Microfinance Focus, October 6, 2011: Philippines microfinance institution ASKI has recently been awarded as the most outstanding non-government organization (NGO) at the national level and the most outstanding NGO for Luzon during the 6th SIPAG Awards sponsored by the National Livelihood Development Corporation (NLDC). ASKI has decided to donate the cash prize to victims of typhoons Nesat and Nalgae which hit the country last week.

The SIPAG (Sustainable Income for People in Agrarian Grassroots) Awards which started in 2006 are given annually to encourage and promote the best practices and the achievements of NLDC’s partner microfinance institutions and microentrepreneurs.

This is the third time that ASKI has received the national award. As of August 2011, the institution has a total loan portfolio of P883, 963, 345.56 (Philippine peso) to 84,179 clients.

Recently, ASKI, NLDC, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Jollibee Foundation and other public and private institutions collaborated in a project on value chain financing for agriculture.

ASKI Foundation is accepting donations (in-cash or in-kind) from interested individuals for the typhoon victims.