Strengthening MSMEs in Ilocos Norte: Tango x Vertext HANDYphones Partnership Officially Takes Off

From September 29 to October 3, Tango took an exciting step toward empowering more Filipino microentrepreneurs in Northern Luzon. Our Growth Team members Gerald Torres and Adrielle Lee traveled to Laoag City to formally onboard our newest provincial partner: Vertext HANDYphones.

The first successfully onboarded Tango borrower in Ilocos Norte stands with the Vertext team during the field onboarding session.

During the visit, the Tango team met with Vertext owners Mr. Handy Lao, Bjorn Lao, and Alan Lao to lay the groundwork for a collaborative effort aimed at supporting small business owners across Ilocos Norte. The partnership focuses on one mission: building and strengthening the MSME community by making accessible financing easier, faster, and more reliable for sari-sari stores and local entrepreneurs.

From left to right: Alan Lao, Gerald Torres, Handy Lao, and Adrielle Lee posing together during the official onboarding visit of Vertext HANDYphones in Laoag City.

Vertext HANDYphones will serve as Tango’s official partner in the region, helping guide MSMEs through the loan application process, connecting them with the capital they need, and expanding Tango’s reach to more communities in the North. With their deep local presence and our commitment to affordable and sustainable financing, MSMEs can look forward to smoother onboarding, hands-on support, and improved access to business funding.

This collaboration represents a shared belief: when MSMEs thrive, the whole community grows. And together, Tango and Vertext are ready to fuel that growth.

This is just the beginning of a long-term effort to uplift Ilocos Norte’s business owners and give them the tools to scale, sustain, and succeed.

Vertext partner agent stands beside the store of potential Tango borrower during an onboarding visit.