Banks Now Serve 1 Million Active Micro-Borrowers

Opening the 2012 National Roundtable Conference of the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines – Microenterprise Access to Banking Services Program (RBAP-MABS) on June 7, 2012, Ms. Chuchi Fonacier, Managing Director of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), cited a set of impressive statistics on how banks in the Philippines have now expanded access to microfinance services.

In her keynote address before the participants of the conference, she cited BSP data on the lending side: 190 banks with microfinance operations are reaching about one million active borrowers with an outstanding loan portfolio of PhP 7.2 billion (US$170 million). In addition to micro-loans, the BSP has been actively expanding the definition of microfinance to encourage banks to offer a broader range of inclusive financial services in the countryside.

Taking advantage of the regulations, twenty-two (22) banks have introduced micro-agri loan products to their clients; twenty-four (24) banks are offering housing microfinance; while …

RBAP-MABS trains another set of rural banks to offer Housing Microfinance services

More rural banks are now preparing to offer housing microfinance (HMF) services as RBAP-MABS trains its third batch of bankers on market research for the HMF loan product. Twenty-five (25) participants from 9 rural banks interested in developing housing microfinance services for their clients attended the training held on August 25-27 in Mallig, Isabela.

Held as a collaborative effort of the USAID-supported RBAP-MABS Program and its certified service providers, Punla sa Tao Foundation and Microfinance Innovation Center for Resource and Alternatives (MICRA), the training was initiated by Ms. Praxedes Ignacio, President of the Northeast Luzon Microfinance Council.

The rural banks and microfinance institutions represented in the training were Rural Bank of Mabitac, Philippine Rural Banking Corp. (PR Bank), Mallig Plains Rural Bank, Agri-Business Rural Bank, Cagayan Valley Cooperative Bank, Rural Bank of Luna (Kalinga-Apayao), North Pacific Banking Corp. (a Rural Bank), Rural Bank of Maddela and Nueva Segovia Consortium of …

Cantilan Bank Celebrates 30 Years of Progressive and Excellent Community Banking Services

More than 500 attendees packed into a basketball gymnasium in Cantilan’s town square to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cantilan Bank. The gala highlighted the banks remarkable growth over the past three decades and underscored the important role microfinance services played in their success.

MABS started working with Cantilan Bank 11 years ago, when it had just three branches and 35 employees. Now, the bank is 260 employees strong with 12 branches across Surigao. The bank-wide loan portfolio grew from around P50M to P652M. The number of microfinance borrowers is 39% of Cantilan’s total borrowers with a client base of over 8,400 hard-working microentrepreneurs, small farmers, and store owners. The number of deposit accounts is 58,522 with P524M in deposits. More importantly, there are 3 depositors to every borrower, and voluntary savings by micro-depositors comprise 50% of total microloans outstanding. Indeed, the bank has grown drastically by continuously evolving …

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, …

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.…