MABS Highlights

Latest UpdatesMABS Highlights

GCASH and Guagua Rural Bank Formalize Partnership

Guagua Rural Bank (GR Bank) officially joins the Philippine mobile phone banking community as it formalized its partnership with G-Xchange Inc. in utilizing the GCASH platform to facilitate its mobile phone banking services (MPBS).

Developed under the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) program, MPBS involves the use of mobile phones in performing bank transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, remittances and loan payments, among others.

Facilitated by the USAID-supported RBAP-MABS program, GR Bank signed a memorandum of agreement with G-XChange, Inc., Globe Telecom’s mobile commerce subsidiary, on February 18 during the Central Luzon Federation of Rural Bank Management Conference in Hotel Stotsenberg, Clarkfield, Angeles City, Pampanga

With this partnership, GR Bank will utilize GCASH to expand its banking operations. Initially, the bank will accommodate cash-in and cash-out and GCASH Remit services.  With these new services available to its banking clients, GR Bank can now further …

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MABS Highlights

India’s Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD) studies Philippine microfinance

Eight officers from India’s Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), along with two officers from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), visited the Philippines on February 8-13 to study the country’s microfinance industry.

Facilitated by the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (RBRDFI), the study tour introduced the participants to the Philippine microfinance industry’s best practices and innovative technologies. It included visits to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), People’s Credit and Finance Corporation, Land Bank of the Philippines, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI), Cooperative Rural Bank of Bulacan, and the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS).

RBAP-MABS presented the training and technical services that it provides to its participating banks, as well as its innovative contributions to the country’s microfinance industry.

Established in 1983 by India’s National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), BIRD is an institute which …

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MABS Highlights

RB Angeles holds first Microfinance Credit Committee Meeting

Having completed the MABS Approach training and technical services course, Pampanga-based Rural Bank of Angeles (RBA) is now offering microfinance loans to microenterprise clients in various markets in Pampanga.  The bank held its first Microfinance Credit Committee meeting and released its first wave of loans in January to jumpstart its microfinance operations.

According to RBA President Robin King, the bank believes that “the MABS Approach to Microfinance emphasizes basic banking principles of knowing your customer well; finding out what their financial needs are; and in micro-lending, making sure that cashflow supports the loan structure rather than any form of collateral or support,”

He added that “based on market surveys in the areas where RBA branches are located, there appears to be a good market for microfinance. … RBA is intent on tapping this market extensively before venturing out to other areas.”

With the support and expertise provided by its new …

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Latest UpdatesMABS Highlights

Central Bank of Afghanistan takes a look at the Philippine Mobile Phone Banking Environment

Officials from the Central Bank of Afghanistan visited the Philippines on January 12-15 to study the mobile phone banking offered by rural banks, meet with mobile money operators, and understand the regulations about mobile money and mobile phone banking services in the Philippines.

In coordination with the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) and the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation Inc. (RBRDFI), the study tour included visits to RBAP-MABS, the Central Bank of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas / BSP), Smart Communications, G-Xchange Inc., and GM Bank, a MABS participating bank based in Nueva Ecija.

The Afghan representatives were particularly interested in the country’s mobile phone banking services and mobile money platforms including how these services are expanding banking services to the underbanked and unbanked sector. They studied the success factors in the Philippine market, as well as the regulatory framework that made the Philippines a successful model for …

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MABS Highlights

MABS conducts Institutional Assessment for RB Angeles

MABS conducted an institutional assessment of the Rural Bank of Angeles in November to assess the bank’s capability to implement microfinance in its banking operations. Established in 1953, RB Angeles has five branches and other banking offices located in Pampanga and Tarlac.

In coordination with the bank’s top management led by its president, Mr. Robin King, MABS reviewed the results of the initial market research conducted at the bank’s branch in Capas, Tarlac. The MABS team also interviewed the bank’s top officers, branch managers, and microfinance staff to weigh their interest and ability to do the MABS Approach. Finally, MABS analyzed the bank’s management information system (MIS)to evaluate its capacity to generate the reports MABS requires from its participating banks.

To pursue its microfinance initiative, RB Angeles hired new microfinance staff members and prepared resources for training and equipping its new staff. It also engaged the services of MICRA Philippines, …

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Latest UpdatesMABS Highlights

MABS holds Loan Administration and Management Training for RB Camalig

MABS conducted a Refresher Training Course on Loan Administration and Management for the Rural Bank of Camalig on August 4 – 7, 2009 in Legaspi, Albay. Fifteen officers and staff members attended the training, including the bank’s chief executive officer (CEO) and chief operating officer (COO). They were trained on preparation and analysis of CIBI and cash flow reports, loan review and approval by the credit committee, understanding management information system (MIS) reports, delinquency management, and product and staff performance monitoring. Alan Orogo of MABS Service Provider, Punla sa Tao Foundation, facilitated the training, along with MABS Deputy Chief of Party Meliza Agabin and MABS Microfinance Specialist Girlie Lopez.…

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MABS Highlights

MABS Featured in Four-Country Study Visit to the Philippines

MABS presented to executives from India, Nepal, Thailand, and the Philippines in the recent study visit arranged by the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA). The participants represented organizations from India, inluding Andhra Bank, the State Bank of India (Mumbai), the State Bank of Mysore (Bangalore), Reserve Bank of India, and Punjab National Bank; from Thailand, the Bank of Thailand; from Nepal, the Nepal Rastra Bank; and from the Philippines, the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

The briefing focused on MABS Approach to microfinance and mobile phone banking for microfinance clients.…

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MABS Highlights

Egyptian business, finance, and bank specialists enrich Mobile Banking knowledge thru MABS experience

MABS highlighted the Program’s mobile phone banking best practices in a recent presentation to Egyptian executives from USAID Egypt, General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (Ministry of Investment), Egyptian Insurance Supervisory Authority, Dakahleya Businessmen Association for Community Development, First Microfinance Foundation (Aga Khan), and the Egypt Microenterprise Finance Project.

The Egyptian representatives aim to improve their country’s mobile phone banking services thru the successful gains and challenges resolved in the Philippine m-banking sector as shared by the MABS Program.…