BDO offers 60-day payment extension for loans

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BDO Unibank offers what the bank consider as their humble assistance, in this difficult time, due to COVIT -19 : a 60-day payment extension for qualified Credit Card, Auto, Home, SME and Personal Loan customers with due dates of up to April 15, 2020.

BDO has earier activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) as well as implemented precautionary workplace measures to provide uninterrupted service to its customers and at the same time safeguard employee well-being.

The bank’s BCP has backup sites for critical functions such as client servicing, trading and treasury, operations and information technology, while key personnel have also been identified to man both critical and non-critical units to ensure banking operations continue even in the event of a severe business disruption.

For more updates, you may follow BDO’s official FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/BDOUnibank/

Buy, sell, or hold? Trading Tactics Will Guide Your Stock Picks

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Opportunities are present whether the stock market is bullish or bearish, but how to strategize to accumulate the best return on investments requires some expert advice. 

This is what online trading platform BDO Nomura Securities, the joint venture company between BDO Unibank and Nomura Holdings of Japan, recently did via the launch of “Trading Tactics,” a session featuring market intel straight from industry movers. Said event was shown live on Facebook as well. 

Straight from the experts. BDO Nomura Securities launches “Trading Tactics,” a series of sessions featuring market intel straight from the industry movers. In the photo (from left to right) are Bernhard Tsai, chief operating officer of BDO Securities; John Nai Peng Ong, chief finance officer of SM Prime Holdings; Koichi Katakawa, president of BDO Nomura; Timothy Daniels, head of investor relations of SM Investments Corp.; Alexander Escucha, senior vice president and head of investor and corporate relations group of Chinabank; Richard Tan, first vice president of investor relations and corporate planning of BDO; and Walter Yap, assistant vice president and head of retail sales of BDO Nomura.

“While stocks are perceived by many as risky investments, they are still considered as a better performer vis-à-vis any other type of security over time. With Trading Tactics, we will be able to create options for our clients to position their portfolio of investments,” said Koichi Katakawa, president of BDO Nomura. 

Trading Tactics. Koichi Katakawa, president of BDO Nomura, opens the first session of “Trading Tactics,” which features the SM Group, one of the country’s diversified conglomerates. Shown live on BDO Unibank’s Facebook page, the video has been played nearly 300,000 times since its October 19 airing.

The first Trading Tactics featured the SM Group, one of the country’s diversified conglomerates. 

SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) head of investor relations Timothy Daniels said growth prospects are still abundant for the group, whose core businesses are retail, integrated property development and banking. 

For first-timers or investors looking for stocks to put in their investment basket, he said the following attributes of the SM group can serve as a guidance: 

• It is a leading proxy for the Philippine growth story;

• SM is among the best regarded companies in the world;

• It looks after its stakeholders—as an incubator of business, catalyst for developing communities and an enabler for vendors, tenants, and other MSMEs;

• It is a top employer with international recognition; and

• It is recognized as being responsible and sustainable, as measured against global standards.

“Despite having achieved the scale we have today, you might be surprised to hear that we think we are still quite small. Because in all of our business, in each of the sectors we participate in, the potential for growth is still huge,” said Daniels. 

In retail for instance, less than a third of food today is sold in a modern format. In the propertysector, on the other hand, the country still needs over 5 million new homes and even more in the future. Meanwhile in banking, only about five percent of Filipinos have a mortgage or a credit card today, and about 60% of Filipino adults don’t even have bank accounts. 

“The biggest opportunities are in the many provinces where incomes are rising fastest and the growing population is not yet served very well—especially in Visayas and Mindanao and also in Northern Luzon,” noted Daniels. 

Called by market experts as a growth stock, the SM Group has rewarded investors over the last 10 years with an average share price increase of 25% a year. 

“Though we can never guarantee to always deliver that kind of financial return, especially as we grow larger over time, we do guarantee to keep growing responsibly and sustainably; to stay close to our customers and doing what we do well; and to bring our stakeholders, including our investors, with us on that journey,” Daniels promised. 

