Speical Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go speaks before local and government officials and the Philippine National Bank (PNB) staff during the opening of the PNB branch in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte on Wednesday. Photo by Lilian C Mellejor/PNA
ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL, Davao del Norte -- Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go lauded the Philippine National Bank (PNB) for opening a branch in places where people do not have easy access to banks, such as this city.
“It may be small but the impact to the community is enormous,” Go said in his message during the opening and inauguration of the PNB branch in Babak, this city on Wednesday.
Go, who spoke on behalf of President Duterte in the event, wished that PNB and other banks would open more branches in rural areas in the country. He said the presence of banks in the countryside means better economy and financial security - in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s policy of inclusive growth.
“Thank you for rising to the challenge,” said Go, adding that the new branch would give Filipinos the service they need and deserve.
The PNB-Samal is the latest branch since it launched the PNB branch-lite on August 3. It recently opened PNB branch-lite in Baybay, Leyte, and Ilunangan in Southern Leyte.
Roderick Enriquez, the head of the PNB Mindanao Region, said the opening of the branch-lite is PNB’s response to the call of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to serve the unbanked and underserved areas in the country.
PNB branches have reached 644 while there are 1,282 ATMs onsite and offsite.
PNB offers a zero maintaining balance for the first 888 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), who will enroll with the bank and a debit card account with no maintaining balance that is tailored for students limited to 888 enrollees.
Enriquez said PNB has also the most extensive international footprints with 70 banks, remittance centers and subsidiaries in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
Enriquez said PNB has also registered a net income of PHP5.4 billion in the first half of the year that is higher than 2017 in the same period with PHP2.7 billion. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
