Restart Me, in partnership with the Microfinance Council of the Philippines, Inc. (MCPI), gathered industry stakeholders on March 23, 2026 for a timely and critical industry briefing titled "Nanay and the Middle East Crisis: Understanding the Implications and Risks for Philippine Microfinance Institutions."

The event featured Dr. JC Punongbayan of the University of the Philippines School of Economics, who delivered a comprehensive analysis of how the ongoing US-Iran conflict is poised to affect the Philippine economy — and, in particular, the low-income households that microfinance institutions (MFIs) serve.

Watch the full discussion by Dr. JC Punongbayan here.