MABS introduces microfinance management

MANILA, Philippines - Senior officers and staff of Enterprise Capital Bank (EC Bank), a rural bank, were oriented to the RBAP-MABS Approach to Microfinance during the Senior Management Orientation (SMO) conducted by the USAID-supported RBAP-MABS program early this month.

The SMO is the first of the MABS Approach to Microfinance modules that introduces bank officers and key personnel to MABS initiatives.

Succeeding modules include market research, product development, loan administration, pilot testing, and operations review. “This made us interested to tap RBAP-MABS to assist EC Bank in scaling-up its microfinance operations,” EC Bank president Aurelio Paulo Bartolome said. EC Bank offers a group loan product called “Ocho-Negosyo” to microenterprises in urbanized areas.

The bank was established in 1998 and has total resources of P75 million. It has two branches and a satellite office located in Taguig City, Metro Manila.