Download MABS November 2009 Highlights
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November 2009 Highlights
November 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Banco Santiago de Libon Operations Review
November 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
MABS conducted a technical assistance visit to Banco Santiago de Libon on November 26-28 as part of its commitment to provide continuous support to its participating banks in expanding their client outreach and improving their microfinance and overall bank operations. The MABS team coordinated with the bank’s officers and staff in conducting focus group discussions, interviews, field visits, and management information system (MIS) review to assess the bank management’s expansion plan, evaluate its microfinance operations, and assist in drafting plans to implement MABS’ recommendations based on the assessment.
MABS provides training to rural bankers on disaster management and controlling delinquency
November 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The participants were given hands-on exercises and were allowed to share their experiences on disaster and delinquency management with other bankers.
Continuing to strengthen rural banks’ stability and preparedness for crises and calamities, MABS and the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation Inc. (RBRDFI) conducted a two-day seminar-workshop for rural banks, tackling topics on effective disaster and delinquency management and recovery. Forty participants from 21 rural banks attended the training held at the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) Building on November 24 and 25.
The purpose of the training is to equip rural banks with knowledge, skills and tools on how to prepare for and deal with disasters, as well as manage delinquency problems. MABS began conducting training-workshops for rural banks on disaster management following the series of typhoons that plagued the country in the recent months. MABS has also released a disaster preparedness kit featuring guidelines and tools that rural banks can use in times of calamity.
“Since rural banks have relatively smaller areas of responsibility, they face higher risks of losses in times of crises and calamities”, RBRDFI training coordinator Ace Calang said. This training will help banks prepare themselves for disasters and effectively serve their clients well even in times of crisis, he added.
On the first day of the training, MABS and RBRDFI provided the participants with a walk through on preparing their banks for disasters, execution of their disaster plans, post-disaster recovery and disaster management review and evaluation. Meanwhile, the second day of the training was concentrated on managing delinquency problems. MABS trained the participants on identifying the causes of delinquency, analyzing their loan portfolio, collecting their PAR (portfolio-at-risk) loans, making loan write-offs, and remedial management.
“Itong disaster training, malaki ang maitutulong niya, lalo’t sa aming area dinadaanan ng mga disaster: mga typhoon, earthquakes, floods … kasi pag nai-apply natin yan sa bangko … bago pa man dumating yung sinasabi nating disaster ay nakapaghanda na tayo. (This disaster training will be a big help, especially in our area, which is a common path for typhoons, earthquakes and floods because once this has been applied in our bank, we will already be prepared even before disaster strikes),” Mr. Golder Vicente, Cooperative Bank of Nueva Vizcaya’s branch manager, said.
“Bago kasi ito na sa tingin namin, dapat mas maging advanced yung pag-iisip namin … para dumating man ang mga ganitong calamities, hindi na kami mabibigla kung ano ba yung gagawin namin. (It is new to us that we should be thinking more in advance, so that even when calamities strike, we won’t be clueless on what to do),” GM Bank’s area manager, Eric Tarape, said.
By the end of the training, the participants were able to come up with action plans that they will develop further and execute in their respective banks. “Ang goal namin ngayon ay magkaroon ng standardized manual regarding dun sa disaster preparedness (Our goal now is to come up with a standardized manual on disaster preparedness),” Rural Bank of Mabitac Microfinance Unit Head Eddie Revilla said.
Continuing to strengthen rural banks’ stability and preparedness for crises and calamities, MABS and the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation Inc. (RBRDFI) conducted a two-day seminar-workshop for rural banks, tackling topics on effective disaster and delinquency management and recovery. Forty participants from 21 rural banks attended the training held at the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) Building on November 24 and 25. [Read more...]
BSP reviews microlending charges
November 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
BusinessWorld – THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is reviewing its rules and regulations on the disclosure of interest rates and fees and charges on microfinance loans to enhance the protection of clients.
“We are… looking at enhancing consumer protection against incomplete information on financial products or services being provided, non-transparency of fees and charges, and inappropriate sales techniques… to make sure microfinance clients are informed of the actual price of financial products or services,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. said last week at the Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year award.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Pia M. Roman, head of the central bank’s inclusive finance advocacy staff, said the BSP is consulting banks if it is possible to adopt a uniform way of computing the interest rates on all loans.
“What we are doing specifically is we are in the consultation phase with the banking community. We want to explore a uniform computation of interest rates for all loans using the declining balance method,” she said.
THE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is reviewing its rules and regulations on the disclosure of interest rates and fees and charges on microfinance loans to enhance the protection of clients.
“We are… looking at enhancing consumer protection against incomplete information on financial products or services being provided, non-transparency of fees and charges, and inappropriate sales techniques… to make sure microfinance clients are informed of the actual price of financial products or services,” BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. said last week at the Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year award.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Pia M. Roman, head of the central bank’s inclusive finance advocacy staff, said the BSP is consulting banks if it is possible to adopt a uniform way of computing the interest rates on all loans.
“What we are doing specifically is we are in the consultation phase with the banking community. We want to explore a uniform computation of interest rates for all loans using the declining balance method,” she said.
