The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has partnered with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to integrate geohazard information into its risk management system and strengthen lending and investment decisions.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Michael O. de Jesus said the agreement gives the bank access to PHIVOLCS’ GeoRiskPH platform, enabling it to use science-based hazard information in evaluating loans, investments and other business operations.
He said the partnership highlights how government agencies can work together to promote safer, more resilient and sustainable development through data-driven decision-making.
DBP, the country’s ninth-largest bank with total assets of ₱1.041 trillion, provides financing for infrastructure and logistics, micro, small and medium enterprises, environmental projects, and social services.
GeoRiskPH, a platform developed by PHIVOLCS, provides real-time geohazard information and risk analysis to support hazard mapping and disaster risk assessment across the country.
Under the agreement, PHIVOLCS will provide DBP free access to GeoRiskPH and its HazardHunterPH Pro application, allowing the bank to assess natural hazard risks affecting loan collateral, investments, acquired assets, branch locations and other facilities.
The two agencies will also conduct bank-wide training programs on the use of GeoRiskPH and HazardHunterPH Pro for personnel involved in lending, branch banking, special assets management and credit appraisal.
De Jesus said the initiative will enhance the bank’s institutional resilience while supporting responsible financing for projects that spur economic growth, particularly in the countryside.