The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) – the country’s first bank – is marking its 171st anniversary this August 2022 with innovations focused on digitalization, customer obsession, and sustainability efforts.
With this year’s anniversary theme of MOVE – Make Obsession Visible in all Experiences – at BPI, the Bank is determined to better serve the evolving needs of its clients and to further reinvent banking in the country.
“As the pioneer bank in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, BPI has developed a long and rich history of banking excellence. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to maintain the deep trust our clients have placed in us by being prudent, innovative, and nurturing,” Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco, BPI President and CEO, said. “We also always continue to adapt in order to meet our customers’ changing needs and the demands of an evolving economy.”
This year, BPI is showing signs that its reinvention journey is moving in the right direction. The bank delivered strong financial results in the first half of 2022. BPI’s net income grew 73 percent year-on-year on higher revenues and lower provisions. Revenues also rose by 20 percent on double-digit loan growth and expansion in net interest margin.
Digitalization journey
In 2021, BPI spent about PHP 9 billion on technology, which included new digital initiatives such as building customer engagement platforms and investments in cybersecurity. Among the available customer engagement platforms today are BPI Online, BPI Mobile, BPI Trade, BanKo, and BizLink.
BPI’s digitalization journey aims to reinvent customer interaction and experience. As of 2021, 4.9 million of its 8.46 million client base were enrolled in digital channels. The Bank also has a growing list of over 80 API partners covering nearly 800 products and services, with over 100 million transactions in 2021 which is a 75 percent growth from last year.
A culture of customer obsession
In its 171st year in the business, BPI continues to reinforce its core values of being “N.I.C.E” to remain relevant to its customers. This pertains to the need to be Nurturing, acting with Integrity, being Customer obsessed, and acting with Excellence.
“Customer obsession is a movement where we will be proactive in putting the customer at the center of all that we do. We will change behavior, we will question policies, we will improve products and processes. We are taking concrete steps to lead a customer-obsessed organization,” Limcaoco said.
Earlier this year, BPI merged with the BPI Family Savings Bank (BSFB), its wholly owned thrift bank subsidiary, to seize emerging opportunities and ultimately enhance the overall banking experience of its customers.
Sustainability agenda
Sustainability is also an integral part of BPI’s business. The Bank developed a unique formula: ESG+E2 which doesn’t only account for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles but also gives equal importance to Economic Benefits.
BPI offers green financing for big and small projects related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience. It also supports green buildings and sustainable agriculture. BPI is the first and only Philippine bank to commit to halve its coal financing in its portfolio by 2026 and reduce it to zero by 2032.
For its part, its social development arm, BPI Foundation, is also committed to social development, empowering Filipinos through programs that are focused on financial education, enterprise development & livelihood, environment sustainability, arts management, employee volunteerism, and disaster response & recovery. These programs are geared toward nation-building and helping provide a better tomorrow for the Filipino people.
BPI’s strategic imperatives, namely digitalization, customer experience, and sustainability, are aligned with its vision of building a better Philippines–one family, one community at a time.
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