Josephine Alima was chosen from among 40 top microentrepreneurs nationwide to win the Citibank 2002 Microentrepreneur of the Year award. A loan from the First Isabela Cooperative (FICO) Bank helped expand her business.

Emilia Montinola sells vegetables and other produce at her stall at the public market in San Carlos City. A loan from the Rural Bank of Victorias helped expand her business.

Victoria Lim is 1st Runner-up in Mindanao for Citibank’s Microentrepreneur of the Year Awards. To cope with the increased demand for chicharon and ampaw (popped rice), she applied for a KITA loan from the Rural Bank of Cantilan in Surigao del Sur.

Deputy Governor Alberto V. Reyes joined the Executive Director of the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Mr. Leonilo G. Coronel in witnessing the signing of the Manifesto of Support to expand the BAP Credit Bureau’s Negative Information System (NFIS) in Davao City last September 10, 2002. The Manifesto of Support serves to support the expansion of the BAP credit bureau NFIS services to selected financial institutions in Mindanao. The effort, which is supported by the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines’ Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) Program, will continue to expand credit bureau services in Mindanao. The aim of this effort is to foster the exchange and sharing of credit information among rural banks, credit cooperatives, commercial banks, and other selected financial institutions.

Cagayan de Oro City – The Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) unit of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP), and a team of software engineers, has released a new, modifiable, and user-friendly banking software called Rural Banker 2000 (or RB2000).

April 12, 2002, Marawi City – The Maranao Rural Bank signed an agreement to participate in the USAID-supported Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) program. The Agreement was signed by Maranao Rural Bank Chairman, Murshid M. Rasuman, and MABS Chief of Party, John V. Owens, in Marawi City on April 12, 2002.

February 13, 2002, Manila – The USAID-supported "Microenterprise Access to Banking Services" (MABS) Program has been extended for an additional three years. The extension of the Program was effectuated through USAID and the Rural Bankers' Association of the Philippines (RBAP) signing an extension agreement for the Program.

DAVAO CITY - An agreement signed October 3 between the Bankers Association of the Philippines Credit Bureau (BAP-CP) and leading financial institutions in Davao City will boost the microfinance sector and pave the way for the expansion of credit bureau services in Mindanao.

March 2001, Manila – Eight new rural and cooperative banks in Luzon and Visayas signed their participating bank agreements with the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines' Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program. This is part of RBAP’s expansion of the MABS Approach in Luzon and Visayas.