A NEW chapter in the insurance industry unfolded in Davao City as Stronghold Takaful- financial protection was officially launched on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Stronghold Takaful is the newest addition to the services of Stronghold Insurance Company, Incorporated, for the Muslim community in the region.
“We know that the Philippines is composed of cultural disciplines and multi-religions, and we feel that for us at Stronghold, as a general insurance, it’s an obligation for us to stretch our arm and to provide the same cover to our Muslim brothers,” Romulo I. Delos Reyes Jr., Stronghold Insurance President and General Manager said.
Delos Reyes emphasized that while Takaful is widely known in Indonesia and Malaysia, the Philippines is quite left behind in providing Takaful protection in the Muslim community.
Takaful is the Arabic word for “joint guarantee”, a system of Islamic insurance where participants contribute to a pool of funds and jointly guarantee to support one another in times of misfortune.
Takaful cover is categorized into three: Personal Accident Takaful, Motor Takaful, and Fire Takaful.
Personal Accident Takaful provides timely financial support in the event of accidental injury, disability coverage, loss of life protection, and financial support for families. Motor Takaful, on the other hand, offers accident protection, coverage for theft, and damage safeguards, ensuring peace of mind on the road.
Meanwhile, Fire Takaful safeguards residential, commercial, and industrial properties against fire and related peril to give support for community rebuilding.
Shari’ah compliant
Stronghold recognizes that the Muslim community follows separate, Islamic rules on financing and doing business. Hence, the Takaful operation of Stronghold will be Sharia-compliant.
The company organized a Sharia Council composed of Sharia scholars, coming from not only in the Philippines, but also neighboring countries. Delos Reyes said this is to provide them with expertise, technical support, and guidance, and the overall implementation of Takaful.
Delos Reyes recognized that it is a barrier for conventional insurance providers to sell products to our Muslim brothers. By adhering to Shariah compliance, Stronghold can reach out to all families, properties, and stakeholders.
“We are filling the gap of the unserved segment of society because Stronghold, for that matter, becomes one of the leading insurance companies in a conventional sense, and we also want to be the leading insurance company in providing Takaful to our Muslim brothers,” he added.
Muhammad Aiman Bin Muhammad Salmi, Chairman of the Shari’ah committee, said Takaful promotes inclusivity and solidarity at its very core.
“I have come across this word Bayanihan, of solidarity, of togetherness, cooperation, something that I felt embedded in the society. That is actually Takaful, about helping each other in times of hardship,” Salmi said in his message during the launch.
Stronghold also partnered with Al-Amanah Islamic Bank of the Philippines to penetrate the market and provide protection to the Muslim community.
Davao as hub of multicultural discipline
The president said choosing Davao City as the launching party is attributed to it being a hub of multicultural discipline and a religious melting pot of our country in the South.
“We set up our Takaful main office here in Davao City, so that all activities relating to the Takaful operation will be done in Davao City,” Delos Reyes said.
“With Davao being the hub, we can easily reach the Muslim brothers and provide the best protection in our stronghold Takaful,” he added.
Clint Lloren, Takaful Division head, said the launch is a significant step forward in promoting inclusive and ethical financial services to the Muslim community.
“Launching this division mirrors that resilience, navigating regulatory hurdles, building partnerships, and fostering our shared vision to serve our diverse Filipino communities,” he said. “In our country, where diversity is our strength and our Muslim brothers and sisters have long sought financial products aligned to their faith, the introduction of Takaful is transformative,” he added.
Lloren noted that the launching of Takaful bridges the gap as it offers protection that respects cultural and religious values while extending the benefits of financial security to all Filipinos.
Stronghold plans to set up offices where the Muslim communities are and everywhere in the country, having Davao as the head office. At present, Stronghold has more than 150 offices nationwide, and they are eyeing to integrate Takaful in all offices.
The launch at Dusit Thani in Davao City gathered business leaders, Muslim community representatives, officials from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, local government officials, and members of the academe, which signaled both market readiness and cultural acceptance of Takaful in the region’s growing economy.
