Microfinance as a catalyst for women’s empowerment in Laguna’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector

This research explored the function of microfinance as a stimulus for improving the economic, social, andpersonal empowerment of women entrepreneurs in Laguna's SMEs. The study was concerned with the way in whichaccess to financial products, including loans, savings, and training programs, can improve and sustain women- owned SMEs, overcoming challenges such as resource constraints and financial literacy. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed to 229 female entrepreneurs from the 3rd district of Laguna participated. Descriptiveand inferential statistics tools were used for analysis. Results indicate that majority of the respondents were 31-45tears old (38.0%), married (52.4%), college graduate (68.1%), self-employed (71.6%), the source of funds is fromthe business (75.1%), located in San Pablo City (51.5%) and the business is 1 – 5years operating (36.2%). It canalsoinfer that access to credit or financial assistance was highly and savings programs empower these women in SMEs. There is also evidence as to gender biases and limited resources for women entrepreneurs in the 3rd district of Laguna. Drawing from these results, this study presents a Microfinance-Assisted Skills Development Programthat aims to maximize the entrepreneurial skills of women entrepreneurs in Laguna's SME industry. The focuses oncustomized financial literacy education, mentorship programs, and partnership collaborations with local governments and NGOs in ensuring sustainable development. In the end, this study highlights the critical intervention of microfinance in empowering women entrepreneurs with critical skills, driving economicempowerment, and ensuring inclusive development within the SME sector.