IFC to invest $300 million in RP’s power sector

Posted on July 10th, 2010 by Roy

The country’s power sector, including renewable energy projects, is likely to get a big boos from the World Bank (WB). WB’s private sector arm, the International Finance Corp. (IFC), is looking at pouring in more than $300 million in investment to the said industry in the Philippines.
IFC resident representatives to the Philippines, Jesse Ang, said [...]

Ayala to subscribe P10 billion on stock rights offer of BPI

Posted on June 18th, 2010 by Roy

Up to P10 billion worth of stocks in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) will be purchased by the Ayala Corp. Chief finance officer Delfin C. Gonzales Jr. of Ayala Corp., in a disclosure to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the board has approved the subscription “to our pro-rata share in the [...]

BSP urge rural banks to tap 11M households without accounts

Posted on June 3rd, 2010 by Roy

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said that approximately 11 million Filipino households do not have bank accounts.
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said, “Rough estimates indicate that at the most, only one-third of our households have bank accounts,” during a conference of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines held recently at the Sofitel Philippine [...]

Lower remittance fees starting 3rd quarter

Posted on May 24th, 2010 by Roy

A lower fees in their remittances will be enjoyed by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their beneficiaries starting on the third quarter of the year. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), this will materialize once the the Philippine Payments and Settlements System (Philpass) Remit System becomes fully operational.
Remittances sent through the Philpass Remit [...]

PNB ties up with Bank of China on remittances

Posted on April 7th, 2010 by Roy

The Philippine National Bank (PNB) signed up an agreement with the Bank of China (BOC) in handling remittances of Italy-based Chinese nationals to their homeland. The Lucio Tan-led PNB’s agreement with the state-owned BOC expands the market coverage of unit PNB Italy SpA which was established to facilitate remittances of thousands of Filipinos in Italy.
PNB [...]

PBB to expand its operations in Visayas and Mindanao

Posted on March 26th, 2010 by Roy

The bank owned by juice king Alfredo M. Yao is planning to open more branches in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippine Business Bank, Inc. (PBB), according to company chairman Yao, will adding up to 25 to its number of branches this year, mostly would be in the Visayas and Mindanao, citing the regions’ high [...]

The Renewable Energy Summit

Posted on March 14th, 2010 by Roy

On March 25 and 26, 2010, the first Renewable Energy Summit will be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza. The summit was organized and will be hosted by the First Metro Investment Corporation, in partnership with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
The summit will be an annual event and the organizers aim to attract [...]

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 [...]

Local banks help raised P14B for Panay power plant

Posted on February 26th, 2010 by Roy

Local banks have agreed to help raise and lend the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) P14-billion for its construction of a 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant in La Paz, Iloilo City. The Panay Energy is owned by George Ty’s Metrobank group, and the loans were arranged by First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC), the investment banking arm [...]

P12-billion bond offering from Pag-IBIG funds

Posted on February 23rd, 2010 by Roy

The Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), more popularly recognized as he Pag-IBIG Fund launched a bond offering which will be auctioned to the public on March 9. The state-administered fund manager will be offering P12 billion bonds starting next month.
Jaime Fabiaña, chief executive officer of HDMF said that the proceeds of the funds would be [...]

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 [...]

The expansion of Bibingkinitan

Posted on February 1st, 2010 by Roy

Bibingkinitan! has embarked on an aggressive campaign to expand its number of outlets this year. The fast-rising Filipino food chain is aiming to open up about 100 new outlets all over the country, to bring its total number of stores to at least 250 by the end of 2010.
Richard V. Sanz, president and chief executive [...]

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 [...]

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.

Philippines received pledges for environment-related projects

Posted on December 19th, 2009 by Roy

And so President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s trip to Copenhagen, Denmark seems to be fruitful. If the said pledges amounting to $380 million (P17.67 billion) in foreign funding for environment-related projects and programs in the Philippines would materialize.

SSS, other GFIs extends loan to SMEs

Posted on December 10th, 2009 by Roy

The pension fund provider for private companies’ employees, Social Security System, said it has extended so far a total of P1.2 billion in loans micro, small and medium enterprises. The agency provided the said grants under a credit implemented by government financial institutions.

San Miguel acquired P2 billion loan from Landabnk

Posted on December 10th, 2009 by Roy

The San Miguel Corp. (SMC), the country with most diversified conglomerate, has been extended a P2 billion loan by the state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank). The loan would be used by SMC to finance its expansion program.

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 [...]