PSBank Marks 66 Years as Banking Evolves Across Generations

PSBank Marks 66 Years as Banking Evolves Across Generations

Friday, September 25, 2026

For 66 years, Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank) has evolved alongside the way Filipinos manage their money, moving from traditional branch and passbook banking to ATMs, cards, mobile banking, and digital account opening.

The bank's anniversary comes as financial services continue to shift toward digital channels, while customers still place value on access to human assistance when dealing with significant financial decisions.

PSBank says its focus remains on making banking simple and reliable as customers move through different stages of their financial lives, from opening a first savings account to financing a car or home, managing everyday expenses, and preparing for the future.

How has PSBank evolved over 66 years?

PSBank was incorporated in June 1959 and opened its first branch at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo in 1960.

Since then, the banking experience has changed considerably. Passbooks and branch transactions were eventually complemented by 24/7 ATMs, debit cards, and mobile banking.

Today, PSBank says it operates 250 branches and more than 500 ATMs nationwide, alongside digital banking services.

That combination reflects a broader change in banking: customers increasingly expect routine transactions to be available digitally, while branches and customer support remain relevant for more complex financial needs.

For an established bank, maintaining that balance means modernizing the customer experience without abandoning the accessibility and personal assistance associated with traditional banking.

What banking services does PSBank offer digitally?

PSBank has expanded several parts of the customer journey beyond the branch.

Customers can open a PSBank account through PSBank Mobile using one valid ID, without a minimum initial deposit or maintaining balance, according to the bank.

The bank has also made InstaPay transfers free, allowing customers to send money for everyday expenses, bills, and family needs without a transfer fee through the applicable service.

Digital banking also extends to financial support and security features. PSBank says its mobile platform gives customers greater control over their banking activities, while its Customer Experience support is available 24/7.

These features address a basic expectation of modern banking: customers want to be able to handle routine transactions when it is convenient for them, rather than having to visit a branch for every task.

How does lending fit into the customer relationship?

Banking relationships often become more significant when customers move beyond basic deposits and require financing.

PSBank highlights its Auto Loan and Home Loan products as examples.

The bank says Auto Loan applications can receive a credit decision within 24 hours, while Home Loan decisions can be provided within one day.

For customers making major purchases, turnaround time can be an important part of the experience. Buying a vehicle or property typically involves coordinating several financial and personal decisions, so reducing the waiting period for a credit decision can help customers plan their next steps.

The broader point is that a banking relationship can extend across multiple financial milestones rather than being limited to deposits and payments.

What does multigenerational banking look like?

PSBank's anniversary campaign centers on the story of Emmylou O., who began banking with the institution more than 28 years ago at a branch near her workplace in Putatan, Muntinlupa.

Her relationship with the bank later expanded to include an Auto Loan and Home Loan as her financial needs changed.

The story also illustrates how financial relationships can extend beyond the original customer.

When Emmylou's daughter got married, she encouraged the newlyweds to begin their own financial journey with PSBank.

Individual customer stories cannot, of course, establish how representative that experience is across PSBank's entire customer base. But the example illustrates the idea behind the bank's anniversary theme: customers can interact with the same financial institution at different stages of life and potentially introduce the next generation to it.

Why does the human side of digital banking still matter?

Convenience has become an important measure of banking service, but digital access does not eliminate the need for human support.

Opening an account or transferring money may be straightforward through a mobile app. Financing a home, resolving a complex transaction, or dealing with an unexpected banking issue can require a different level of assistance.

PSBank's continued investment in branches alongside mobile services and 24/7 customer support reflects this distinction.

Its anniversary message describes the approach through the phrase “Simple Lang, Maasahan,” positioning simplicity and reliability as principles that should remain relevant regardless of the technology customers use to access the bank.

What does PSBank's 66-year milestone say about the future of banking?

The banking sector will continue to change as digital payments, mobile platforms, automation, and other financial technologies become more embedded in everyday life.

For established banks, the challenge is not simply introducing another digital feature. It is maintaining a consistent customer experience as people move between channels and as their financial needs become more complex.

PSBank's 66-year history illustrates that evolution.

The bank began in an era of branch-led banking and has since added ATMs, cards, mobile services, digital account opening, and other technology-enabled services.

At the same time, its anniversary messaging continues to emphasize reliability and human support.

