PAUL BERNARD G. LOBO
Address:
C. Lajarca cor. Mahogany Sts., Mayondon, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
Contact tel.:
-; -
E-mail:
-
GENERAL STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
Four (4) years of experience in providing technical and administrative support to local business, including
the development of new enterprise opportunities, preparation of business proposals, operations review,
marketing, financial management and compliance with internal revenue and labor regulations.
Over twenty (20) years of responsible experience in various phases of microfinance and micro-enterprise
development programs: market research, project planning; monitoring; evaluation; facilitating access of
low-income groups to bank services; institutional development for banks, microfinance institutions
(MFIs), cooperatives and savings groups. Including:
Fifteen (15) years of experience in capacity building and technical support to banks, NGOs, and
partner MFIs;
Three (3) years of experience in extending technical support and training on Village Savings and
Loan Associations methodology in programs in West and East Africa;
Three (3) years of experience in market research for microfinance (as certified trainer of
MicroSave Africa).
CAREER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (KEY POSITIONS)
Business Partner, NutriAKtiV Health Hub (October 2016 to date)
Identifies new clients and business opportunities; supports day to day operations and marketing of
health hub services; presents hub services to various agencies and institutions; provides wellness
coaching services to clients.
Business Advisor/ Deputy General Manager, Groundscape Management Corporation (January 2015 to
October 2016)
Developed new enterprise opportunities and reviewed business proposals and financial reports of the
company; provided advice to the General Manager and Board of Directors on business development and
client needs; managed administrative and finance staff; monitored compliance with labor and internal
revenue regulations.
Microfinance Advisor / Economic Specialist, Plan International Canada (November 2010 to October
2014)
Provided input and advice to programs that have a component on village savings and loans, microfinance
and youth economic empowerment; extended quality control and value addition to community
development projects; provided technical guidance and training to staff of Plan Canada staff, Plan
country programs and implementing partners in the management of savings and credit programs;
supported the identification of new funding opportunities and the design and development of new
programs.
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Project Manager, Catholic Relief Services – Egypt (January 2009 to February 2010)
Managed a team of microfinance specialists providing technical assistance to implementing partners; in
collaboration with local and international staff, designed projects on fee-based technical assistance for
microfinance institutions, on increasing access to financial services for conservative Muslim communities
and on mitigation of risks of avian influenza through business development services and micro-credit;
facilitated learning for local CRS staff.
Microfinance Unit Manager, Plan Sri Lanka (January 2005 to December 2008)
Provided overall leadership for the microfinance program of Plan Sri Lanka to promote and build local
capacity to achieve poverty outreach, sustainability and impact; developed community-based, savingsled microfinance program; spearheaded project design including market research and preparation of
business plan; managed project implementation team composed of local staff from Plan and partner
institution; obtained donor funding for pilot projects in hard-to-reach areas.
Country Technical Coordinator for Microfinance, Plan Philippines (May 1997 to Dec. 2004)
Developed microfinance programs in collaboration with partner MFIs; supervised due diligence of
potential partners, business planning, program monitoring and evaluation; managed relationships with
implementing partners; spearheaded the adaptation of village banking methodology for remote
communities; provided technical support and training to staff of partner and Plan; coordinated network
of Plan staff and partners for institutional strengthening and impact assessment activities; facilitated
donor funding for program; designed program strategy for Household Economic Security (FY-
Country Strategic Plan).
Rural Finance Specialist, Conservation of Priority Protected Areas Project / NGOs for Integrated
Protected Areas (October 1996 to June 1997)
Developed lending guidelines for “ecologically sustainable livelihood activities” in the protected areas;
consulted stakeholders in the development of guidelines and program procedures; conducted workshops
and seminars on credit and financial intermediation.
