, Bacolod City Other area/s: Tagbilaran, Bohol Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental The PSHF opened its first office in 1987 at the time of the sugar crisis on Negros island. Many sugar workers were losing their jobs in the sugarcane plantations and their families were going hungry. The PSHF was initially set up to provide micro-loans to poor families to enable them to engage in alternative or supplementary livelihoods. Later, the scope of the PSHF was broadened to include a wide range of clients, both urban and rural, who needed start-up capital for a small business venture. With no collateral, the poor cannot avail of loans from the banks so usually, their only option is the so-called "5/6" system, which is short for borrow 5/ pay-back 6, after only 28 days. PSHF loans, in contrast have an affordable 15% annual interest, with the prospect of a rebate subject to meeting contractual repayment terms. The PSHF also provides medical emergency aid, housing grants and education opportunities to poor families and communities. It is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, and dubbed as the "Convention Center of Southern Philippines". Having a total of 511,820 inhabitants as of 2010, it is the most populous city inWestern Visayas and the 17th most populous city of the Philippines. Negros Occidental, it can be found near the central part of the country. It is one of the five provinces that compose Western Visayas or Region VI. It is located in the north-western portion of Negros Island, the fourth biggest island in the Philippine archipelago. http://negros-occ.gov.ph/about-negros-occidental/