Tag: conferences & forums

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Microfinance Information eXchange Shares New Updates for Rural Bankers

The Microfinance Information Exchange, or MIX Market, was formed under the belief that a lack of transparency across microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other microfinance players around the world contributes to stymied growth and prevents institutions from performing their best. Using no deposit bonuses when playing online casino games is also assisted by microfinance transactions. Continue reading on how to claim no deposit bonus codes and win big without spending your own cash. As such, MIX collects and standardizes financial, operational, product, client and social performance data from MFIs and presents a variety of free web-based tools for MFIs to analyze their performance.

MIX Market’s Asia representative Elizabeth Larson presented during the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) 2012 National Roundtable conference to explain how MIX Market’s online benchmarking tools and customized data reports can deliver critical information to rural bankers in the Philippines, as …

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Improving Core Banking Systems to Improve Branchless Banking Services – Lessons from Cantilan Bank

This is the fourth of a four part series of articles about the RBAP-MABS National Roundtable 2012 Conference panel session entitled “Using New Channels to Expand Microfinance Services.”

Cantilan Bank’s Head of Strategic Management, Melvin Yu, shared how the bank is using new technologies, including mobile banking, to accelerate branchless banking services for their clients. Many reputable gambling platforms are highly satisfied with their services and rated them as the last year’s most efficient banking system. As a reward, use some of their latest no deposit casino bonuses and enjoy the best banking software benefits.

From 1980 to 1998, Cantilan Bank basically maintained all bank records manually and it was only in 1999 when the bank shifted to an automated reporting system. In 2005, the bank installed the RB2000, a banking software program developed and supported by USAID under the RBAP-MABS Program. In 2010, the bank upgraded its …

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In the NewsLatest Updates

Mindanao rural banks cited for winning performance

Sun Star – Mindanao rural banks pulled off an impressive performance in terms of earnings, number of borrowers, and deposits in 2011, based on the Rural Banks Association of the Philippines – Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) reports.

Results were based on the EAGLE (Efficiency, Asset Quality, Growth, Liability Structure, and Earnings) assessment results, which were presented recently during the 2012 RBAP-MABS National Roundtable Conference and 15th Anniversary Celebration held in Manila.

In addition to the banks listed here, the Rural Bank of Montevista was recognized for its role in contributing to the MIX Market.…

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Phl has best microfinance framework

Philippine Star – The Philippines has the best policy and regulatory framework for microfinance in the world, according to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The EIU is a global consultancy and research outfit that helps business leaders prepare for opportunity, empowering them to act with confidence when making strategic decisions.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board member Ignacio R. Bunye said one of the key reasons for the distinction is the existence of a regulator that issues supportive and enabling policy as well as capacity building regulations.

“Our main approach as been, and will continue to be, to facilitate the delivery of commercially sustainable microfinance products and services,” Bunye said during awarding ceremonies of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines – Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) program.

A few years back, the BSP was recognized as the only central bank that was encouraging the practice …

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Sharing Experiences Using Mobile Money to Enable Banking Services at Next Bank Asia Event

On May 9-10, 2012, I had the great honor of speaking at the Next Bank Asia in Singapore that was all about the future of banks, financial services, and money. The conference focused on the changes in the consumer market, fast evolving technology, and the key factors that are changing the financial services landscape.

The conference included some of the real movers and shakers in the “new vision” of banking including Brett King, Scott Anthony, James Gardner, Derek Sivers, Richard Kelly and Andrea Kershaw, Gordon Cooper, Oliver Weidlich, Scott Bales and other leading experts. View the presentations online.

Although this is a different audience than I am use to presenting to, I found tremendous interest in the work in the Philippines to incorporate mobile money to better enable banking services.

John Owens talks about emerging markets at #NBASG12 from Next Bank Asia on Vimeo.

Albert van den Broek summed up …

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In the News

Philippines lags behind peers in bank penetration, survey shows

Philippine Daily Inquirer – The Philippines is considered one of the laggards in the Asia-Pacific region in the area of financial services reach, ranking only 12th out of 15 countries in terms of the proportion of working-age population who have accounts with banks or other financial institutions.

