MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Bukas, a mission-driven financial technology startup launched
in 2019 committed to democratizing access to high-quality education through affordable and secure loans for students, has been named one of Kalibrr’s Top 50 Employers in the Philippines for 2025.
Recognizing caliber
Kalibrr, a leading technology and employer branding consultancy known for its job-hunting platform, has officially announced its pioneering batch of companies recognized in the Top 50 Employers of the Philippines for 2025—a distinction that highlights employers’ commitment to excellence in employer branding, talent engagement, and workplace culture. The awardees were selected solely based on merit through a rigorous process that puts premium on the following criteria: jobseeker feedback, HR insights, and independent data.
True to its mission of “connecting exceptional talent with employers who care,” the list is a recognition for the companies as it is a responsibility for Kalibrr to give a platform to exemplary employers that empower Filipino jobseekers in the modern workplace. After all, finding the right company is as important as finding the right job.
In today’s world where a job is more than a paycheck, these employers offer more than workplaces. They represent individuals who work for and towards a better tomorrow because they found the right job in these companies.
Image credit: Kalibrr
Creating a better tomorrow
More than just a loan financing company, Bukas prides itself as a mission-driven company that creates a better tomorrow, not just for the students they serve, but also for the team behind the mission.
Since 2019, Bukas has grown its team with representatives reporting all over the country—serving cities and provinces beyond the metro where Bukas’ services are needed. After six years since launch which entail evolving products and services, changing org structures, and the ever dynamic industry landscape of fintech, Bukas’ chief Jon Robert Emlano, President of Bukas, remains steadfast in his vision for the company: there is no limit to what the future holds for Bukas with a strong and committed team carrying the mission forward.
“Although I’m currently the President of Bukas, it’s less about what I do individually but rather what our team does day in and day out. And that’s to continue to push themselves to reach and service as many students and families as possible so that in the near future no student will have to drop out due to lack of financial options. And that no parent will have to swallow their pride and dignity just to be able to send their children to the best schools in the country. I am just one in a group of people trying to make education a little bit better in our country. In truth, my role is to make everyone in the team be the best version of themselves.”
As the saying goes, team work makes the dream work. That dream goes for the students who wish to start, continue, or finish their education as well as for the team that consists of parents and children, working students and second-degree holders, fresh graduates and industry veterans. Bukas is not just a student-first brand. It’s an employee-first brand.
With impressive high marks on job satisfaction, team culture, and workplace recommendation consistently observed throughout the past year, as evident in quarterly pulse surveys, Head of People Denise Ang reiterates that Bukas’ healthy and thriving workplace does not happen by accident. It is a result of an intentional effort to create a supportive work environment while carefully building the team that enables it.
“Bukas employees are a blend of purpose, ambition, and empathy—people who care deeply, work smartly, and grow boldly. Bukas thrives on impact because we are fueled by people who are passionate about education, eager to grow, and unafraid to challenge norms.”
Considering the fast-paced, dynamic environment of a startup company such as Bukas, fighting for a mission-driven, collaborative, and people-centric workplace in today’s world is no walk in the park. Especially not when the company is growing exponentially. But as Bukas clearly demonstrates: when the vision is crystal clear, the mission is lived out, and the team is fully on board, a better tomorrow simply awaits—not just for 2025 but beyond.
“I believe and have faith in our abilities to be creative in problem solving and execution. While I can’t tell what the future holds, I am certain that our team at Bukas is destined to do great things,” Emlano proudly concludes.
About Bukas
Bukas is an education financing platform that provides secure, flexible, and affordable student loans to students and professionals, partnered with leading colleges, universities, bootcamps, training institutions, technical and vocational institutions in the Philippines and overseas. Since 2019, Bukas has helped about 21,000 students with presence in more than 100 campuses nationwide and four international partners.
For more information, visit www.bukas.ph.
About ErudiFi
Founded in 2017, ErudiFi is a mission-driven technology company focused on making education affordable in Southeast Asia. Operating as Danacita in Indonesia and Bukas in the Philippines, ErudiFi has helped secure funding for thousands of financially underserved students through tech-enabled partnerships with leading universities and vocational schools in the region. By improving access to education, ErudiFi is driving generational transformation and helping to build a better tomorrow.
For more information, please visit www.erudifi.com.
