Need to send money home quickly? Cebuana Lhuillier has been helping Filipinos do that for over 30 years. They offer everything from pawning to insurance.

Today, Cebuana Lhuillier has 3,500 branches all over the Philippines. But getting to this point wasn’t easy.

Here’s how Cebuana Lhuillier grew from a small family business to one of the most trusted brands in the country.

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💡 Humble beginnings

The story of Cebuana Lhuillier started in 1968. Henry Lhuillier, a French-Filipino businessman, opened a small pawnshop in Cebu with his son Philippe. He called it Agencia Cebuana.

At the time, many Filipinos had little access to banks. They needed a place to turn to when they needed quick cash.

Pawnshops filled that gap, and Henry saw a chance to help people with his business.

But starting a pawnshop wasn’t as simple as it seemed. The industry was already crowded with lots of different brands. And people were often scared to leave their valuables with other people.

On top of that, the pawnshop industry had a bad reputation. Some people thought pawn shops took advantage of those in need.

Henry knew that the only way to succeed was to build trust. “I myself was at the counter. I was the appraiser, and I enjoyed talking to them and helping them in the best way I could,” said Philippe.

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😬 Growing pains

The business began to grow, but they still faced some bumps in the road. Running a pawnshop meant having cash on hand to give out loans.

As more customers came, keeping enough cash became difficult. The family had to carefully manage their funds to stay afloat.

At times, they had to compete with bigger pawn shops. But they stayed committed to their values, building trust with each customer!

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📈 A new direction

In the 1980s, Philippe took over the business from his father. He thought the business could grow beyond Cebu!

But it wasn’t so easy to expand. They had to train new staff and make sure that everything ran smoothly, the way he and his father did it.

In 1987, Philippe renamed the company to Cebuana Lhuillier. He wanted a name that carried their Cebu roots while showing how their company could grow all over the Philippines.

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🌱 Trying new things

And as Cebuana Lhuillier grew, they didn’t just stick to pawning.

In the 1990s, they began offering financial services like money transfers, bill payment, and insurance.

But getting Filipinos to trust these new services wasn’t easy. Many people didn’t know much about them and wanted to do cash transactions instead.

The company started promoting different campaigns to improve people’s financial literacy, and they also used TV commercials and celebrities to reach a wider audience.

Soon, more people began using their new services. This proved that they earned the Filipinos’ trust!

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👪 Family values

No matter how large they became, Cebuana Lhuillier wanted to help all Filipinos, especially those who didn’t have access to traditional banking.

They are especially helpful to overseas Filipino workers who are sending money home to their families.

For General Manager Fernando Bacungan, every time OFWs send money, “they are also sending their warm regards and wishes to their loved ones. So, we always do our best to be the efficient and reliable company that makes it happen.”

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🤝 Giving back to the community

They also partnered with the Department of Education to create almost 150 Alternative Learning Centers all over the Philippines.

Here, out-of-school youth and adults can get the education they deserve! With different workshops and classes to choose from. “We also champion education, as this is a good tool for people to improve their lives,” said President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

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🌟 Here and now

Cebuana Lhuillier has come a long way. From one simple pawnshop in Cebu to a nationwide leader in financial services, their journey is proof that dedication pays off.

Did you know? Cebuana Lhuillier is even in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest pawnshop chain in the world!

But they didn’t stop there! They’ve also expanded into micro-insurance, offering affordable insurance plans to help protect families.

For millions of Filipinos, Cebuana Lhuillier is more than just a pawn shop—it’s a way for Filipinos to make financial decisions for their family’s future.