Results of a regional survey, done recently by various institutions including the US Agency for International Development, showed that only 26.56 percent of Filipinos aged 15 years old and above have accounts with banks or financial entities.
This proportion is better than the nearly 20 percent for Vietnam and Indonesia, and the less than 10 percent for Cambodia.

Meantime, the countries with the best financial service reach are New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore, where nearly 100 percent of working-age individuals have accounts with banks or other financial institutions.
Other countries that got the highest rankings—that is, countries where the proportion of working-age individuals …

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The Future of Mobile Phone Banking in the Philippines: Global Trends for Rural Bankers to Consider (Part 3 of 3)

During my presentation, I shared with the audience some of the latest relevant updates and trends that we are seeing from around the world in terms of the uses of mobile money and mobile banking services.

Viral Marketing & Use of Social Networks

One interesting theme is the use of viral marketing to support the expanded use of mobile money and mobile banking services by focusing on key influencers in particular markets. I wrote about this a few years ago in an article entitled Creating a Tipping Point for Mobile Phone-based Financial Services. In this article, I talked about the factors needed to reach a critical mass of clients with mobile banking services.

As I mentioned in my paper, Malcolm Gladwell in his book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, describes three agents of change that create tipping points in the spread of …

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RBAP-MABS Innovative Use of Mobile Money Highlighted During the 5th Mobile Commerce Summit Asia 2012

The United States Agency for International Development -supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines – Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program joined mobile money experts from all over the world at the 5th Mobile Commerce Summit Asia 2012 in Singapore. The two-day conference themed as, “Evaluating the Best Formulas for the Next Winning M-Commerce Move” gathered high-level mobile commerce industry professionals that have brought unique insights from experienced ventures and tested concepts of the field.

The mobile commerce market in Asia has been growing extremely fast in the past few years. The event served as a forum for banks, financial institutions, m-commerce technical providers, telecom operators, telecom regulators and financial regulators to have insightful discussions on regulatory policies, innovative models, and lessons learned in implementing mobile commerce in varying areas and location.

In one of the panel discussion, Ms. Roselle Hernandez of RBAP-MABS presented its mobile phone banking initiative.  …

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2011 MCPI Conference highlights collaboration for responsible microfinance

Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program helped facilitate two sessions of the 2011 Microfinance Council of the Philippines Inc. (MCPI) Conference last July 28-29 at the Hyatt Hotel Manila. The conference themed, “Making a Difference: Multi-Stakeholder Action towards Responsible Microfinance” aims to promote responsible financial products and practices while addressing global pressing issues and challenges to microfinance.

On the first day of the conference, RBAP-MABS Chief of Party John V. Owens facilitated a session on Avoiding Over-indebtedness with Ms. Mila Bunker, President of Ahon Sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI) and Chairperson of MCPI. The session discussed the causes of over indebtedness and proper ways to conduct credit investigation and cash flow analysis. In particular, these would prevent a borrower from taking in more loans beyond their capacity to pay – a financial practice known as multiple borrowings. The practice of multiple borrowings was also examined …

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In the NewsMABS Tips

Updates on the BAP-Credit Bureau

Mr. Leonilo ‘Topper’ Coronel, Managing Director of the Bankers Association of the Philippines Credit Bureau (BAP-CB), presented the private credit bureau’s latest changes and activities to participants of the 2011 RBAP-MABS National Roundtable last May 23-24 in Manila. He shared the latest developments in the effort of BAP-CB and a consortium of microfinance institutions’ (MFIs) to build a responsive credit information system for the microfinance sector. (see Philippine Star article)

He reported the over 60% growth in the number of participating rural banks from 28 to 46 in May 2011, attributing this increase to the BAP-CB’s efforts to reach out to rural bank federations in the country, and the assistance of the USAID-supported RBAP-MABS Program.

He also underscored the enhancements in the bureau’s Negative File Information System (NFIS) particularly its accessibility via the Internet, which allows the credit bureau to automatically process requests on a daily basis, even on non-working …

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