14/08/2025
As someone with no financial backup, this is
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
I knew early on that I needed to build financial credibility if I wanted to qualify for loans someday. I started at 26 years old, and now at 29, Iโm finally seeing the results of those years of discipline.
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โจ The Eye-Opener โจ
When I was working as a realtor, I had a client with a stable job and a high salaryโdefinitely qualified to buy a home. But when I applied for a loan for her, she got denied.
Reason? She had no credit history. Lahat ng bank na inaplayan ko, denied siya.
That experience was my wake-up call. I realized that no matter how good your income is, if you donโt have a credit history, banks wonโt take the risk. From that day on, I made it my goal to build mine so that when I needed a loan, approval would be quick and easy.
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๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ
1. Got My First Credit Card โ BPI offered me my first card with a โฑ35,000 limit (I didnโt even apply for it; BPI was my payroll bank since I was 18). I made sure to always pay in full and on time.
2. Used My Credit Card Wisely โ I only charged purchases I could pay in cash. For both necessities and wants, para lang siyang delayed cash paymentโmay pambayad na ako ready.
3. Accepted Small Loan Offers โ Even if I didnโt need them, I took small loans just to establish a repayment record.
4. Financed Our First Car โ We got in-house financing from Toyota, which I later found out reflected on my CIBI credit report. (I used the Lista App to check my credit standing.)
5. Purchased a Property โ I bought a lot to be paid in 2 years, in-house, no interest. I also knew I could use it as collateral if I needed a bigger loan in the future.
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โจ The Results โจ
โ
Credit card offers keep coming, with much higher limits now:
โข BPI: โฑ35,000 โ โฑ400,000
โข HSBC: โฑ350,000
โข UnionBank: โฑ100,000
โข Security Bank: โฑ1,000,000
โข RCBC: โฑ280,000
โ
I now mainly use my cards for business expensesโeasy to pay off and I earn points.
โ
Pre-approved bank loan offers arrive regularly. When I applied for a loan, para lang bumili ng sukaโID lang, then sign na agad ng documents. I asked for โฑ###,### but they offered โฑx,###,###.
(Take note: That bank account had only โฑ250 in it; I just actively used my credit card with them.)
โ
Pre-approved car loans without income documentsโunlike before when my first car had to be in-house financing.
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Final Thoughts
Building a good credit score takes time, discipline, and strategy. If you plan to get a loan in the future, start building your credit history nowโyouโll thank yourself later.
Ngayon, nasa stage na ako ng pag-establish ng business ko. Matagal ko na itong game plan, kaya mas mabuting magsimula nang maagaโlalo na kung pareho tayong walang ibang mahihingan ng tulong kundi sarili natin.
If you want to kickstart your credit card journey, here are premium links for easy approval:
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UnionBank Platinum Visa (No annual fee for life & faster approval with this premium link)
Apply here ๐ https://apply.cc-pl.unionbankph.com/PLCC/StartApplication?media=4515814139&scode=DCMMSMALL1&utm_source=DCMMSMALL1&utm_medium=MGM&utm_campaign=DCMMSMALL1
Atome Card (For those without a credit card yet, like students, start building credit)
Apply here ๐ https://www.atome.ph/en-ph/mgm/card/981404509?type=card_share&uid=U8988787672&campaignId=RP32354639830359857766981404513&channel=mgm_sharing_page&shareContentId=981404509
Salmon Credit (For those without a credit card yet, like students, or wants to extend their payment in longer terms, start building credit here)
Apply here ๐ https://slmn.ph/w12i5e
P.S. Apply for all three and start building your credit score today! ๐
CTTO (c) Juhanna Evangelista
