CitySavings awarded for its customer-centric initiatives

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift bank subsidiary of Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines, (UnionBank) caps the year with recognition from the International Finance Awards.  The Bank was named as the Most Customer-Centric Savings Bank in the Philippines for 2023.  International Finance, a London-based publication, noted that “CitySavings bagged this prestigious award for its various customer-centric initiatives along with its excellent services and innovative products.”

One of the bank’s major initiatives this year is its mobile app that provides public school teachers a fast, and secure way to check their savings and loan account balances, as well as apply for a reloan online. Clients can also pay their bills and soon, can receive and transfer funds, and use other customer-friendly features.

Its chatbot, Talk to Maria, offers a convenient 24/7 inquiry service and a seamless new loan application process. In collaboration with its parent company UnionBank, CitySavings has also rolled out its Bank-on-Wheels to make its services more accessible.

CitySavings celebrates 100B loan portfolio, continues to elevate lives through financial inclusion

City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings), the thrift arm subsidiary of Aboitiz-led UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has been serving people of moderate means since 1965.

From a single-product bank focused on teachers’ loans, of which CitySavings is the market leader, it has transformed into a financial institution that offers a wide range of financial products tailored to the mass market segment including motorcycle lending and other salary loan segments. The Bank continues to trailblaze in the thrift banking sector as it celebrates its achievement of a 100 billion loan portfolio owing this milestone to its clients.

“We care deeply for our clients and continuously strive to deliver superior customer experience even during the pandemic. They are the reason for our success and for that, we are immensely grateful to them. With our basic philosophy of ‘Simple is Good’, we will continue to fulfill our purpose of elevating communities through financial inclusion”, shared CitySavings Chief Executive Officer Lorenzo T. Ocampo.

As of August 2023, the thrift bank hit a net income after tax (NIAT) of Php 2.1 billion, generated 72 billion in loan releases, and achieved Return on Equity (ROE) of 16.2%. The thrift bank’s loan portfolio level soared with a 35% year-over-year (YOY) increase at Php 97.5 billion end of month (EOM) and a 31% YOY increase in interest income.

The Bank’s growth and innovation drive has earned recognition in recent years as the 2019 Fastest Growing Savings Bank in the Philippines by the Global Business Outlook, 2020 Best Employer Brand by Employer Branding Institute - India, and the 2021 Philippines Technology Excellence Awardee for its chatbot Talk to Maria at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards.

These accolades were followed by CitySavings being named again as the 2022 Fastest Growing Savings Bank by the International Business Magazine, 2022 Most Innovative Savings Bank, and 2023 Most Customer-Centric Savings Bank by International Finance. The Philippine Daily Inquirer and international market research firm Statista recognized the Bank in its 2023 Philippines Growth Champions list of the top 25 companies that have achieved the highest revenue percentage growth between 2018 and 2021.

Its strategy of offering simple and straightforward banking coupled with warm and helpful service and relevant products has worked favorably for CitySavings. 

The Bank remains steadfast in its commitment to creating innovative solutions to deliver the best customer experience through its digital channels. The Loan Ranger Mobile (LRM) App allows teacher-clients to view their account balances in real-time and apply for a reloan anytime, anywhere. While CitySavings’ chatbot, Talk to Maria offers a convenient 24/7 inquiry service and a seamless new loan application process. Through its parent, UnionBank, CitySavings also rolled out Bank-on-Wheels to make banking services more accessible.

“Our journey through the years has brought many opportunities and challenges but we have managed to do well. In 2022, the Bank delivered above-target financial performance which we, at the CitySavings team, are immensely proud of. This milestone of achieving a 100 billion loan portfolio is a solid testament that we are on our way to becoming the leading mass market bank in the Philippines” CitySavings President Manuel Santiago, Jr. said.

City Savings Bank Simplifies Loan Applications and Reloans for DepEd Teachers with Loan Ranger Mobile

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift arm subsidiary of the Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), continues to make headway with its groundbreaking Loan Ranger Mobile App, which caters to the banking needs of the Department of Education (DepEd) teachers. The mobile app provides public school teachers a fast, convenient, and secure way to check their savings and loan account balances, as well as apply for a reloan anytime, anywhere. Over 170,000 DepEd teachers and employees have enrolled in Loan Ranger Mobile.

