Category: LANDBANK

LANDBANK’s Environmental Due Diligence System is Official Entry for International Best Practices Competition

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Photo shows LANDBANK Agricultural and Development Lending Sector Head EVP Cecilia Borromeo (4th from left) accepting the Philippine Best Practices award from DAP Senior Vice President for Support Operations Bernardo Dizon (5th from left) during the 26th National Quality Forum held in Makati City.  With them are (L-R):  LANDBANK Environmental Program and Management Department Head Prudencio Callado III, LANDBANK Strategic Planning Group Head SVP Liduvino Geron, LANDBANK Lending Program Management Group Head FVP  Leila Martin, PSQ Board of Trustee/Professional Development & Training Lead Noly Cayabyab, and President of PSQ Board of Trustees Angelica Fraginal.

LANDBANK’s environmental due diligence (EDD) on its financed projects is the Philippines’ official entry to the 3rd International Best Practices Competition (public sector category) of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce in November 2014 . This is the first time that the Philippines will be sending entries to this prestigious competition participated in by several other institutions from different countries.

The International Best Practices Competition is organized by the Global Benchmarking Network, a global network of organizations and experts focused on promoting and facilitating the use of benchmarking.

LANDBANK’s entry won in the 1st Philippine Best Practice and Benchmarking Competition (for private and public sectors) held last October 24 at Shangri-La Hotel, Makati City. The competition was spearheaded by the Philippine Society for Quality, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Development Academy of the Philippines.

LANDBANK’s EDD System is a comprehensive process of evaluating compliance of Bank-financed projects to Philippine environmental laws and regulations. It is imbedded in LANDBANK’s credit delivery starting from loan packaging to loan payment. The EDD System helps LANDBANK clients mitigate risks associated with possible imposition of penalties or closure due to environment-related violations.

It was initially implemented in 1994 as part of the Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework for World Bank-financed projects. Normally, banks implement EDD on a selective basis specifically for projects financed under their special/ Official Development Assistance (ODA) program. But for LANDBANK, it covers 100 percent of all its financed projects regardless of cost. All of LANDBANK’s 35 Provincial Lending Centers nationwide and 6 Head Office-based Lending Units implement EDD, with technical support for environmental assessment of projects through the Bank’s Environmental Program and Management Department.

Under LANDBANK’s EDD, an Environmental Report for each project is prepared which contains the following: evaluation of impact and recommendation of mitigating activities to reduce impact of their operations to the environment, determination of the environmental risk rating of each project, evaluation of continuing compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and determination of the environmental benefits such as eligibility of projects for inclusion under the Clean Development Mechanism.

From 2004 to 2013, LANDBANK has evaluated a total of 3,360 projects nationwide. To date, there are no reports on LANDBANK-financed project closure due to violations on environmental requirements.

LANDBANK seals new remittance partnerships

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LANDBANK Executive Vice President for Branch Banking Jocelyn dG. Cabreza (second from left) and WIC WorldCom Finance Ltd. President and CEO Yuval Tal (second from right) seal a partnership which will provide over 40,000 Overseas Filipinos in Israel with convenient, real-time remittance service. They are joined by:  (seated L-R) LANDBANK AVP for Domestic Remittance Marketing James Figueras and WIC WorldCom Finance Executive Director Nicholas Rose;  (standing L-R) LANDBANK Remittance Officer Elizabeth Manuel,  Overseas Remittance Marketing and Support Department Manager Atty. Reo Andarino,  Overseas Remittance Officer Richmond Lagrito, and Remittance Specialist Oliver F. Bautista.

LANDBANK continues to expand its remittance network as it recently signed a partnership with WIC WorldCom Finance, Ltd., an international money transfer company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. WorldCom Finance links banks, money transfer companies, retailers, FX outlets, pawn shops, convenience store chains, etc. all over the world. It is among LANDBANK’s first overseas remittance partners to use the Bank’s web-based remittance system.

The LANDBANK Remittance System (LBRS) allows real-time processing of remittance transactions, expands the number of modes in paying and settling remittances, and lowers the cost of processing remittance transactions.

The partnership with WorldCom will provide over 40,000 Overseas Filipinos in Israel with greater access to convenient remittance service. Beneficiaries will be notified thru SMS once their remittance is available for withdrawal from their LANDBANK accounts or for cash pick-up at any LANDBANK branch nationwide.

Earlier this year, LANDBANK also sealed 16 new remittance partnerships abroad, including the Global Money Remittance Pte. Ltd., Bayanihan Trading and Delivery Services, and Intercity Employment Services of Singapore; T Prima Express Remit and LR Remittance of Indonesia; and Lulu International Exchange and Economic Exchange Center of the United Arab Emirates.

LANDBANK likewise tied up with new local remittance partners, including Triple Eight, BM Express, Non-Stop Overseas Employment, Fil-Express, Crew & Ship Management, Inc. and MRA Offshore.

To further address the needs of beneficiaries especially those in the provinces who prefer to pick-up remittances in cash, LANDBANK also recently partnered with three Payment Paying Agencies which have strategic branch locations in the country that can provide this service, namely Palawan Pawnshop with 976 branches; M. Lhuillier Financial Services, Inc. with 1,688 branches; and One Network Bank with 96 branches mostly in Mindanao.