That combination is increasingly important in financial services. Customers may want the speed and convenience of digital banking for everyday transactions, while still expecting a trusted institution to be available when the financial decision is bigger than a mobile screen.

For PSBank, the next chapter is therefore less about choosing between traditional and digital banking and more about making both work together as customers move from one financial milestone to the next.

After 66 years, the technology may look different from the banking experience of 1959. The underlying customer expectation, however, remains familiar: a bank that is accessible, understandable, and dependable when it matters.

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Cebu Pacific Moves Enterprise AI From Pilots to Everyday Workflows

Cebu Pacific Moves Enterprise AI From Pilots to Everyday Workflows

Cebu Pacific is expanding its use of artificial intelligence across the airline after an initial rollout of ChatGPT Enterprise reduced processing times in legal, project management, and engineering workflows.

The airline is working with Thinking Machines Data Science and OpenAI to move its enterprise AI strategy beyond isolated experiments and into everyday business processes. The approach focuses on identifying high-value workflows, testing AI in actual operating environments, and applying governance based on the risks associated with each use case.

The early results provide a concrete view of where enterprise AI can create operational value. Cebu Pacific reported that legal contract reviews now take about 1.2 hours on average, compared with 2.5 hours previously. Project intake and triage has fallen from five days to about one day, with around 80% less manual review effort. Engineering reference searches that once took 10 to 15 minutes can now be completed in under 10 seconds.

What changed after Cebu Pacific introduced ChatGPT Enterprise?

The airline's reported improvements span different types of knowledge work rather than a single department.

Legal contract review - from 2.5 hours down to 1.2 hours. About 50% faster

Project intake and triage - from 5 days to about 1 day. About 80% less manual review

Engineering reference searches - from 10–15 minutes down to under 10 seconds. Substantial reduction in search time

Cebu Pacific also said that 86% of surveyed users reported that AI supported more than one-third of their daily work following the program. That figure comes from the airline's internal survey and should be understood as a measure of reported usage rather than an independent assessment of productivity.

The significance is less about any single time saving and more about where AI is being integrated.

Instead of treating generative AI as a standalone tool employees can optionally use, the airline is applying it to specific processes where delays or repetitive manual work can be identified and measured.

Why is moving beyond AI pilots difficult for businesses?

Many organizations can provide employees with access to an AI tool. The harder task is determining where AI should actually be embedded into the way work gets done.

That requires businesses to identify suitable workflows, understand the risks involved, establish appropriate controls, train employees, and determine whether an AI-enabled process produces a measurable improvement.

Cebu Pacific's collaboration with Thinking Machines Data Science follows this workflow-first approach. Business leaders and teams were involved in prioritizing use cases and testing solutions under real operating conditions, while evaluation and governance were adjusted according to the risk of each workflow.

This is particularly relevant for an airline, where business processes can involve legal documents, technical information, operational systems, customer interactions, and other data with different levels of sensitivity.

What role does Thinking Machines Data Science play?

Cebu Pacific selected Thinking Machines Data Science to help execute its enterprise AI strategy alongside OpenAI technology.

OpenAI currently lists Thinking Machines Data Science as an Advanced Partner in its partner network. The partner profile identifies the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand as markets served and includes transportation and logistics among its supported industries.

The partnership model goes beyond deploying software. It involves working with business teams to identify practical applications, co-create solutions, and support adoption.

That distinction matters because enterprise AI projects can fail to deliver their expected value if employees do not incorporate them into everyday work.

The Cebu Pacific program therefore combines technology deployment with workflow redesign and change support.

What does this mean for employees?

For employees, the immediate value is concentrated on tasks that involve searching, reviewing, sorting, and processing information.

Legal teams, for example, can spend significant time reviewing documents. Engineering teams may need to locate technical references before solving a problem. Project teams can also spend considerable time screening and routing incoming requests.

AI can assist with these information-heavy activities, potentially allowing employees to spend more time on tasks that require professional judgment, context, and decision-making.

That does not mean AI replaces the underlying expertise.

In the Cebu Pacific program, the technology is being applied as part of existing workflows, with governance and evaluation built around individual use cases.

What comes next in Cebu Pacific's AI strategy?

Cebu Pacific now plans to expand its use of AI in several directions.

The airline's roadmap includes:

• expanding ChatGPT-enabled workflows across additional areas;
• developing solutions through OpenAI APIs, which allow organizations to integrate AI capabilities into their own applications and systems;
• strengthening change-management and employee support; and
• exploring agentic applications that can connect with enterprise data and systems.

