Source: https://fintech.ph/listing/higala

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# Higala

Building Financial Resiliency, Empowering Financial Inclusion

[Fintech Infrastructure](https://fintech.ph/category/fintech-infrastructure) [Payments](https://fintech.ph/category/payments) [Financial Inclusion](https://fintech.ph/category/financial-inclusion)

[Visit website](https://www.higala.ph/) [Developer access](https://www.higala.ph/#contact)

- **Founded**: 2024
- **Headquarters**: Manila, Philippines
- **Stage**: Seed
- **Total raised**: US$4M. From recorded rounds

## Overview

Higala is a Philippine payments-infrastructure startup building the country's first inclusive instant payment system, connecting rural banks, thrift banks, cooperatives and microfinance institutions to real-time payments. Built on open-source Mojaloop and ISO 20022, its SynerFi rail and API-first core banking platform let smaller financial institutions join InstaPay at a fraction of traditional switching costs. Co-launched with Chemonics International and partnered with RCBC, Higala has onboarded rural banks nationwide, bringing affordable digital finance to underserved Filipino communities.

### Products

- SynerFi (InstaPay rail)
- Inclusive Instant Payment System
- Platform Bank / Core Banking System
- IPS Consulting

### Serves

Rural banks Thrift banks Cooperatives Microfinance institutions

## Funding and ownership

Total raised

US$4M

Sum of recorded funding rounds

Stage

Seed

### Investors and shareholders

Talino Venture Studios Chemonics International Kadan Capital Tenco Capital 1982 Ventures

Figures are calculated from the funding rounds recorded for this company.

## People

- Winston Damarillo Founder & Co-Chairman
- Jamey Butcher Co-Founder & Co-Chairman
- Efraín Laureano CEO & Global Expansion Lead
- Rhiza Mae Talavera Chief Technology Officer
- Francis Plaza Chief Strategy Officer
- Macel Legaspi VP for Business Development

## Licences and certifications

- ISO 20022 Certification
- Mojaloop Certification

## Developers

APIs available

Higala's official entry point for developer and integration work. Depending on the company it may be public documentation, a sandbox, or a partnership contact.

[Developer and integration access](https://www.higala.ph/#contact)

Something out of date? [Suggest a correction](https://fintech.ph/contact)

## Contact and links

[higala.ph](https://www.higala.ph/)

- [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/higalatech)
- [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/higala)

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From fintech.ph, an independent directory of fintech companies in the Philippines, as of October 27, 2026. Please link to https://fintech.ph/listing/higala when citing this page.