DBP celebrates 57th anniversary

The highlight of Development Bank of the Philippines’ 57th anniversary was, of course, the merienda hosted by President Macapagal-Arroyo at the Kalayaan Hall, an exhibition hall in Malacañang which was, for this occasion, transformed into a venue for a formal program.

The 350-strong DBP contingent included the board led by chairman Vitaliano Nanagas II and management led by president and chief executive officer Simon Paterno.

Also present were the bank’s partners in government such as Energy Secretary Vicente Perez, Jr. and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun and bank clients such as Wilfredo and Regina Tan of Hausland Asset & Realty, which was named most outstanding entrepreneur/project; Felix Garcia, the founder of Mekeni Food Corp., which was named most environmentally responsive corporation; and Mayor Edward Hagedorn, whose city, Puerto Princesa, was named most environmentally-responsive local government unit.

In his speech, Mr. Paterno again traced the bank’s good performance (P1.93 billion in net income in 2003) to employees, exemplified in 2002 by a bank driver who turned down a P1.2-million bribe by the same people behind a tax scam that hit another government financial institution and in 2003 by security guard, George Banilla, who fought armed robbers and died in the line of duty. –MJGrey