An AI agent generally refers to a system designed to carry out tasks across multiple steps, potentially using tools or accessing connected systems rather than simply generating a response to a prompt.

For businesses, this represents a different stage of AI adoption. Instead of asking an AI system to help with an individual task, organizations can explore how AI might participate in larger workflows.

That also raises more complex questions around permissions, data access, monitoring, reliability, and human oversight.

Cebu Pacific's next AI phase is about scale

Cebu Pacific's collaboration with Thinking Machines Data Science and OpenAI illustrates a broader shift in enterprise AI adoption: the focus is moving from simply making AI available to determining how it can change the way work is performed.

The airline's reported improvements in contract review, project intake, and engineering searches provide early examples of measurable workflow changes.

Its next phase will test whether those gains can be extended across more functions while maintaining appropriate governance and employee oversight.

For Cebu Pacific, the longer-term objective is to use AI not only to process information faster, but to support employees and operations at greater scale.

The more important measure will ultimately be whether those systems continue to produce reliable business value as their use expands.

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Batang Matatag Expands to 44 Pasig Schools With Focus on Water, Hygiene and Gut Health

Batang Matatag Expands to 44 Pasig Schools With Focus on Water, Hygiene and Gut Health

Batang Matatag is expanding to 44 schools in Pasig City as the child health initiative enters its fifth year, combining access to safe drinking water with education on gut health, hygiene, and sanitation.

The program, led by Erceflora in partnership with the Manila Water Foundation, Department of Education (DepEd), and Pasig City Government, is adding refrigerated drinking water fountains and health education activities to participating school communities.

The expansion reflects a broader approach to school health. Rather than treating access to water, hygiene, nutrition, and health education as separate concerns, Batang Matatag brings them together through schools, families, healthcare professionals, and community partners.

The initiative says it has reached 150,000 students and healthcare professionals by 2026, compared with 9,494 students in 2023.

Why are safe water and hygiene important in schools?

Safe drinking water, sanitation, handwashing, and other basic hygiene practices can help create healthier school environments and support children's ability to attend and participate in school.

Water, sanitation and hygiene, commonly referred to as WASH, is a broad public-health term covering access to safe water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene practices.

For schools, WASH is not simply an infrastructure issue. Facilities need to be available, but students also need to understand how and when to use them.

That is where Batang Matatag's expanded approach comes in.

The program combines physical improvements, such as drinking water stations, with lessons on everyday health practices including handwashing, toothbrushing, and sanitation.

What is changing in Batang Matatag's fifth year?

Batang Matatag originally focused on essential water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. Its fifth-year expansion adds a stronger emphasis on gut health and health education.

From July through August, the program is being brought to De Castro Elementary School, Nagpayong High School, Pinagbuhatan High School, Manggahan High School, and San Miguel Elementary School in Pasig.

The initiative also plans to involve selected students as hygiene role models through its WASH Paaralan sessions.

The rollout began at De Castro Elementary School with the turnover of WASH facilities and refrigerated drinking water stations. More than 100 students, teachers, and parents also participated in a gut health lecture.

For schools, that combination is important because infrastructure alone does not automatically create healthy habits.

A functioning water station needs students who understand the value of hydration. A handwashing facility is more useful when children know when and how to wash their hands. Health education helps connect those resources to everyday behavior.

How does gut health fit into a school health program?

Gut health refers broadly to the condition and functioning of the digestive system and the microorganisms that live in the gastrointestinal tract.

For children, digestive health is connected to several basic aspects of daily life, including nutrition, hygiene, and exposure to infectious diseases.

Dr. Jo-Anne De Castro, a pediatric infectious disease specialist involved in the initiative, emphasized that safe water is only one part of maintaining children's health.

The program's health education therefore covers practical habits that children can apply at home and in school, including proper handwashing, toothbrushing, sanitation, and healthier everyday practices.

The emphasis on consistency is also important.

Children are more likely to develop lasting routines when healthy behaviors are reinforced repeatedly in the environments where they spend their time. Schools can therefore complement what children learn at home by making hygiene practices part of everyday school life.

Why does the program involve schools, families and health professionals?

One of the more significant aspects of Batang Matatag's fifth-year expansion is its partnership model.

