Download MABS July 2010 Highlights
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July 2010 Highlights
July 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Mobile Phone Banking Training for RBs – Cebu City – August 06, 2010
July 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
RBAP-MABS, together with the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (RBRDFI) and Globe’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Globe X-Change Inc. (GXI) will be holding a one-day Mobile Phone Banking Accreditation Training on August 6, 2010 at the Cebu City Mariott Hotel (Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu City). This training is open to Visayas and Mindanao rural banks.
BSP officers and Philippine Monetary Board member visit Green Bank and Cantilan Bank
July 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A 12-member study group from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(BSP) led by Monetary Board Member Juanita Amatong and Dep. Gov. Nestor Espenilla, Jr. visited Cantilan Bank and Green Bank in Butuan City from July 23-24. During the visit, the BSP engaged the officials and staff of the banks in an open dialogue concerning the challenges in their microfinance operations and the regulatory areas that could help promote sound expansion of microfinance services among rural banks. Cantilan Bank and Green Bank are both participant banks of the RBAP-MABS program, which is supported by USAID/Philippines.
At the Cantilan Bank branch in Butuan City, Ret. Gen. Charles Hotchkiss, chair of Cantilan Bank’s executive committee, briefed the group on the bank’s microfinance operations and its agriculture microfinance loan product performance. Cantilan Bank is one of the pioneers in implementing the RBAP-MABS Approach to agriculture microfinancing, which began in 2005.
The study group visited Cantilan Bank’s micro agri clients engaged in the piggery business and processing of snack food items using available farm raw materials (rice, corn, banana, and cassava). This visit highlighted the need for loan amounts¬¬ and terms beyond the present regulatory limits of PhP150,000 and 12 months, respectively.
The visit by the BSP group to Green Bank focused on the bank’s mobile phone banking services and kiosk operations. Green Bank started offering mobile phone banking services using the GCASH platform in 2005. With over 40 branches and 90 kiosks nationwide, Green Bank is one of the top rural banks in offering mobile phone banking services to their clients. The field visit to two merchants that provide cash in/cash out services showed the study group the role that cash-in and cash-out merchants play in facilitating remote loan payments through e-money, hence, saving the borrowers the time and expense for transportation each time.
Meanwhile, the visit to two Green Bank kiosks (Other Banking Offices) located around the Butuan City area provided insights on the banking services demanded by rural bank clients, as well as the potential functions these kiosks can play in expanding full microfinance services including loans as well as micro-saving deposit servic
A 12-member study group from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(BSP) led by Monetary Board Member Juanita Amatong and Dep. Gov. Nestor Espenilla, Jr. visited Cantilan Bank and Green Bank in Butuan City from July 23-24. During the visit, the BSP engaged the officials and staff of the banks in an open dialogue concerning the challenges in their microfinance operations and the regulatory areas that could help promote sound expansion of microfinance services among rural banks. Cantilan Bank and Green Bank are both participant banks of the RBAP-MABS program, which is supported by USAID/Philippines.
MABS orients rural banks on microinsurance
July 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
RBAP-MABS provided a comprehensive overview of microinsurance to its participating banks on July 20 as part of its campaign for better insurance services for microfinance clients. Twelve (12) senior bank officers from ten (10) rural banks attended the Senior Management Orientation (SMO) in Manila, which introduced the potential benefits of formal microinsurance services for rural banks.
RBAP President Ma. Corazon Llamzon-Miller welcomed her fellow bankers into the activity, acknowledging the emerging need for microinsurance services among microfinance clients. She also expressed her appreciation for the RBAP-MABS program for continuously supporting rural banks and developing innovative products that can help alleviate poverty among microfinance clients in the countryside.
RBAP-MABS discussed the regulatory framework for enhancing microinsurance services, citing recent requirements from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Insurance Commission (IC). The team plans to work with rural banks interested in offering formal microinsurance services as institutional microinsurance agents. RBAP-MABS invited rural banks to participate in a pilot program which will test licensing toolkits and accreditation training in collaboration with the IC and the BSP.
The Microinsurance SMO Orientation Meeting was extended to Visayas and Mindanao rural banks on July 22 in Cebu City. Twelve representatives from four rural banks attended.
In all, seven (7) rural banks signed up as pilot participants. The RBAP-MABS team hopes to engage more rural banks to ensure diversified representation from the sector which may contribute to a wider range of field lessons for the project.
MABS is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported program in partnership with the Rural Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (RBAP), with oversight from the Office of the President through the Mindanao Development Authority (MINDA), and implemented by Chemonics International.
RBAP-MABS provided a comprehensive overview of microinsurance to its participating banks on July 20 as part of its campaign for better insurance services for microfinance clients. Twelve (12) senior bank officers from ten (10) rural banks attended the Senior Management Orientation (SMO) in Manila, which introduced the potential benefits of formal microinsurance services for rural banks.
RBAP President Ma. Corazon Llamzon-Miller welcomed her fellow bankers into the activity, acknowledging the emerging need for microinsurance services among microfinance clients. She also expressed her appreciation for the RBAP-MABS program for continuously supporting rural banks and developing innovative products that can help alleviate poverty among microfinance clients in the countryside. [Read more...]
Punla sa Tao Foundation & RBAP-MABS conduct Microfinance Leadership Training
July 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Eleven participants from five rural banks attended the recently concluded Microfinance Management Development Workshop facilitated by Punla sa Tao Foundation, a MABS Service Provider, and RBAP-MABS at the NATCCO Hostel in Quezon City. Most of the attendees are mid-level managers of their respective banks while a few are top officers and board members. Participants learned the basic concepts and supervisory tools in performance management and the management functions of planning, reviewing, evaluating, developing and motivating for peak performance.
Using training modules from the RBAP-MABS Program and Citibank’s Institute for Leadership Development and Accelerated Development (I-LEAD), the workshop was intended to enhance the management and leadership skills of rural bankers as well as improve their technical skills to properly manage the bank’s microfinance operations. Punla Foundation led the training and RBAP-MABS provided strategic technical support. Participants provided very positive feedback after the training, stating that they “gained a lot of insights on motivation and coaching” and that the topic was “almost perfect”.
The three-day workshop helped participants rediscover their values and behavior to better understand and equip themselves on how to effectively supervise their microfinance staff and account officers. The activity was further stimulated through various workshops, group exercises, video show on coaching, and sharing of practical lessons and experiences in managing people. An officer of Rural Bank of Gattaran noted “As an OIC, this workshop helped me a lot. I have learned in this seminar that there is a need to coach all the staff and I need to improve on this immediately”.
Punla sa Tao Foundation is a knowledge organization in microfinance and micro-enterprise development that builds institutional capacities through programs and services on training, consultancy, program management, research, and social investments.RBAP-MABS has been working with them since 2003 to assist it in providing services to rural banks.
Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded program in partnership with the Rural Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (RBAP), with oversight from the Office of the President through the Mindanao Development Authority (MINDA).
Eleven participants from five rural banks attended the recently concluded Microfinance Management Development Workshop facilitated by RBAP MABS and Punla sa Tao Foundation, a MABS Service Provider. Held at the NATCCO Hostel in Quezon City, most of the attendees were mid-level managers of their respective banks, while a few were top officers and board members.
Through this workshop, the participants learned the basic concepts and supervisory tools in performance management and the management functions of planning, reviewing, evaluating, developing and motivating for peak performance. [Read more...]
