Financial Rescue: The Kaibigan ng Bayan to the rescue for 15 years

April 4, 2023 (San Francisco, California) – A businesswoman ready to retire but lost her retirement pay to creditors. A couple who has been married for five years and wanted to start a family but was deeply indebted. A student ready to give up school because he couldn’t turn to anyone. These are just some of the Filipino-Americans whom Financial Rescue have helped in almost over two decades and have touched their lives in more ways, beyond a debt resolution program.

This year, Financial Rescue (FR), the one-stop shop for debt relief services in the U.S. marks over a decade helping Filipinos in America lead lives free from monetary obligations.

Since 2008, FR has been providing debt resolution programs, insurance, and financial advice services to a Filipino-American clientele, without the stigma that comes with indebtedness. The company helps clients by negotiating with their creditors, assisting them in settling the debt under friendlier terms, assuming part of the debt at times, and offering after-sales service in the form of long-term financial solutions.

Kaibigan ng Bayan (Everyone’s Friend)

Behind the success of FR is award-winning Filipino-American Rod Mercado. Mercado started FR in 2008 to help kababayans who were in dire straits but didn’t know how to rise above a sea of debt. Inspired by his own life journey where people who could be kaibigan (friends) helped him, FR has been playing the role of a friend to Fil-Ams, ready to listen without judgment, offer sound advice, and most importantly, provide a performance-based service.

Kaibigang Totoo (True Friend)

And in celebration of its 15th year, Financial Rescue tapped no less than the Philippines’ King of Talk Boy Abunda to be its Brand Ambassador. Abunda, a celebrity in his own right, is known for his famous line, “Kabigan Usap Tayo” because of the award-winning host’s listening abilities and valuable advice – exactly how a friend does it. Abunda agreed to be FR’s endorser because Mercado is a real-life friend and that makes him all the more authentic. He also believes in Financial Rescue. Abunda admits: “In my childhood, my nanay (mother) told me the bank was foreclosing our house. I wish that back then Financial Rescue already existed.”

Kaibigang Mapagkakatiwalaan (Trusted Friend)

While real-life friends, Abunda got to know Mercado deeper and in an exclusive one-on-one interview, Abunda’s respect for the man and his mission grew: “A true friend never leaves you and FR and Mercado are like angels in disguise.” In the interview, Mercado shared he himself had three angels. Before his success in the business, Mercado traced his roots to humble beginnings. Living in the poor section of Makati in the Philippines, the young Rod worked hard to overcome poverty. “We were poor not because we were lazy. On the contrary, we worked hard.” Mercado adds “And even at a young age, I already found opportunities to earn.

After college and working odd jobs, Mercado met the first person who turned his life around – a businessman who entrusted him duty-free goods to sell. With his usual business sense, Mercado was able to sell a lot, so much so it was enough to build his mother a house in their own lot.

Mercado was living the life until he hit rock bottom because of a business he established and people who abused his trust. In 2006 he enacted a stop-gap measure and left for the U.S. to try his luck. In the Land of Milk and Honey, Mercado was back to square one until another “angel” helped him – Susan, the owner of a homecare center who trusted him even if he had no background. When he seemed well enough on his own, Susan let him go and that was then Mercado met his third – an Indian named Sanjay who was into house flipping and encouraged him to try his luck in real estate buying and selling. When the mortgage crisis struck, the enterprising Mercado found yet another opportunity not only to earn but also to help.

The specific turning point came when he took inspiration from a lawyer who dabbled in debt settlement. Mercado asked him to teach him debt settlement and the lawyer took it a notch higher – he encouraged Mercado to set up shop. Since then, he has been unstoppable.

Mercado quips: “There are no challenges that cannot be overcome. For as long as you have an objective, you have focus and an ambition that you want to accomplish, there’s no such thing as fatigue.” He adds: “The hardest part lies in the fact that you have not taken inspiration from your mistakes” and learn Mercado did.

Kaibigang Maasahan (A Reliable Friend)

What then started as a small financial services company, FR has since expanded in the U.S. and back to his homeland to include FR’s back-end operations. Throughout the years, FR has grown exponentially and is now a group of companies that offers speedier loan turnaround via its affiliate Fastrack Lending; financial insurance via Mercado Global Insurance Brokers; pre-fabricated buildings via MZ Global Modular Hub; and back to one of Mercado’s core – real estate.

Beyond the achievement that FR has achieved, founder Mercado takes pride in the company’s own corporate social responsibility, true to its tagline “Getting Your Finances Back On Track.” Aside from offering debt assistance in friendlier terms and performance-based service, FR offers a financial literacy program to Fil-Ams through shows hosted by Mercado himself in true kaibigan persona: “Tip Tok” and “Rod to Success” and previously, “Simpleng Hiling” (Simple Wish).

Today, as FR celebrates its milestone 15th year, Mercado has even gone beyond the friendship persona. “People have come to consider me as more than a friend – as a brother, a father. It’s a tall order but it feels good because you get to do what you want and you can help other people,” shares Mercado. And like Mercado, FR has more than become a trusted, reliable service, and true friend who helps Fil-Ams and beyond break free from financial woes with its debt resolution program, value-added services, and CSR program – it has also presented opportunities for them to better their lives.

For more information on Financial Rescue, visit https://financialrescuellc.com

Watch “Rod To Success” on Financial Rescue’s official YT account.

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