The initiative brings together a private-sector health brand, a foundation connected to the water sector, government agencies, schools, parents, and healthcare professionals.

Each group has a different role.

Schools provide the setting where children can learn and practice healthy habits.

Families reinforce those behaviors at home.

Government agencies help connect the program with public schools and local priorities.

Water-sector partners contribute expertise and infrastructure related to safe water and WASH.

Healthcare professionals provide health education and guidance on issues such as gut health and infectious disease.

That division of responsibilities reflects an important reality in public health: access to a resource is only one part of achieving better health outcomes.

What does the five-year expansion show about public-private partnerships?

Batang Matatag's reported growth is substantial. The program says it has expanded from reaching 9,494 students in 2023 to 150,000 students and healthcare professionals by 2026.

Those figures represent the program's reported reach rather than a measurement of health outcomes.

The distinction matters. Reaching more schools and participants indicates greater program scale, but it does not by itself establish that the initiative has reduced disease, improved attendance, or changed long-term health outcomes.

Measuring those outcomes would require additional data over time.

What the expansion does demonstrate is the potential for partnerships to extend resources and health education into school communities that can integrate those practices into daily routines.

Why does consistency matter in child health?

Health habits are often simple but difficult to sustain.

Washing hands, drinking safe water, brushing teeth, maintaining sanitation, and following healthy dietary practices do not require complicated technology. Their value comes from doing them consistently.

That makes schools an important setting for health education.

A child may learn about hygiene during a single lecture, but repeated reminders and access to the necessary facilities can help turn information into routine behavior.

This is also why Batang Matatag's combination of infrastructure and education is more significant than either component on its own.

The refrigerated water stations provide a physical resource. The WASH sessions provide knowledge. Teachers, parents, and students help reinforce the practices.

What comes next for Batang Matatag?

As it enters its fifth year, Erceflora says it plans to expand the program beyond its current areas, including communities outside Luzon and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The company says the next phase will build on its experience providing WASH facilities and gut health education, with the longer-term goal of reaching more children.

For now, the Pasig expansion offers a useful example of how a child health initiative can evolve.

What began around the basic need for safe water and sanitation has broadened into a program that addresses the connection between school infrastructure, health knowledge, hygiene behavior, and community participation.

For children, those may seem like ordinary daily habits. For schools and communities, making those habits possible and sustainable requires considerably more coordination.

That is ultimately where the “village” behind Batang Matatag comes in: healthier school environments depend not on one intervention, but on several partners consistently doing their part.

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Foundation University Dal-Uy Festival Lights Up Dumaguete

Foundation University Dal-Uy Festival Lights Up Dumaguete

Thousands of lanterns floated along Dumaguete City's Rizal Boulevard on September 11 as Foundation University held its annual Dal-Uy Festival, a tradition that gives students a symbolic way to express their hopes for the future.

More than 7,000 people attended this year's celebration, bringing together students, faculty, university staff, alumni, and members of the wider community. For Foundation University, the event is more than a welcome to a new academic year. It has become an exercise in reflection, aspiration, and community.

The university describes Dal-Uy as its “Festival of Hope,” a tradition that has evolved considerably since it began as a small gathering on campus.

What is Foundation University’s Dal-Uy Festival?

Dal-Uy is an annual Foundation University tradition in Dumaguete City where members of the university community write their hopes and dreams on lanterns before floating them on the sea.

The name is associated with the Filipino word daloy, meaning “to flow.” Foundation University's account of the tradition traces its inspiration to lantern-floating practices in Japan and its early years as a small university gathering.

The tradition started in 2000 with university administrators floating lanterns in the Social Garden pond. By 2010, it had developed into a university-wide event at Rizal Boulevard.

That evolution mirrors the changing role of the festival itself. What began as a personal ritual has become a shared annual experience involving a much larger part of the university and local community.

How have students’ hopes changed over the years?

Foundation University President Victor Vicente “Dean” Sinco said students' wishes have expanded beyond traditional academic aspirations.

Earlier generations, he recalled, often wrote about passing their subjects, graduating, or finding a good job. Today, he said, students increasingly express hopes that extend to their families and the challenges they face.

That shift gives the festival a useful lens into how young people view education. Academic achievement remains important, but students are also thinking about employment, family responsibilities, personal challenges, and the kind of future they want to build.