This partner network complements the remittance cash pick-up facility available at any of LANDBANK’s 345 branches nationwide.

LANDBANK seals new remittance partnerships

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LANDBANK Executive Vice President for Branch Banking Jocelyn dG. Cabreza (second from left) and WIC WorldCom Finance Ltd. President and CEO Yuval Tal (second from right) seal a partnership which will provide over 40,000 Overseas Filipinos in Israel with convenient, real-time remittance service. They are joined by:  (seated L-R) LANDBANK AVP for Domestic Remittance Marketing James Figueras and WIC WorldCom Finance Executive Director Nicholas Rose;  (standing L-R) LANDBANK Remittance Officer Elizabeth Manuel,  Overseas Remittance Marketing and Support Department Manager Atty. Reo Andarino,  Overseas Remittance Officer Richmond Lagrito, and Remittance Specialist Oliver F. Bautista.

LANDBANK continues to expand its remittance network as it recently signed a partnership with WIC WorldCom Finance, Ltd., an international money transfer company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. WorldCom Finance links banks, money transfer companies, retailers, FX outlets, pawn shops, convenience store chains, etc. all over the world. It is among LANDBANK’s first overseas remittance partners to use the Bank’s web-based remittance system.

The LANDBANK Remittance System (LBRS) allows real-time processing of remittance transactions, expands the number of modes in paying and settling remittances, and lowers the cost of processing remittance transactions.

The partnership with WorldCom will provide over 40,000 Overseas Filipinos in Israel with greater access to convenient remittance service. Beneficiaries will be notified thru SMS once their remittance is available for withdrawal from their LANDBANK accounts or for cash pick-up at any LANDBANK branch nationwide.

Earlier this year, LANDBANK also sealed 16 new remittance partnerships abroad, including the Global Money Remittance Pte. Ltd., Bayanihan Trading and Delivery Services, and Intercity Employment Services of Singapore; T Prima Express Remit and LR Remittance of Indonesia; and Lulu International Exchange and Economic Exchange Center of the United Arab Emirates.

LANDBANK likewise tied up with new local remittance partners, including Triple Eight, BM Express, Non-Stop Overseas Employment, Fil-Express, Crew & Ship Management, Inc. and MRA Offshore.

To further address the needs of beneficiaries especially those in the provinces who prefer to pick-up remittances in cash, LANDBANK also recently partnered with three Payment Paying Agencies which have strategic branch locations in the country that can provide this service, namely Palawan Pawnshop with 976 branches; M. Lhuillier Financial Services, Inc. with 1,688 branches; and One Network Bank with 96 branches mostly in Mindanao.

This partner network complements the remittance cash pick-up facility available at any of LANDBANK’s 345 branches nationwide.

LANDBANK opens 15th branch in City of Manila

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LANDBANK President and CEO Gilda Pico and Manila Fourth District Councilor Don Juan “DJ” Bagatsing lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the LANDBANK España branch. They are joined by (from left) LANDBANK NCR Branches Group Relationship Officer Myrgie Mendoza, North NCRBG Head/FVP Jennifer Tantan, Branch Banking Sector Head/EVP Jocelyn Cabreza, and Dra. Ma. Graciela Garayblas Gonzaga of the University of Sto. Tomas Hospital

LANDBANK recently inaugurated its España Branch located at #1583-1585 Espana Boulevard corner Dos Castillas St., Sampaloc Manila. This is the Bank’s 15th branch in the City.

“We hope to further contribute to the growth and development of Manila’s local economy by catering to the financing and investment needs of local barangays, micro, small and medium enterprises, and private depositors. This is why we continue to invest in Manila,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Gilda E. Pico.

The Bank maintains a strong partnership with the City Government of Manila, as it has been servicing the payroll, salary loans, deposit pickup, e-card, and other various requirements of the LGU since 1996.

LANDBANK currently has a total of 345 branches nationwide complemented by 1,297 ATMs. Within the month, the Bank is slated to open a branch in Dinagat Island, making LANDBANK the first universal bank to cover all of the country’s provinces.

LANDBANK bags 2nd consecutive Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Award

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LANDBANK Senior Vice President for Corporate Banking Edward John T. Reyes and First Vice President for the Southern Luzon Lending Group Daisy M. Macalino received the award on behalf of the Bank.

The Bank was conferred with the “Outstanding Business Sustainability Achievement” award during the Karlsruhe Sustainable Finance Award ceremony held in Germany. The award recognizes financial institutions that have been successful in “incorporating economic, social and environmental aspects in the corporate strategy and business processes” and have embedded sustainability within their institutions.

LANDBANK became an official member of the Global Sustainable Finance Network in 2013, during which time the Bank was also conferred with a Certificate of Merit under the Outstanding Sustainable Project Financing Category. It was recognized for a loan facility extended to the Municipal Government of Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, which involved integrated projects for the construction and rehabilitation of wooden foot bridges and rock causeway, construction of the municipal stage, concreting of farm-to-market roads, and repair and rehabilitation of the town’s multi-purpose gym.

The GSFN was launched in 2011 by the European Organisation for Sustainable Development and the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia & the Pacific, in cooperation with the City of Karlsruhe, under the auspices of the World Federation of Development Finance Institutions. It has 328 member institutions in 154 countries.