Apart from Daniels, other speakers include John Nai Peng Ong, chief finance officer of SM Prime Holdings; Richard Tan, first vice president of investor relations and corporate planning of BDO; Alexander Escucha, senior vice president and head of investor and corporate relations group of Chinabank; and, Bernhard Tsai, chief operating officer of BDO Securities.

About BDO Unibank, Inc.

BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust and investments, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards, credit card services, and stock brokerage services.

BDO has one of the largest distribution networks, with more than 1,300 operating branches and over 4,400 ATMs nationwide. It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 21 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits, and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of June 30, 2019. 

For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph.

BDO reaps numerous honors at the 2019 Asian Banking and Finance Awards

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BDO Unibank, Inc., its subsidiaries BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and BDO Nomura Securities, and corporate social responsibility arm (CSR) BDO Foundation were among over a hundred awardees from 37 countries honored at the Asian Banking and Finance’s 2019 Wholesale Banking Awards, Retail Banking Awards and Corporate and Investment Banking Awards held in Singapore.

BDO bagged the Philippine Domestic Cash Management Bank of the Year at the Wholesale Banking Awards, which recognizes the most outstanding practices and innovative strategies in Asia's wholesale banking sector. This is the 5th time that BDO won in the Cash Management Category and its second consecutive win. Other categories in the Wholesale Banking Awards include Trade Finance, Project\, Finance, Technology & Operations, and Foreign Exchange.

Banking and Finance Excellence. Representing BDO during the award ceremonies on July 18 were BernhardG. Tsai (left), first vice president and chief operating officer of BDO Securities Corporation and Edwin G. Reyes, executive vice president and head of transaction banking group of BDO Unibank, Inc.

In winning the Cash Management Category, BDO was lauded for its wide branch and ATM network, which to date total over 1,100 and 4,000, respectively. Through this vast network, the Bank is able to provide innovative end-to-end financial solutions to corporate clients.

In the Retail Banking Awards, BDO Nomura won for the first time the Online Securities Platform of the Year (Philippines). BDO Nomura, a subsidiary of the Bank, provides investors in-depth market research, quick execution time and competitive rates. Its platform offers ease of use through simple and paperless online application and fund transfers through its customer’s BDO Deposit Accounts. As a bonus, BDO Rewards Points will be earned for all transactions made. These Rewards Points can be redeemed for products available in SM affiliated stores.

Now on its 14th year, the Retail Banking Awards honors outstanding banks that have introduced groundbreaking products and services that successfully adapted with the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Still in Retail Banking, BDO’s CSR arm BDO Foundation won the CSR of the Year - Gold Award for the third consecutive year. BDO Foundation bagged the award for partnering with the Department of Education and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in bringing financial education to public schools, particularly in the K-12 curriculum, teaching and non-teaching personnel. Last year, it was recognized for its efforts to empower people with disabilities (PWDs) through the development of a community for disabled individuals. 

Meanwhile, in the Corporate and Investment Banking Awards, BDO Capital won Corporate and Investment Bank of the Year (Philippines), its second consecutive win, for being a “one-stop investment house covering extensive aspects of deals from origination, structuring, and execution funding through its affiliates, secondary market trading, and insurance services.” 

BDO wins Award of Excellence in 17th Philippine Quill Awards

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BDO Unibank was bestowed the Award of Excellence for a TV documentary that tackled its “We Find Ways” philosophy and how it transformed the lives of Filipinos and contributed to nation-building, among others, at the recently held 17th Philippine Quill Awards of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines.

The bank was likewise among the top five finalists for the Communication Skills division, joining ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., Jollibee Foods Corp., Ripple 8, and Manila Electric Co.

The bank received the prestigious accolades for its institutional video titled "Finding Ways, Forging Futures: Promoting National Development Through Financial Inclusion" produced in partnership with CNN Philippines.

The video features anecdotes from BDO's senior officers and some of the bank's top corporate clients on how BDO is finding ways to expand its network and make its services more accessible, especially to the unserved and underserved markets.

Roughly a third of the country's cities and municipalities still do not have a banking presence, and about 70% of Filipinos still do not have bank accounts.

"We need to get where the money is, and channel it to where it's needed. And BDO plays its role in the economy by having a wide market coverage to reach out where the funding is coming from and to be able to make the right assessments to that it is channeled to the right projects and the right priorities,"BDO president and chief executive officer Nestor V. Tan said in the video.

