DBP honors institutions

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) was named as the most outstanding PFI (participating financial institution) for the fourth consecutive year by a government financial institution.

The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) said that BPI "turned in the most balanced and substantial participation in all DBP wholesale lending facilities in 2003."

The Ayala-led commercial bank was also cited for its outstanding performance under the Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund (IGLF)-commercial bank category and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) facilities for large scale and shipping industries.

This is the fourth time that BPI is being recognized for being a top performer in fund utilization under the IGLF program, and the second time under the said JBIC facilities.

The GFI annually recognizes banks and other financial institutions that contributed in the successful mobilization and dispersal of medium and long-term funds to industrial enterprises.

Industry leader Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) received a special citation for consistently topping IGLF utilization since the program‚s inception in 1990.

Planters Development Bank sustained its top performance under the JBIC facilities for small and medium scale industries. This marks the thrift bank’s third citation under the program, having been previously awarded in 2000 and 2002.

Equitable PCI Bank, the third largest commercial bank, was named most outstanding PFI under the Environmental Infrastructure Support Credit Program, the JBIC facility for environment projects. It financed projects that improved productivity thus resulting in reduced energy consumption, and waste minimization or clean technology.

DBP also recognized First Macro Bank (Rural Bank of Pateros Inc.) as the most outstanding PFI under the IGLF, rural bank category.

First Macro Bank was cited for its active participation in extending micro-finance loans through its SIKAP and UNLAD programs.

Citibank (Phils.) was named most active loan syndicator for the fourth straight year.

Ranking first in loan originations using DBP’s wholesale funds, Citibank delivered financial services to the transportation, food manufacturing, and telecommunications sectors, thus contributing significantly in the mobilization of JBIC 5, Environmental Infrastructure Support Credit Program (EISCP), and Domestic Shipping Modernization Program (DSMP) facilities.

"I hope that the partnership between DBP and our PFIs will continue to evolve into a stronger, more dynamic, and mutually beneficial alliance such that other businesses, aside from loans, can be generated from these linkages.

We are already exploring how we may generate additional business from our sub-borrowers, through the PFIs, such as the discounting and/or factoring of receivables, the underwriting of bonds or commercial papers, and the like," Simon Paterno, DBP chief executive officer and president, said.

Meanwhile, DBP signed a subsidiary loan agreement with the ANZ Banking Group Ltd. and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd.

The accord actually accredits the two foreign banks as the newest members of DBP’s network of PFIs.

Existing funders and multilateral agencies that have been supporting DBP’s lending habits are the World Bank, Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) of Germany, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and JBIC.