Banks to serve clients’ during the holidays
Posted on December 23rd, 2009
During the long holidays, banks in the Philippines have assured the public that it will be opening selected branches to serve their clients’ needs. The automate teller machines (ATMs) were also assured to be fully operational (and loaded) for the holidays.
December 24 and 31 were declared special non-working days under Presidential Proclamation 1699, while December 25 and 30 are regular holidays. January 1 or New Year’s Day has been declared a regular holiday under Proclamation 1841. These holidays result in two long weekends that would have banks closed under old bank practices.
But now, with customer’s service spelling a big difference in the already stiff competition in the banking industry, banks will be opening on the holidays to ensure their clients won’t have problems during the holidays.
Banco de Oro Unibank, Inc., for instance, said that all its branches would be open on Thursday, December 24. “Mall-based branches will be open until 3 p.m. while all other branches are open until 1 p.m.” the bank said.
For its, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank), the country’s second largest (next to Banco de Oro), posted on its website that select branches will open on December 24, 26, 27, 30, 31 and January 1 and 2. “In addition to the branches, Metrobank ATMs nationwide will be available for easy access to cash and for other banking transactions such as bills payment and fund transfer. Metrophone banking and Metrobankdirect internet banking will also be accessible for various banking transactions,” the bank said
However, the country’s third largest bank, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), along with its thrift banking subsidiary, BPI Family Savings Bank, said it will not be open during the declared public holiday.
The bank said, “Bank of the Philippine Islands and BPI Family Savings Bank branches will be open to the public and doing business as usual on regular working days, Mondays thru Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on declared holidays such as December 24th, 25th, 30th, 31th and January 1st.”
It further added that its alternative channels of transactions, which are the ATMs, mobile banking facility and expressonline, are available 24/7.