The Philippine Quill is the country’s most prestigious awards program in the field of business communication, bestowing the seal of approval to the most reputable organizations and corporations in the nation for almost two decades, emphasizing the use of excellent communication to achieve business goals, and to make a difference in society.

Award in Excellence. The BDO Corporate Communications team, led by its chief, Senior Assistant Vice President Honey M. Reyes(second from left) and composed of (left to right) Ana Marie M. Tanglao, Carlo Leo C. Manuel, and Lionel Albert D. Lopez-Dee,receives the Award in Excellence trophy on behalf of BDO Unibank during the 17th Philippine Quill Awards held last August 30 at Manila Marriott Hotel.

About BDO Unibank, Inc.

BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust banking, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards, credit card services, and stock brokerage services.

BDO has one of the largest distribution networks, with more than 1,300 operating branches and over 4,000 ATMs nationwide. It also has a full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 23 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits, and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of March 31, 2019. For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph.

David Medalla's Cloud Canyons No. 31, home at BDO Corporate Center Ortigas

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BDO Unibank, Inc. presents the work of Filipino artist David Medalla, Cloud Canyons No. 31, at its Corporate Center in Ortigas (CCO). Permanently installed at its lobby, the Bank welcomes everyone to visit the sculpture.

Cloud Canyons No. 31 was first exhibited in 2016 when Medalla was one of the shortlisted artists for the inaugural Hepworth Wakefield Prize for Sculpture. Made of plexiglas tubes, wood, fibreglass, water, soap, and oxygenators, it is part of a series often referred to as the "bubble machines."

The first of these was produced in 1961 and inspired by Medalla's memories of a dying Japanese soldier's frothing mouth, clouds during tropical sunsets in Manila, the bubbling ginataan (coconut milk) of his mother's cooking, a brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Skyline of New York. It was initially exhibited in 1964 at the Signals Gallery in London.

Other Cloud Canyons can be found in the collections of Tate Modern and National Gallery Singapore. The series is considered one of Medalla's seminal artworks

Medalla is increasingly recognized as an important figure in contemporary art, and his contributions to sculpture and performance art have inspired many. His Cloud Canyons No. 31 is a rare sight but is a very historically important work of art-and it gives BDO great pleasure to be able to show it-permanently-for all to see.

David Medalla is a Filipino artist who has practiced abroad for most of his life. His work ranges from sculpture to kinetic art to painting, installation and performance art. He currently lives in Manila.

Medalla is recognized as a key figure in the development of installation, kinetic and participatory art. His practice challenges the idea of sculpture as solid, timeliness and monumental by producing objects and situations that never be repeated and are continually changing form and matter.

The artist moved to London in 1960, and was included in some of the more important exhibitions during the 1960s and 70s that defined minimal and conceptual practice in Europe and the US.

BDO bags 4 awards at the 9th Asian Excellence Awards

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BDO Unibank, Inc. was again honored at the recently held Asian Excellence Awards, bagging highly-coveted titles such as Asia’s Best CEO, Best Investor Relations Company, and Best Corporate Communications.

BDO Hong Kong branch head Nancy Estrada receives the award from Corporate Governance Asia founder, managing director and publisher Aldrin Monsod.

BDO’s chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson and president and CEO Nestor V. Tan were chosen as Asia’s Best CEOs (Investor Relations) for their superior leadership and excellence in driving the overall management and growth of the Bank.

Meanwhile, BDO executive vice president and head of Investor Relations & Corporate Planning Luis S. Reyes Jr. was awarded Best Investor Relations Professional (Philippines). The Best Investor Relations Professional is given to those who excelled in keeping investors well-informed about the developments in their company. Investor relations is critical to generating shareholder value for investors.

Spearheaded by Corporate Governance Asia, the 9th Asian Excellence Awards is a highly-coveted recognition for corporates that have adopted the highest standards of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the way they operate and grow their businesses.

Winners for this year were picked from several countries across the region, including China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines

Strategically linked to its corporate vision and core values, corporate governance is an integral part of BDO’s operations. From mere compliance, the country’s largest bank* has successfully put in place a framework, policies, committees, and initiatives that not only strengthened its financial position but also enhanced its reputation among its shareholders and foreign investors.