True to its tagline, “Simple is Good,” CitySavings simplifies the loan process for DepEd teachers. With Loan Ranger Mobile, teacher-clients can view their account balance in real-time. If they qualify for a reloan, they can simply apply using the app and without visiting the branch. They can also check the status update of their loan application.

CitySavings partners with the DepEd CAR for Benguet Classroom Building Project

A BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: Representatives from DepEd Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the Local Government Unit of Kapangan, City Savings Bank, 503rd Infantry Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division, 51st Engineering Brigade of the Philippine Army, Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR), and other partners lead the ribbon cutting of the newly inaugurated Salaknib Tan Namnama Classroom Building (pictured behind) in Gaswiling Integrated School (IS), Kapangan, Benguet last June 22, 2023.

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift arm subsidiary of the Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and a major partner of the Department of Education (DepEd) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), readily responded to the need for support in the construction of the Salaknib Tan Namnama Classroom Building of Gaswiling Integrated School (IS) in Kapangan, Benguet.  Construction started towards the end of 2022 and the structure was completed this year.

CitySavings and RAFI - EJACC bring Project Pink to Southern Cebu

PINK IS THE COLOR OF HOPE: In partnership with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. - Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (RAFI - EJACC), City Savings Bank (CitySavings), under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative Project Pink, conducted a two-day breast cancer awareness session and a free medical mission to more than 600 teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) Carcar City, Cebu.

City Savings Bank (CitySavings) is committed to helping the education community not only through its simple and straightforward banking services but by also advocating for health and well-being. In partnership with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. - Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (RAFI - EJACC), CitySavings brought Project Pink to Carcar, a city located in southern Cebu, to spread more awareness on breast cancer and conduct a free medical mission to more than 600 teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Waste Wanted: CitySavings Turns Donated Plastic into School Chairs

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift bank subsidiary of the Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), makes supporting public schools more sustainable through its initiative, Turning Plastic into School Chairs.

Spearheaded by the Bank’s Branch Operations and Human Resources teams, the goal was to collect as much plastic waste from the employees in a month. The recycling drive gathered almost 2,000 kilograms of waste plastic from CitySavings branches and corporate offices nationwide. These were then turned over to Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc, a company based in Davao City, which produced the school chairs, each made out of 30 kilograms of plastic waste, at a discounted rate.

CitySavings and Private Companies Partner with DepEd for DPAP Launch

City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and a proud member of the Aboitiz Group, once again signified its commitment to the Department of Education (DepEd) as one of its partners during the DepEd Partnership Assistance Portal (DPAP) launch last March 23. CitySavings is the only thrift bank invited to support this project that aims to elevate partnership management processes, reach out to more potential partners, and increase efficiency in bridging the gap between the resource needs of schools to available resources from public and private organizations.

The Metro Pacific Investments Group led the portal development and project management, backed by other sponsors from the private sector.

CitySavings bolsters DepEd’s campaign for reading proficiency in last mile schools

BAWAT BATA BUMABASA: In response to the call to intensify advocacy for reading, CitySavings supports the outreach programs of DepEd as the Banks’ significant contribution to National Reading Month and Brigada Pagbasa.  The Bank donated laptops, TV sets, sanitation essentials, reading materials, and learning and teaching kits to identified last mile schools in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that are geographically isolated.

City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings), UnionBank’s thrift arm, spearheaded Brigada Pagbasa programs in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao as the Bank’s significant contribution to National Reading Month and to support the Hamon: Bawat Bata Bumabasa (3Bs Initiatives) program of the Department of Education (DepEd).

UnionBank announces new leaders for CitySavings

City Savings Bank (CitySavings) recently announced the appointment of Ana Aboitiz Delgado as the new Chairman of the Board of Union Bank of the Philippines’ (UnionBank) thrift bank subsidiary.

Delgado is concurrently serving as the Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Customer Experience Officer and Chief Digital Channels Officer of UnionBank. Delgado took great strides in growing UnionBank’s digital customer base via its UB Online mobile app and was the force behind the transformation and redesign of its branches to the Ark, which elevated the customer experience in physical premises. Additionally, she played a key role in the signing of the game-changing acquisition between Citibank N.A. and UnionBank.