The university's own stories about previous Dal-Uy celebrations illustrate that evolution. In its 2025 coverage, alumni described returning to the festival with aspirations that had changed since their student years, including career opportunities, further studies, professional goals, and hopes for the people they now serve.

For an educational institution, that distinction is significant. A student's idea of success does not necessarily end with a diploma.

Why has Dal-Uy become more than a school tradition?

The festival has gradually developed into a form of community-building.

Students participate alongside teachers, university administrators, alumni, families, and other members of the Dumaguete community. Alumni have also returned to the celebration to revisit a tradition that was part of their student experience.

That continuity gives Dal-Uy an institutional role beyond a once-a-year event.

University traditions can provide students with a shared experience that exists outside classrooms, examinations, and academic requirements. In Dal-Uy's case, the lantern becomes a simple physical representation of something personal, while the act of releasing it becomes a collective experience.

The result is a tradition that connects different generations of the university community.

How does Foundation University address the festival’s environmental impact?

The lantern release also creates an environmental responsibility because the activity takes place along the city's coastline.

Foundation University says Dal-Uy is conducted in accordance with Dumaguete City's ecological protection ordinances. Its 2026 account says the lanterns and floating platforms are designed using biodegradable and reusable materials, while local fishermen help retrieve the lanterns from the water after the event.

The university's earlier descriptions provide additional detail on its approach. Materials used for the lanterns and platforms are collected after the event for possible reuse, while materials that can no longer be reused may be sold, with proceeds supporting student scholars.

That approach matters because public celebrations involving large numbers of people can create environmental pressures of their own. In Dal-Uy's case, cleanup and retrieval are treated as part of the event rather than an afterthought.

The university's current account says organizers use nets and buoys to retrieve lanterns, with local fishermen helping monitor the water.

What does Dal-Uy say about the role of education?

At its core, Dal-Uy reflects an idea that education involves more than academic credentials.

Foundation University's stated mission is to develop individuals who become productive, creative, and responsible members of society.

The festival provides a public expression of that philosophy. Students are encouraged to consider not only what they want to achieve personally but also how their aspirations connect to their families and communities.

That emphasis is particularly relevant at a time when young Filipinos are navigating questions around employment, economic security, migration, technology, and social responsibility.

The university's own recent programs similarly emphasize preparing young people for life beyond the classroom. In 2025, for example, Foundation University launched a YUNUS Social Business Center intended to help young people develop social-business ventures addressing real-world problems.

Dal-Uy operates in a very different space, but the underlying theme is similar: giving young people room to imagine the future while encouraging them to connect those aspirations with the wider community.

From individual wishes to shared aspirations

The sight of thousands of lanterns moving across the water is visually striking, but the more enduring part of Dal-Uy may be what happens before the lanterns are released.

Each participant begins with a personal hope.

Once the lanterns enter the water together, those individual aspirations become part of a shared community experience.

That transformation explains why the tradition has continued for more than two decades. The wishes change from one generation to the next, but the need to pause, reflect, and imagine a better future remains.

For Foundation University, Dal-Uy has become a way to welcome a new academic year while reminding its community that education is ultimately connected to the lives students hope to build after they leave the classroom.

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DTI Coconut Trade Fair Generates P309.57 Million in Sales

DTI Coconut Trade Fair Generates P309.57 Million in Sales

The 2026 COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair generated P309.57 million in sales, more than tripling the P96.9 million recorded at the previous year's event, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Held from August 26 to 30 at the SMX Convention Center Manila, the trade fair brought together 300 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from across the Philippines. The results point to growing commercial opportunities for businesses turning coconut into higher-value consumer and industrial products.

The 2026 sales figure represents a substantial increase from the previous edition, which generated P96.9 million from 213 participating businesses.

For the Philippine coconut industry, the significance goes beyond a five-day retail event. Trade fairs can give smaller enterprises access to buyers, distribution contacts, product feedback, and commercial relationships that are difficult to establish through ordinary retail channels.

What drove the growth of the COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair?

The 2026 fair featured coconut-based products across several categories, including food and beverages, health and wellness, personal care, home and lifestyle products, crafts, and sustainable non-food materials.

That range illustrates how the country's coconut economy extends well beyond traditional products such as copra, coconut oil, and fresh coconut.

Coconut can be processed into ingredients, personal-care products, food products, household items, and materials used in other applications. Developing these downstream products can create additional opportunities for businesses to capture value from the crop.