BDO’s corporate governance philosophy–empowerment with accountability–“gives its leaders the freedom to move the business forward without undue restraint but are expected to act with due care, responsibility, and accountability,” the bank told to Corporate Governance Asia. As such, BDO is able to deliver its commitment to its shareholders: sustainable corporate growth and long-term value creation.

“When we set out on our mission to honor Asia’s finest executives and corporates, we embark on a journey to enhance their standards of corporate governance, and through this advocacy to institutionalize the best practices across the region, we recognize that they key to long-term sustainability and success of companies us having a solid reputation in the market and exemplary business models, and how they are applied and conducted in accordance with the highest principles of corporate governance,” Mr. Aldrin Monsod, founder, managing director and publisher of Corporate Governance Asia said in honoring this year’s winners.

BDO earns P20.2Bn in 1H 2019

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BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) sustained its momentum as it delivered P20.2 billion in earnings for the first six months of the year on strong recurring earnings from its core businesses, solid growth in fee income, and normalization of trading and forex gains.

Net interest income increased by 24% to P56.9 billion as net interest margins (NIMs) improved to 3.99% from 3.50% last year. Gross customer loans grew by 7% to P2.0 trillion, as the country’s largest bank* continued to generate double-digit growth in the consumer and middle market segments.

Meanwhile, total deposits went up by 3% to P2.4 trillion, reflective of customers’ shift to higher-yielding fixed income investments, primarily bank-issued bonds. The Bank's CASA ratio, however, was maintained at 70%.

Non-interest income was up 29% to P29.5 billion as fee-based income and insurance premiums posted double-digit growth. Further, trading and forex gains normalized to P3.6 billion on favorable capital market conditions.

Operating expenses grew by 21% in line with the Bank's continuing expansion, with 53 domestic branches and offices opened in the 1H 2019, as well as higher volume-related expenses. Taxes and licenses and policy reserves at BDO life increased by 51%. Excluding volume-related expenses, opex growth would have risen by 14% in line with the Bank's investment in branches and business development offices nationwide.

Provisions amounted to P3.0 billion as the Bank maintained its conservative credit and provisioning policies. Gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio was steady at 1.2% while NPL cover remained high at 163.2%.

Total capital grew to P350.8 billion, with Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) and Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio at 14.2% and 12.6%, respectively, higher quarter-on-quarter and remaining comfortably above regulatory requirements.

With expectations of better economic prospects going forward, BDO will continue to build on its business franchise and extensive distribution network to tap new growth areas and underserved markets.

BDO Foundation teaches financial education to kids through storytelling

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Saving money is one of the most important aspects in our life. Teaching kids how to save money may seem like a tough task. How can you make your child’s understanding of money fun and accessible? It’s an investment in knowledge which truly pays the best interest.

There are ways to empower the next generation, and that starts by teaching children the importance of saving from a young age.

A boy who succeeds in getting his dream toy, an enterprising high school student who uses her creativity to earn income, and a modified version of a well-loved folk song—these are just some of the content used to teach youngsters the value of saving money and preparing for the future.

Gandang Girlie Video - “Ganda ni Girlie,” describes how a high school student’s resourcefulness and creativity help her earn income even in her youth. 

The materials, which come in the form of videos, are part of the training tools developed by BDO Foundation, the Department of Education (DepEd) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to promote financial education among public school students from kindergarten all the way to senior high school,

Savings from her earnings 

“Young people are into watching videos. We thought it would be best to come up with financial literacy videos that would not just entice, but more importantly, educate them,” said BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito.

He also said the strategy to leverage storytelling and music was meant to provide entertainment while educating children on the very important subject of personal finance.

“The beauty of stories and songs is that they are easy to remember. Kids appreciate the materials better because they can easily imagine being the characters in the stories. This makes the materials so powerful in teaching and inspiring,” Deriquito continued.

Finishing touches for her springless notebook business

Five financial education videos for students have been released to date. These aim to catch students’ attention and enable them to learn about the value of money at the same time.