Aside from Delgado, Lorenzo T. Ocampo was also appointed as Vice Chairman and CEO of CitySavings while Manuel G. Santiago Jr. assumed the position of President and Chief Operating Officer of the thrift bank. 

Outgoing CitySavings Chairman and UnionBank Chief Technology and Operations Officer and Chief Transformation Officer, Henry R. Aguda, takes on the reins of UnionBank’s digital bank subsidiary, UnionDigital, as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, taking over Ramon Vicente De Vera, who will lead a new market expansion role for the Bank. 

CitySavings celebrates growth as leading motorcycle lender in the Philippines

DRIVEN TO SUCCEED: City Savings Bank (CitySavings), the thrift subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) celebrates its exceptional growth in the motorcycle loans market at the Motor Mo’to Dealers’ Night 2022 last September 23 at Revel at The Palace, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. (L-R) CitySavings EVP - Motorcycle Loans Business Head Ret. Adm. Feliciano “Felix” Angue, CitySavings President and CEO Lorenzo “Larry” Ocampo, UnionBank President and CEO and CitySavings Vice Chairman Edwin Bautista, CitySavings SEVP - Chief Operating Officer Manuel "Chut" Santiago, Jr., and CitySavings Board of Directors Jose Julio and Maria Noemi Azura toast to mark this momentous occasion.

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) subsidiary City Savings Bank (CitySavings) recently hosted the “Motor Mo’to Dealers’ Night 2022”, a celebratory event to honor its exceptional growth into one of the largest motorcycle loan lenders in the country. It was held last September 23 at Revel at The Palace, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

CitySavings, DAR sign Government Employee Loan Agreement

REDY TO SERVE: CitySavings President and CEO Lorenzo T. Ocampo and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III proudly show the signed Memorandum of Agreement between the parties that officially kickstarts the Government Employee Loan Program for DAR. Together with them are CitySavings FVP - Salary Loans Business Head, Julian Aboitiz, and DAR Undersecretary for Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Office (FASPO) Jesry T. Palmares.

Financial inclusion and digital transformation: CitySavings and the future of banking

DIGITAL INNOVATIONS FOR THE MASS MARKET: City Savings Bank (CitySavings) joins the 2022 UnionBank Innovations Festival held last September 7 - 9 at the newly inaugurated UnionBank Innovation Campus, City of San Pedro, Laguna. The booth features the thrift bank’s innovative and relevant products that make banking simple for the mass market. Aboitiz Group President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz (front, 4th from left) joins the CitySavings team.

On September 7 to 9, 2022, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) launched “The Future of Banking is with U”, the 2022 UnionBank Innovation Festival at the UnionBank Innovation Campus in San Pedro, Laguna. The event was hosted in celebration of numerous digital solutions, trends, and innovations in technology and their applications to the lives of Filipinos.

Among the participants at the prestigious event was UnionBank’s thrift bank subsidiary, City Savings Bank (CitySavings). CitySavings is one of the largest thrift banks in the country, with the goal of providing comprehensive yet simple banking solutions for the Filipino mass market.

CitySavings Supports DepEd in Promoting Health and Safety

City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) joins DepEd in promoting teacher vaccination through the “Masayang Pamasko 2021 Raffle Promo”. Over 230 teaching and non-teaching staff were doubly delighted last December 2021 after winning PHP 2,000 each.

“Para sa (mga) bata, at para sa bayan.”

This is what teacher Benjar Ferrer of Galarin Elementary School in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan believes about his being fully vaccinated against COVID. He understands the importance of teachers being bakunado, especially with the gradual roll-out of face-to-face classes. He adds, “Libre naman magpabakuna. Pumunta ka lang sa vaccination center.”

Teacher Robert Baluyot of Alabel National High School in Alabel, Saranggani admits that there is still some vaccine hesitancy from his colleagues. Some of the reasons are or stem from “(the kind of) knowledge and information sources my co-teachers access, experience (or lack of) with vaccine-preventable diseases, the role of health professional recommendations, social norms, parental responsibility, trust, and religious beliefs.”