The DTI's COCONUTPhilippines program is specifically positioned around promoting coconut-based products and connecting participating MSMEs with markets. DTI's trade-promotion arm lists coconut enterprises among the businesses it supports through national trade fairs, Buyers Day activities, and other market-development platforms.

Why does value-added processing matter to the coconut industry?

A value-added product is a good that has undergone additional processing, branding, packaging, or development before reaching the customer.

For coconut businesses, this can mean turning a raw agricultural product into a finished food, beauty product, household item, ingredient, or other specialized product.

The business rationale is straightforward: processing can create additional commercial value while opening access to different customer segments.

The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has identified integrated processing, downstream products, market development, research, innovation, and enterprise development as parts of the broader strategy for strengthening the coconut industry.

This makes trade fairs relevant not only as selling venues but also as platforms where small businesses can test products and establish relationships with potential buyers.

How did the Buyers Lounge support participating MSMEs?

One of the business-focused components of the 2026 event was its Buyers Lounge, where participating coconut enterprises could meet corporate and institutional buyers.

The setup shifts the role of a trade fair from simple consumer exposure toward business-to-business (B2B) market development.

For an MSME, securing a corporate buyer can potentially open a different scale of opportunity from individual retail sales. A successful B2B relationship may lead to repeat orders, institutional supply arrangements, private-label opportunities, or new distribution channels, depending on the buyer and product.

DTI has also described Buyers Day as a continuing initiative intended to strengthen B2B engagement across its national trade fairs.

The P309.57-million sales figure therefore provides one measure of the event's commercial activity, while buyer linkages offer another way to assess whether participation can translate into longer-term business opportunities.

How does the trade fair fit into the government's coconut industry plan?

The COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair forms part of a larger government effort to develop the coconut sector.

The Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) was created under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund framework established by Republic Act No. 11524. The plan covers areas including farmer support, enterprise development, processing, market development, research and innovation.

The framework has since been revised. In May 2025, the government approved the CFIDP 2024–2028, with the PCA identifying seven program components that include social protection, farmer and family training, cooperative empowerment, coconut hybridization, community-based farm enterprise development, integrated processing and downstream products, and support services.

That broader approach matters because increasing the number of coconut-derived products is only one part of strengthening the industry.

Farm productivity, access to finance, farmer organizations, processing facilities, technology, market access, and business skills also influence whether farmers and enterprises can capture more value from the coconut supply chain.

What does the P309.57-million result mean for coconut MSMEs?

The trade-fair result provides evidence of strong commercial activity among participating coconut enterprises, but it should not automatically be interpreted as a measure of the entire Philippine coconut industry's performance.

The P309.57 million represents sales generated by participating businesses during the event. It does not, by itself, establish industry-wide revenue growth, farmer income growth, or export performance.

What it does demonstrate is the commercial potential of a growing group of MSMEs developing products from coconut and presenting them directly to consumers and buyers.

That distinction is important for evaluating the long-term impact of trade promotion.

The bigger test will be whether trade-fair exposure develops into repeat orders, new distribution agreements, stronger brands, expanded production, and higher or more stable incomes across the value chain.

For coconut farmers and enterprises, those longer-term outcomes are ultimately more significant than a single event's sales tally.

From coconut commodity to wider business ecosystem

The Philippine coconut industry has long been important to agriculture and rural livelihoods. But the development strategy reflected in programs such as the CFIDP increasingly looks at the industry as a wider value chain rather than simply a source of raw agricultural output.

The PCA's current strategic framework includes goals around productivity, farmer empowerment, trade and market development, research and innovation, and organizational development.

The 2026 COCONUTPhilippines Trade Fair fits into that picture by giving MSMEs a venue to commercialize products, meet buyers, and present more sophisticated uses of coconut to the market.

For businesses, the opportunity lies in converting an abundant agricultural resource into differentiated products with identifiable markets.

For government agencies, the challenge is ensuring that market-development activities connect with the other parts of the value chain, from farmers and cooperatives to processors, technology providers, distributors, and institutional buyers.

The P309.57 million in sales is therefore an encouraging trade-fair result, but its longer-term business significance will depend on what happens after the exhibition closes.

The strongest measure of success may ultimately be whether today's trade-fair transactions become tomorrow's sustained businesses.