The said tools, developed by BDO Foundation in partnership with DepEd and BSP, were deployed to public schools nationwide by virtue of DepEd Memo No. 32, series of 2019, signed by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones.

Newspaper fund drive from her neighbors & sells it to nearby junkshops

The videos include “Walk Hard for the Money,” which tells of an elementary school boy who chooses to walk to school instead of commuting despite being given allowance. Along with other money-making efforts, these eventually pay off, allowing him to buy an electric scooter, which he later rides to school.

Another video, “Bente Bente,” conveys the same message to young school children to the tune of “Tong Tong Pakitong-kitong.”

Inspired by the Filipino folk song Magtanim ay Di Biro, “Umutang ay Di Biro” also uses music to tell older students to save their allowance, limit spending and pay debts on time.

Ice Candy business during weekends

“Ganda ni Girlie,” meanwhile, describes how a high school student’s resourcefulness and creativity help her earn income even in her youth. 

“Save to Have a Million: Junior Edition” discusses the right attitudes in handling money through a game show.

Other than the videos for the students, the financial literacy learning tools also include lesson plans, discussion guides, and financial education videos for teachers and non-teaching personnel.

“It is very important that the students start the habit of saving while they’re young,” Deriquito emphasized. 

“This is our strategy for greater financial inclusion among Filipinos in the long run.”

A survey conducted by global financial services firm Standard & Poor’s revealed that only 25% of Filipino adults are financially literate. This is lower than the global average of 33%.

Barbecue Outside her village area with the help of her relatives taking turns in grilling then selling it. 

“We hope that the videos encourage the students not just to live for the moment, but prepare for their future by saving and spending wisely now,” Deriquito added.

BDO Foundation will be developing more financial education materials together with DepEd and BSP in the future.

The foundation also has financial education programs for overseas Filipino workers and their families, army personnel and their families, and small farmers. Its programs will further be discussed in a web series on YouTube.

BDO Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank.

BDO, one of Asia’s Icons on Corporate Governance

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Corporate Governance Asia awarded BDO with the Asia’s Icon on Corporate Governance for the 14th time. The icon award recognizes the best of the best in corporate governance (CG) in Asia for setting the benchmark of what CG should be.

EXEMPLARY LEADERS. Teresita Sy-Coson, chairperson, and Nestor V. Tan, president and chief executive officer of BDO Unibank, Inc., were bestowed with the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award by Corporate Governance Asia. Also during the 14th Best of Asia Awards, BDO was also given the prestigious Asia’s Icon on Corporate Governance Awardand the Asia’s Outstanding Company on Corporate Governance Award.

The country’s largest bank also took home the Asia’s Outstanding Company on Corporate Governance Award for its consistently high CG standing, while BDO Chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson and President & CEO Nestor V. Tan were co-awarded with the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award for their exemplary leadership.

“Corporate governance is now deeply embedded in Asia, which in many ways, serves as an attractive proposition for investors to park their capital in this region,” said Corporate Governance Asia Founder and Publisher Aldrin Monsod. “Corporations here have adopted and continue to adapt to the best international practices that have made Asia an important investment destination for global fund managers.”

For Tan, CG is valuable in maintaining a healthy, financially-sound, and well-managed bank. “It is a key driver towards our sustainable growth and long-term value creation,” he said.

BDO’s CG practice is recognized as one of the best in the Philippines. With a high score on the ASEAN CG Scorecard, the bank is one of the Top 50 ASEAN Publicly-Listed Companies in Corporate Governance.

Having an award-winning CG practice bodes favorably among foreign investors. BDO has received an over subscription in its capital market offerings, one of the clear indications that it is a good credit risk as an issuer.

“We are always looking out for our clients. To serve them in the best possible way, we constantly evolve our CG practices to support the requirements of the changing business landscape, comply with new regulations, and align with international best practices,” added Tan.

Corporate Governance Asia publishes news and analysis on CG issues, boardroom practices, and shareholder activism. Now on its 14th year, its Best of Asia Awards celebrates the success of companies that adhere to the highest CG standards. Awardees have integrated effective Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices across their business. They are also awarded for the quality of their management, their business model, growth prospects, financial performance, and relative position in their industries.

