Tag: Luzon

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Rural Banks Trained on GCASH-Enabled Mobile Phone Banking Services

The United States Agency for International Development-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) – Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) Program conducted two separate GCASH accreditation trainings for rural banks from the Bicol Federation and National Capital Region (NCR) on May 10 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Naga City and May 29 at the RBAP Conference Room in Manila.

Five (5) participants from four (4) Bicol Federation banks – Rural Bank of San Jose (Camarines Sur), Bangko Rural ng Magarao, Rural Bank of San Fernando (Camarines Sur) and Rural Bank of Pasacao – attended the training while seven (7) participants from four (4) banks – Bangko Nuestra Senora, Banco Alabang, Country Rural Bank of Taguig and Rural Bank of Karamotan – joined the training for NCR banks.

The training is part of the USAID-supported RBAP-MABS Program’s initiative to assist rural banks by providing a range of solutions that …

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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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Rural Banks Learn Best Practices in Developing Housing Microfinance Products

Fifteen (15) participants from seven (7) Luzon rural banks shared their best practices in developing, marketing, and selling housing microfinance product to their clients at the Training Workshop conducted by the United States Agency for International Development-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services Program, in partnership with the Research and Development Department of GM Bank in Nueva Ecija from March 7-9.

The three-day workshop is part of the technical assistance provided by RBAP-MABS to its participating banks. A Focused Group Discussion (FGD) with GM Bank’s group loan clients was conducted to demonstrate FGD facilitation and validation of data gathered from the market research. Also discussed during the workshop were: Product Promotions, Financial Projections, MIS Enhancement and Reports and Cash Flow Analysis. The participants also showcased their creativity and artistic skills during the session requiring them to develop their respective bank’s HMF promotional materials.

What bankers who …

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RBAP Launches Smart Money Accreditation Course for Rural Bankers in Luzon

The Rural Bankers Research Development Foundation, Inc.  in partnership with Smart Communications Inc. and the USAID-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program and partner Seed Finance held the 2nd SMART Money Accreditation Training Course for twenty-seven (27) participants from nine (9) rural banks based in Luzon on March 9, 2012.

The course was designed for qualified rural banks seeking to obtain accreditation as a Smart Money Center in order to offer money-in and money-out services, facilitate distribution of Smart Money Cards, and eventually to offer mobile phone banking services utilizing the Smart Money Platform.  This accreditation training provides the rural banks with the RBAP-MABS mobile phone banking procedures and manuals required to comply with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) electronic banking regulations for the use of mobile phone banking services utilizing the Smart Money platform.  As part of the accreditation process, banks still …

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RBAP-MABS Prepares Rural Banks for the New Effective Interest Rate Calculation Rules

The first of a series of seminar workshops to prepare banks for the new rules on effective interest rate calculations was held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Complex at Pasay City last March 8, 2012 to discuss the new regulations and what banks must prepare for. Attended by participants from fifteen (15) rural banks, the workshop was conducted by the United States Agency for International Development-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program, together with the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (RBRDFI). Representatives from the BSP were on hand to answer questions from the participants.

At the seminar participants learned about how effective interest rates (EIR) are calculated based on BSP Circular 730 and BSP Memorandum M-2011-040. The circular, entitled “Updated Rules in Implementing the Truth in Lending Act to Enhance Loan Transaction Transparency”, aims to disclose the effective …

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Latest UpdatesMicroinsurance

RBAP-MABS Microinsurance Partners Recognized at Gabi ng Parangal

To culminate Microinsurance Month, the Insurance Commission spearheaded an awarding ceremony themed “Gabi ng Parangal at Pasasalamat sa mga Tagapagtaguyod ng Microinsurance” to recognize organizations promoting microinsurance in the country. The awarding ceremony was held on January 31 at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Four partner insurance providers and two participating banks of the United States Agency for International Development-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program were among those recognized during the ceremony. Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation, Mapfre Insular, Pioneer Insurance, and Philippine Prudential Life Inc., were cited as outstanding life and non-life commercial companies while the Rural Bank of Talisayan and Katipunan Bank were recognized for their mutual benefit associations.