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EastWest Launches Check Pick-Up Service for Businesses

EastWest Launches Check Pick-Up Service for Businesses

For businesses that still receive customer payments by check, getting those payments into the bank can create an operational burden of its own. EastWest Bank is addressing that gap with its Motorized Check Pick-Up Service, which allows eligible business clients to have collected checks picked up from their premises by an accredited messenger and brought to the bank for deposit processing.

The service is designed for businesses that regularly handle checks and want to reduce the time employees spend preparing deposits and making bank trips. EastWest says the service is part of its broader Cash Management Solutions portfolio for business clients.

The launch comes as Philippine businesses increasingly move toward electronic payments. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has been promoting digital payment systems such as PESONet and InstaPay, while checks remain part of the country's payment infrastructure. The result is a business environment where companies may need to manage both digital and paper-based payment channels.

How does EastWest's Motorized Check Pick-Up Service work?

EastWest's Motorized Check Pick-Up Service is a collection and deposit service for eligible EastWest Business Banking clients. An accredited messenger picks up collected checks from the enrolled business address according to an agreed schedule, after which the checks are processed for deposit into the client's EastWest account.

Businesses can arrange pickups on a daily, weekly, or selected weekday schedule. Pickups are generally conducted from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., subject to the agreed schedule and service-area assessment.

The service is particularly relevant to companies that receive checks regularly from customers and need a predictable way to move those payments from collection to deposit without assigning staff to make repeated bank trips.

What is a motorized check pick-up service?

A motorized check pick-up service is a banking arrangement in which an accredited courier or messenger collects checks from an enrolled business location and delivers them to the bank for deposit processing. Instead of sending an employee to the branch, the business follows a scheduled collection process managed through the bank's service arrangement.

For EastWest clients, checks are verified at the service provider's processing hub on the day of pickup. Deposit to the bank takes place on the next banking day, subject to standard clearing timelines.

Why does check collection still matter as payments become digital?

The Philippine payments landscape is becoming increasingly digital, but payment modernization does not mean every business transaction has immediately moved away from paper.

The BSP's 2024 Report on E-Payments Measurement showed strong growth in digital transactions, including business-to-business and supplier payments. B2B digital transactions increased from 160 million in 2023 to 205 million in 2024, a 28.1% increase.

At the same time, the BSP continues to recognize checks as part of the country's retail payment infrastructure. Its PhilPaSSplus system settles clearing results for checks alongside ATM transactions and digital payments such as InstaPay and PESONet.

This creates a practical challenge for companies operating across different payment preferences. A business may accept digital transfers from some customers while continuing to receive checks from others.

For those businesses, improving the process around checks can be just as relevant as adopting another digital payment option.

What does the service mean for business operations?

The most immediate benefit is the removal of one routine administrative task: sending employees to the bank to deposit collected checks.

That can matter more for businesses with frequent collections or lean administrative teams. Instead of assigning staff to transport deposits, companies can establish a recurring pickup schedule and keep employees focused on accounting, customer service, sales, operations, or other core responsibilities.

EastWest also provides a reporting mechanism through its service provider once the checks have been deposited, giving businesses documentation of the completed collection and deposit process.

From a cash-management perspective, the service is therefore less about introducing a new payment method and more about improving the workflow surrounding an existing one.

What businesses should know before enrolling

EastWest's service is available to eligible Business Banking clients and requires a valid EastWest corporate deposit account. Businesses must complete an enrollment form and provide the required documents for assessment. The bank also evaluates whether the business location falls within its serviceable coverage area.

There are also specific rules governing which checks can be collected.

Eligible checks generally need to be current, payable to the account holder, denominated in Philippine currency, properly completed, signed by the drawer, and not previously presented for clearing. Post-dated, stale-dated, blank, and checks payable to cash are among those listed as ineligible.

Businesses should also note that the service uses one enrolled pickup address, while pickup schedules are fixed rather than available on an ad hoc, one-time basis.

EastWest says service fees are structured into the account's required maintaining balance or average daily balance, with no additional transaction or service fee charged for the pickup service.

A small operational change with a broader cash-management role

EastWest CEO Jerry G. Ngo positioned the service within a wider discussion about business productivity, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.

That positioning is relevant because cash management is not limited to moving money from one account to another. It also involves how efficiently a company collects receivables, deposits funds, manages liquidity, and allocates employee time.

