Banking & Finance

State pension fund Social Security System (SSS) has earned an international citation from the world’s leading association of social-security institutions for its various programs launched in recent years to promote inclusive growth by targeting informal sector (IS) workers and hard-to-reach rural areas of the country. 

By Jerry Maglunog Tougher competition in the banking sector is expected as more foreign banks and rapidly expanding domestic lenders are seen to open more branches by next year. 

By Riza Lozada The Philippine National Bank (PNB) reported a group profit of P4.7 billion for the first nine months ending September, which was P1 billion higher than the figure posted a year ago.

By Jerry Maglunog Regardless of the type of bank, the trend is to create units that will engage in the industrial sector to realize gains from the country’s fast-growing economy.

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) recently conferred on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. the MAP Management Man of the Year 2015 award. 

By Jerry Maglunog The 512 rural banks (RBs), fast becoming an endangered breed, are mostly in dire need of white knights, according to the president of the Rural Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (RBAP).

By Riza Lozada Listed Philippine Business Bank Inc. (PBB) had spent P200 million for branch license acquisition in accordance with its prospectus for its initial public offering (IPO) conducted in 2013 that raised P3.008 billion. 

By Jerry Maglunog Investing in the power sector is one that has the fewest risks if one can get the huge capital required. 

By Jerry Maglunog Two of the country’s leading universal banks—Banco de Oro (BDO) and UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank)—have just started alliances with other banks.

Banks in the Asia-Pacific region appear fairly well-padded against recent currency depreciations, according to a report, titled “Asia-Pacific Banks Seem Sufficiently Cushioned Against Currency Depreciation,” that Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) recently released.