“Part of getting recognized entails the responsibiliy to maintain our performance and if possible, exceed it. We welcome this challenge in keeping with our We Find Ways service philosophy, knowing that our clients stand to benefit further from our improvements,” concluded Sy-Coson.

Hyperlink Legend:

• 14th time:

https://www.bdo.com.ph/news-and-articles/BDO-Corporate-Governance-Asia-Icon-2019

• Benchmark: 

https://www.bdo.com.ph/news-and-articles/BDO-Corporate-Governance-Leadership-2018

• BDO’s BG: 

https://www.bdo.com.ph/corporate-governance

Advisory : BDO EMBARKS ON NEXT PHASE OF UPGRADE

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FOLLOWING last month’s successful implementation of key improvements involving its electronic banking services, BDO Unibank will launch the next phase of its system upgrade this coming Holy Week. 

As a result, the following services will be temporarily inaccessible to clients starting 8PM on April 19 (Good Friday) to 12nn on April 20 (Black Saturday): 

· ATMs

· Mobile and Online Banking

· Debit and Cash Card transactions

Branches, meanwhile, will be closed from April 18 (Maundy Thursday) to April 21 (Easter Sunday) in observance of the Holy Week. Regular operations will resume Monday, April 22. 

“We are advising our clients and the general public to perform their banking transactions ahead of this scheduled activity to avoid any inconvenience,” BDO said in an advisory. 

Once completed, the system improvement will allow BDO to provide better service to its growing number of clients and offer banking convenience to even more Filipinos. 

Global Finance names BDO Capital the best in the Philippines

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For the 3rd straight year, BDO Capital and Investment Corporation is awarded the Best Investment Bank in the Philippines by Global Finance during its annual World’s Best Investment Banks. This is the 5th time that BDO Capital has received this award.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of BDO Unibank, Inc., the country’s largest bank, BDO Capital was awarded based on its market share, number and size of deals, service and advice, structuring capabilities, extensive distribution network, efforts to address market conditions, innovation, pricing, after-market performance of underwritings, and market reputation.

“Investment banking plays a key role in moving the global economy forward. Our awards highlight the investment banks that stand out in delivering quality insight and innovative deals that meet their clients rapidly changing needs,” said Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of New York-based magazine Global Finance.

One of the country’s most awarded banks, BDO has received other titles over the years from Global Finance: Best Bank in the Philippines, Best Safest Bank, Best Foreign Exchange Provider, Best Trade Finance Bank, and Best Private Bank (through subsidiary BDO Private Bank).

“Getting consistently recognized alongside some of the best banks in the world is an honor we share with our clients. Their continued trust and loyalty drives us to keep getting better at meeting their banking needs,” said BDO Capital president Eduardo V. Francisco, who is also this year’s chairman of the International Association of Financial Executives Institute (IAFEI).

“We are committed to being our clients’ reliable and trustworthy partner in raising capital to expand their business.”

BDO Capital is a full service investment house that offers securities underwriting and trading, loan syndication, financial advisory, and private placement of debt and equity.

About BDO Unibank, Inc.

BDO Unibank, Inc. is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust banking, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards and credit card services. 

BDO has the country’s largest distribution network, with over 1,200 consolidated operating branches and more than 4,000 ATMs nationwide. It also has 24 overseas remittance and representative offices (including full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore) in Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of December 31, 2018. 

For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph.

Valentine's date ideas on a budget! The Heart of the Deal: Reduce your V-Day stress and have fun!

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Valentine’s Day is for everybody, it isn’t a holiday just for couples. Love for your family, friends, and even love for yourself, is worth celebrating, too. Valentine's day ’s a great opportunity to spend some alone time with your spouse or partner, or even celebrate it with your entire family!

However, since everything’s pretty expensive nowadays, it’s important to not splurge too much on your romantic date.

When Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re all hit with a barrage of commercials for restaurants, flowers, chocolates, and even edible bouquets. But if you’re short on cash, the idea of a pricey dinner and a movie night may not have that romantic feeling.

Even though your surprise date might not seem as inherently romantic as a candlelight dinner, it is truly what you make of it.