The BSP's payment modernization initiatives point in the same direction. The National Retail Payment System framework promotes payment systems that are safe, efficient, reliable, interoperable, and inclusive, while platforms such as PESONet provide electronic alternatives for business-to-business payments.

EastWest's check pickup service operates alongside that digital transition rather than replacing it. For businesses whose customers still use checks, the practical objective is to make the paper-based part of the collection cycle less labor-intensive.

That distinction matters. Digital payments may reduce the need for physical deposits, but businesses still need efficient processes for the payment methods their customers actually use.

For businesses interested in the service, EastWest advises clients to contact their Cash Management Sales Officer or visit an EastWest branch to discuss eligibility and enrollment.

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Anas Sarwar Visits Jollibee as UK-Philippines Trade Ties Grow

Anas Sarwar Visits Jollibee as UK-Philippines Trade Ties Grow

A visit to Jollibee gave UK Trade Minister Anas Sarwar a taste of one of the Philippines' best-known homegrown brands as the United Kingdom and the Philippines continue to deepen their economic relationship.

Sarwar visited Jollibee's BGC Triangle Drive store in Taguig City during his September 2026 ministerial visit to the Philippines. He was accompanied by British Ambassador to the Philippines Sarah Hulton, OBE, and welcomed by Jollibee Group Chairman and Founder Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong and Global Chief Business Support Officer William Tan Untiong.

The visit was also notable from a diplomatic perspective. According to Jollibee Group, Sarwar's stop marked the first visit by a UK Trade Minister to the Philippines in nine years.

A trade minister's stop at a Filipino global brand

During the visit, Sarwar and Hulton toured the BGC store, met members of the Jollibee team, and explored some of the chain's signature menu items, including Chickenjoy, Jolly Spaghetti, Champ Burger, Chicken Nuggets, and Peach Mango Pie.

The visit took on a more informal tone as Sarwar interacted with customers and crew members and took selfies inside the restaurant. He was also presented with a Jollibee Funko Pop figure dressed in a Barong Tagalog.

Beyond the lighthearted moments, the stop offered a snapshot of the role established Filipino companies can play in conversations that extend beyond the domestic market.

Jollibee Group has built a portfolio of food brands with operations in multiple international markets. Its Philippine origins and international expansion provide an example of how a local company can develop a brand with relevance to consumers outside its home market.

The bigger business relationship behind the visit

Sarwar's Philippine trip came as the UK and Philippines were working to expand their economic and trade cooperation.

On September 22, the two countries held the second UK-Philippines Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) ministerial meeting in Metro Manila. The discussions covered areas including agriculture, energy, infrastructure, economic development, trade digitalisation, and space.

The UK government reported that total trade in goods and services between the UK and Philippines reached £3.1 billion in the four quarters to the end of the first quarter of 2026, consisting of £1.3 billion in UK exports and £1.8 billion in UK imports.

The two countries also finalised a government-to-government partnership on infrastructure during Sarwar's visit. The agreement creates a route for eligible Philippine infrastructure projects to be considered for support from UK Export Finance, which has up to £5 billion in capacity available for eligible projects in the Philippines.

Potential areas of cooperation include transport, clean energy, healthcare, water, digital infrastructure, and advanced technology.

Why business leaders should watch the relationship

For companies, stronger bilateral trade relationships can create opportunities beyond traditional imports and exports.

The UK-Philippines discussions are increasingly covering infrastructure, digitalisation, energy, technology, and other areas where private-sector expertise and investment can intersect with government priorities.

The UK and Philippines have also been strengthening their wider economic relationship through ASEAN. During the sixth ASEAN Economic Ministers-UK consultation in Manila, officials noted that UK-ASEAN trade in goods and services reached £62 billion in 2025, up 17.4% from 2024.

Against that backdrop, Sarwar's Jollibee visit is a smaller but visible part of a much larger business conversation.

It also puts a familiar Filipino brand into the picture of international economic engagement. While a restaurant visit is not itself a trade agreement, it illustrates how business, culture, consumer brands, and government-to-government relationships can intersect during an official international visit.

For Philippine companies with ambitions beyond the domestic market, the broader UK-Philippines engagement is worth watching as both governments identify areas for deeper commercial cooperation.

And for Sarwar, his stop at Jollibee offered a distinctly Filipino welcome during a visit focused on strengthening economic ties between two countries.

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