Since 2008, RBAP-MABS has been collaborating with rural banks and the regulatory institutions to improve access to insurance options of low-income households. To do this, RBAP-MABS works with the insurance-providers …

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MABS HighlightsMicroinsurance

More Rural Banks Complete Microinsurance Training Course

Eighteen rural banks based in Luzon and Mindanao recently completed the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) Basic Microinsurance Training during two separate sessions. Twenty-nine (29) bank officers and staff from ten (10) rural bank-members of the Cagayan-Kalinga Federation attended the training held in Cooperative Bank, Tuguegarao City, on November 24-25 while eleven (11) bank officers and staff from eight (8) rural banks participated in the course held on December 7-8 in Manila. Altogether, one hundred and sixty (160) rural banks have been trained under the RBAP Basic Microinsurance Training course since January 2011.

The two-day training covers the fundamental concepts and principles of microinsurance through lecture, group exercises and simulation activities. More importantly, participants are guided on the procedures and requirements of the Insurance Company and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for Microinsurance Agent licensing.

The course is part of the activities of the Rural Bankers Association of …

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Latest UpdatesMicroinsurance

Northern Bicol Federation Rural Banks Completed Microinsurance Training Course

Thirteen rural bank-members of the Northern Bicol Federation participated in the 16th Basic Microinsurance Training Course on December 16-17 at Café Frederico in Naga City. To date, 354 rural bank officers and staff from 168 rural banks have completed the training.

The two-day course is designed to guide and qualify rural banks to properly complete the licensing and approval process prescribed by the Insurance Commission, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Securities and Exchange Commission. After successful completion of the course training and the examination, participants will be certified as trained by RBAP, qualifying them as microinsurance soliciting officers of their respective banks.

Northern Bicol Federation rural banks represented were: Bangko Rural ng Pasacao, Municipal Rural Bank of Libmanan, Municipal Rural Bank of Nabua, Peñafrancia Rural Bank of Calabanga, Rural Bank of Goa, Rural Bank of Jose Panganiban, Rural Bank of Ocampo, Rural Bank of Paracale, Rural Bank of …

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Latest UpdatesMABS HighlightsMicroinsurance

Luzon Rural Bankers Complete Microinsurance Basic Training Course

Ten rural banks from Luzon attended the Microinsurance Basic Training Course held at the Orchid Garden Hotel in Manila on August 2-3, 2011.  Nineteen (19) of the course participants also successfully completed the qualifying examinations administered at the end of the course, which is the first step to becoming a qualified Microinsurance Soliciting Officer.

The two-day training covers the fundamentals of microinsurance, marketing and servicing. One of the tools used in the training is the Microinsurance Agent Tool Kit which includes all the requirements from the Insurance Commission and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to apply for a Microinsurance Agent License.

Since its launch in January 2011, 208 rural bank representatives from 99 rural banks have been trained under the Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation Inc. Microinsurance Basic Training Course. Upcoming course will also be held on August 11-12 in Ozamiz City, August 18-19 in Davao City and in …

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Latest UpdatesMABS HighlightsVideos

USAID Officers Get Hands-on Briefing on Mobile Phone Banking Services

Officers of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were given a firsthand briefing on the mobile phone banking initiative of the USAID-supported Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines-Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (RBAP-MABS) Program during a visit with partner bank, PR Savings Bank’s Ortigas Branch on August 11, 2011. The officers included Science & Technology Adviser to the Administrator Alex Dehgan, Environment Officer Kerry Reeves, Teresa Leonardo, Global Climate Change Advisor, and Contracts Officer Technical Representative Teresita Espenilla.

The team was provided with a presentation outlining the Program’s mobile phone banking initiative. As of May 2011, there are some 71 accredited rural banks with over 1,100 branches and other banking offices that are registered to offer mobile phone banking services utilizing the GCASH platform.  These banks have served over 256,000 mobile phone banking clients and customers and have processed more than PhP 12 billion ($ 250 million) in …

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