Archive for the ‘Banking’ Category

BPI Family Bank to offer loans to microenterprises

Posted on March 6th, 2010 by Roy

The thrift bank subsidiary of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, BPI Family Savings Bank, is going to roll out a credit facility that will cater to the micro and small enterprises. This plan of BPI Family to increase its loan exposure will be done through a customized business packaged which it will roll out [...]

Pag-IBIG plans to bring back Biglang Bahay Bonds

Posted on February 28th, 2010 by Roy

During the Marcos-era, the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), also known Pag-IBIG Fund run a house-and-lot raffle program called the Biglang Bonds. Now, the state-administered funds manager is planning to revive the said scheme after launching its planned P12-billion bond offering last week.
HDMF chief executive officer Jaime Fabiaña said that under the plan, the agency [...]

Metrobank grants ATI $250M credit line

Posted on February 20th, 2010 by Roy

The Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank) has awarded the Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) credit line worth P250 million. The ATI said the proceeds of the funds would be used to fund its projects in the next five years.
ATI, in its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), said it signed an agreement with Metrobank [...]

Micro-agri loans requirements made easier by BSP

Posted on January 31st, 2010 by Roy

To allow our farmers more access to bank credit, to further address their financing needs, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has further eased its documentary requirements and its application procedures. This would allow banks to provide micro-agri loans to farmers.
The micro-agri loans which amount to less P150,000 would be exempted from the requirement of [...]

Globe gets BSP nod to expand GCash network

Posted on January 29th, 2010 by Roy

The Globe Telecom’s mobile commerce subsidiary G-Xchange (GXI) request of using its parent’s sub-distribution as GCash outlets has been approved by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which brings the number of GCash remittance outlets to over 18,000 making it the largest remittance network in the Philippines.

10 new branches opened by Veterans Bank

Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by Roy

This early, the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) has already opened 10 new branches to beef up its network to 60 branches all over the country. The 10 new branches were actually opened simultaneously last January 18.

PNB to push through with its merger with Allied Bank this year

Posted on January 22nd, 2010 by Roy

The Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Allied Banking Corporation, both controlled by tycoon Lucio Tan, will continue with its scheduled merger which will happen in the second half of 2010, said PNB president Omar Byron Mier.
The merging of the two banks will create the fourth largest privately owned bank in the Philippines, behind the three [...]

More banks to offer renminbi-denominated products in the Philippines

Posted on January 18th, 2010 by Roy

Because of the increasing volume of transactions in the Philippines, many banks in the Philippines are planning to offer products and services denominated in Chinese yuan or renminbi to their clients in the near future. According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., these banks are looking to offer renminbi-denominated products and [...]

BSP to print new money design this year

Posted on January 5th, 2010 by Roy

Anytime this year, we will be seeing new designs in our money, both in bills and coins. The new money designed are set for printing within the year, said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), after getting the approval of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Banks to serve clients’ during the holidays

Posted on December 23rd, 2009 by Roy

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.

BSP keen on tapping retail outlets for mobile money services

Posted on December 9th, 2009 by Roy

To reach to people who have no access to banks, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) looks into tapping third parties such as retail outlets to be conduits for money transfer through mobile phones. While considering the said option, BSP governor Amando M. Tetangco, cautioned while that the business arguments for the establishment of a [...]

Megalink offers mobile phone transactions in its network

Posted on November 6th, 2009 by Roy

Megalink, one the country’s biggest network of automated teller machine (ATM) has added a new service to mobile phone users which enables cell phone subscribers to pay their bills or load up their phones with load credits through the network. Megalink has already arranged an agreement with the two largest mobile phone service providers in [...]

PERA Law to be implemented in 2010

Posted on October 21st, 2009 by Roy

The PERA Law or the Personal Equity and Retirement Account Law will be implemented by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in 2010 after different agencies of the government signed its implementing rules and regulations (IRR). BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. spearheaded the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) and IRR of PERA [...]

Chinabank should pay BIR P11.3 M in doc stamp taxes deficiency – SC

Posted on October 17th, 2009 by Roy

China Banking Corporation (Chinabank) was ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) to pay the Bureau of Internal Revenues (BIR) its deficiency documentary stamp taxes worth around P11.3 million. The taxes were for the special savings deposits (SSDs) which were made to appear like tax-exempt regular savings accounts.

Smart to enter into mobile microfinancing business too

Posted on October 16th, 2009 by Roy

Just this week, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas gave the nod of approval to Globe Telecommunications and Ayala Group to venture into the mobile banking business using the license of Pilipinas Savings Bank.
In recent news, Smart Communications is also planning to venture into microfinance, according to Napoleon Nazareno, Smart president. “We are also looking into [...]

Globe, Ayala enters banking industry

Posted on October 12th, 2009 by Roy

Sister companies Globe Telecom and the Ayala Corp. got the green light from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for their entry in the financial industry. The approval of BSP creates for the two companies the opportunity to become the first mobile microfinance bank.

BSP concerned of P500 billion loans at risk of default

Posted on October 10th, 2009 by Roy

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is wary of loans being at risk of ending up in default as an effect of the devastation brought about by tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng. The concern was raised by  BSP officer-in-charge Nestor Espenilla Jr. who said that the estimated retail loan affected in calamity [...]

BSP approves ‘Money Laundering’

Posted on October 9th, 2009 by Roy

This time the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will allowing “money laundering” and it’s legal. The central bank’s seal of approval has been stamped on the prospect of doing large-scale money laundering.
But the BSP is referring to the literal ‘laundering’ of dirty money or those bills that were soiled by flash floods inside bank vaults during [...]

BSP’s regulatory relief package for affected banks

Posted on October 3rd, 2009 by Roy

A regulatory relief package has been issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to help the banks extend more assistance to the victims of tropical storm “Ondoy” (international name Ketsana) who  brought damage to tens of thousands of families last weekend.

Smart, BPI teamed up to offer mobile banking service

Posted on October 1st, 2009 by Roy

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has teamed with the stiffest competitor of its affiliate mobile company Globe Telecoms. BPI and Smart Communications has entered into a partnership that would provide a new mobile banking platform that will offer a full range of services to the two companies’ common clients.