FILIPINOS in Mindanao are more willing to borrow or use credit for purchases than those in Luzon and the Visayas, even as confidence in financial products improves nationwide, according to credit information company TransUnion.
Its 2026 Credit Perception Index (CPI) found that 54 percent of respondents in Mindanao intended to use credit in the coming months, compared with 42 percent in the Visayas and 40 percent in Luzon.
The study surveyed 1,000 Filipino consumers from May 6 to 26, examining their knowledge, trust, and attitudes toward credit and other financial products.
The country’s overall credit perception score rose two points from 2025 to 75 out of 100, its highest since TransUnion introduced the index in 2023.
Mindanao posted the biggest improvement, gaining three points to 77. Luzon, including Metro Manila, edged up one point to 74, while the Visayas remained at 75.
TransUnion attributed Mindanao’s improvement to gains in six of the seven factors measured, including product knowledge, favorable attitudes toward credit, and trust in financial products.
“Every island group held or improved its score, which tells us that consumer confidence and knowledge in credit is building broadly — not only in and around the capital,” TransUnion Philippines president and CEO Peter Faulhaber said.
Despite differences in willingness to borrow, respondents across the three island groups shared similar financial priorities. Saving more was their most common planned action over the next three months.
Some 87 percent of respondents in the Visayas planned to increase their savings, compared with 86 percent in both Luzon and Mindanao.
Improving financial knowledge was another priority. In Mindanao, 77 percent planned to access more educational materials, compared with 74 percent in the Visayas and 71 percent in Luzon.
Use of financial technology services was widespread, reported by 96 percent of respondents in the Visayas, 95 percent in Mindanao and 92 percent in Luzon.
E-wallet adoption reached 85 percent in the Visayas, four percentage points above the national average.
Mindanao recorded digital banking adoption of 57 percent, exceeding the national average of 52 percent.
Social media remained the leading source of information about financial products, cited by 69 percent of respondents in the Visayas, 64 percent in Mindanao, and 57 percent in Luzon.
Faulhaber said financial inclusion efforts should reflect regional differences in consumer behavior and preferences.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to advancing financial inclusion,” he said, adding that understanding local needs could help stakeholders develop more relevant financial services, education programs, and engagement strategies.
