The Social Reform Agenda (SRA) is the Ramos Administration's commitment to attain balanced economic growth coupled with social equity. It aims to improve the early integration of the disadvantaged groups into the political and economic mainstream of society.

The Department of Finance (DOF) is the Flagship Champion on Credit under the SRA. Its goal is to provide basic sectors the means to improve their capabilities toward self-reliance and economic well-being by providing access to credit resources. In order to fulfill this goal, the DOF utilizes the National Credit Council (NCC) as its vehicle in formulating a credit policy framework that will expedite the delivery of financial services to target sectors. The NCC was created, by Administrative Order 86 dated October 1993 and amended by Administrative Order 250 dated February 6, 1996, to rationalize and optimize the use and delivery of government credit programs.

The Credit Policy Improvement Program (CPIP), A Project funded by the United States Agency for International development (USAID) to assist the NCC, started on January 2, 1997 and will end on October 31, 1998. The project envisions a viable and sustainable private financial market, with the government providing a supportive and appropriate policy environment and institutional framework to that market.

The NCC, with the help of CPIP, finalized the National Strategy for Microfinance which was presented to the First Microfinance Summit in Washington DC on February 4 to 5, 1997. The Strategy was formulated during the National Microfinance Strategy Conference in 1996. This conference was attended by Microfinance practitioners from the private sector and the NCC member lending institutions. Minor revisions to the Strategy were made in accordance with the discussions during the Washington Summit.

Vigorous policy advocacy were done by the NCC member agencies, the Secretariat and the CPIP consultants for the passage of two certified urgent bills, namely the Anti-Poverty and Agri-Com Bills, under the Social reform Agenda. These bills were enacted into law and became Republic Act 8425, otherwise known as "The Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act" and Republic Act 8435, otherwise known as "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997". These were signed into law last December 11, 1997 and December 22, 1997, respectively.