Technical Assistant, Winrock International - Renewable Energy Project Support Office (December 1995 to
April 1997)
Solicited and analyzed project proposals; organized workshops, conferences, exhibitions on renewable
energy technologies; conducted field seminars on cost-sharing grant for feasibility studies in renewable
energy initiatives; monitored domestic economic and energy situation; in collaboration with project staff,
prepared “Trade Guide on Renewable Energy in the Philippines” for potential investors in the sector.
Senior Technical Assistant/ Linkage Facilitator, German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Project: Linking Banks and Self-help Groups (April 1991 to December 1995)
Provided technical support to Linkage Facilitators and LANDBANK Field Staff on the implementation of
program measures; supervised technical functions of field workers of project partners (cooperatives,
NGOs, rural banks) for the implementation of linkage banking interventions; analyzed financial schemes
of participating institutions; identified technical support requirements of partners; provided financial
advisory services and training to partners on developing access of rural poor to formal financial services.
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Senior Planning Officer, Agricultural Credit Policy Council (Sept. 1987 to June 1989)
Staff Researcher, Technical Board for Agricultural Credit (Aug. 1985 to Aug. 1987)
Conducted evaluation of Integrated Rural Financing Program in the provinces of Cavite and Pangasinan;
undertook assessment of co-operative lending operations of the Regional Cooperatives Development
Assistance Offices (RCDAO) of the government; prepared plans for modified lending operations of
RCDAO; developed data base on the Philippine Rural Banking System; provided research support for the
formulation of a rehabilitation program for rural banks.
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS UNDERTAKEN
Capacity Building on Program Implementation, Rare Philippines (February 2016 to August 2016).
Conducted training of trainers on Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) Methodology for staff of
Rare and local government partners. Undertook technical support visits to project locations to follow-up
on progress of VSL implementation by Savings Clubs, assess quality of implementation and provide
technical support for program enhancement and sustainability.
Review of VSLA Program Implementation, Plan Vietnam (April to June 2015). An assessment of the
institutional health of Village Savings and Loan Associations and the level of satisfaction of members with
key program features. The review determined the capacity of village associations to sustain financial
service provision to members and the implications of modifications in program methodology to
continued member participation.
Project Review, Youth Microfinance Project, Plan Sierra Leone (January 2014). Rapid assessment to
capture critical learning points on program implementation through informal, internal and participatory
evaluation methods and to facilitate internal learning and reflection.
Training on Savings Groups Portfolio Tracking System, Plan Philippines (June 2013). Technical support
and training for staff of Plan Philippines on management information system for Savings Groups.
Training on Village Savings and Loan Association Methodology, Plan Rwanda (April 2011). Training for
staff of Plan Rwanda, Plan Ethiopia and partner institutions on implementation of VSLA methodology.
Program Evaluation, Financial Products Innovations Fund, Microfinance Council of the Philippines (July
2010 to January 2011). Assessment of the accomplishments of the grant program of the Interchurch
Organisation for Development Co-operation to identify areas for improvement and to provide
recommendations for the strengthening of overall delivery of project interventions.
Market Research and Product Development, “Responding to the Challenges in Financial Services
Delivery” (Sri Lanka, July 2006). Study undertaken in collaboration with the country’s leading
microfinance institution to understand client needs and preferences and to develop client-responsive
savings and credit services for unreached rural communities in Kurunegala District.
EDUCATION / KEY MICROFINANCE TRAINING
Master of Public Management, major in Voluntary Sector Management (2015 to present)
University of the Philippines Open University
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in Agricultural Economics, 1985
University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna
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The 2006 Boulder Microfinance Training Programme, 17 July to 4 August 2006
Boulder Institute of Microfinance / ILO International Training Centre (Turin, Italy)
Market Research for Microfinance, April 19-23, 2004
Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. / MicroSave Africa
Microfinance Training Program
Session I: Program Design; June 1-19, 1998, Economics Institute, Boulder, Colorado
Session II: Program Management; July 26- August 13, 1999; Economics Institute, Boulder, Colorado
Updated April 2019
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