Let’s face it: The usual date for Valentine’s Day isn’t exactly groundbreaking. As such, all of the restaurants in town are likely to be crowded – and good luck finding a good seat at the movie theater. So, what if, instead of spending your special day waiting for a table and rushing to get to the cineplex, you did something a little offbeat?

When planning a date, going against the grain and putting a little extra thought into something out of the ordinary can win you some major points in the romance and enjoyable lifestyle. You can fight fewer crowds, save yourself some coin, and impress your Valentine with something refreshingly different.

We've got plenty of ways for you to keep the romance and your bank account alive this Valentine's Day.

The best deals are online. Whether you are looking for an affordable dinner at a romantic restaurant or booking an overnight stay, the deals you can get from online promos are hard to beat.

Nowadays, it can be more difficult to find a dinner-for-two deal at only P500 but there are quite a number of places where you can score a dinner date within the P1000 -P2000 range. And more often than not, you can find these deals online.

Websites like Metrodeal and Deal Grocer give you so many options for buying Valentine’s gifts as well as booking your restaurant trysts—and all of them at huge discounts.

Spas and staycations. Why not take your Valentine celebration to the next level of chill and relaxation? Spa services and hotel stays cost 50% off or more when you book them online. In a way, doesn’t a wellness staycation express your love better than chocolates and roses?

Check out sites like Agoda and again, Metrodeal and Deal Grocer for great deals on spa services and hotel stays. 

Trip Advisor can also be helpful – because there are customer reviews – but you have to call the establishments yourself to ask about their promos. This is made easier because Trip Advisor provides the addresses and contact information.

Rates at the spas and hotels in these sites range from below P2,000 to P10,000 or higher depending on your budget and preferences. Still, there are enough places in the below P2k and below P8k for the more budget-conscious to choose from.

If you can afford a more premium experience, then check out the promos featured in the Our Awesome Planet site here and here. Other premium deals are featured in the Fat Girls Day Out site.

Another way to banish stress is to share in an enjoyable activity. Believe it or not, activities like fencing, archery, and even target shooting at the gun range are becoming popular recreation options for barkadas and couples as well.

If you choose target shooting, Armscor has several shooting ranges but in Metro Manila, the ones in Makati and Marikina are the most frequented.

The budget for this can range from P600 – P3000 depending on the package you choose; how long you use the gun range; whether you rent a gun or bring your own. 

Another activity that’s also fun for couples is archery. There are a few archery ranges in Metro Manila. There’s Kodanda Archery Range that has branches in Makati, Pasay, and a few other places.

Googling the keywords “archery manila” will give you options on which archery schools or clubs are closest and most convenient for you to visit. For example, there’s The Archery Academy in San Juan.

However, if you want to up your game into something that pumps up your adrenalin, you can try Archery Attack. Essentially, this is similar to the paintball shootout games except that, of course, you use soft, ball-tipped arrows instead of paintball guns. A two-hour session costs P500 per player.

Or why not play the ultimate game in intelligence, discipline, class, and honor? We’re talking about fencing. 

Republic Fencing and Sports Club lets you and your date en-garde, cross blades (don’t worry the fencing sword or epee is designed for sport safety, not actual combat), and touche each other for fun. Be sure to learn the French fencing terms--because if you whisper them properly, they sound really romantic. 

With these activities, you’ll get your heart pumping and have fun making metaphorical and imaginary shots to each other’s hearts. It’s no wonder that the best love stories on-screen and in books involve dashing heroes and beautiful damsels in scenes with arrows and swordplay: think The Princess Bride and The Hunger Games.

V-Day online deals are much easier to snatch up when you use your BDO credit card. BDO credit cards have ongoing promos that will give you more discounts on the day of hearts. 

You can always find ways to make Valentine’s Day more enjoyable, less stressful, and more affordable. 


Reduce your V-Day stress. For more fun and budget activities, check out this video

https://www.facebook.com/BDOUnibank/videos/vb.1534645913418238/507842659738994/?type=2&theater

On Valentine’s Day and other celebrations, there are enjoyable things to do with a date, by yourself, or with friends and family, so that this Valentine’s Day and every day is less expensive and lots of fun. 

The most romantic Valentine's Day activity can be something simple. Happy Valentine's Day!