BancNet, the country’s first multibank and multichannel electronic-payment network, celebrated its 20th anniversary last July 16 at the InterContinental Hotel in Makati City with guest of honor, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amado Tetangco, Jr. The anniversary event was also a venue for honoring member-banks with the best-performing ATM networks and biggest transaction volumes over the past five years.

The representatives of the awardee banks and BancNet’s top officials with the BSP chief at BancNet’s 20th anniversary event last July 16. (L-R) Rafael Sison, Jr. of Allied Bank, Fabian Dee of Metrobank, Roberto Reyes of PBCom, Carol Chua of China Bank, BSP Gov. Amado Tetangco, Jr,. BancNet Chairman Ricardo Chua, Alfred Cabangon of CityState Bank, BancNet President Francisco Caparros, Jr., and George Castro of Philtrust Bank.

China Banking Corporation (China Bank), one of the original eight member-banks when BancNet started operations in 1990, received a “Founding Member Award” and three other major awards: “Top On-Site ATM Award (SM City Fairview Branch)”, “Top Off-Site ATM Award (SM City Manila)” and “Top Acquiring Bank Award -  2nd Place."

“We are very happy about these awards. Our goal is to provide cardholders across ATM networks with reliable and convenient 24/7 access to cash and other banking services. This recognition is a confirmation that we are on track,” said China Bank’s ATM banking head, Carol Chua.

China Bank has 404 strategically-located ATMs to date (including China Bank Savings).  More ATMs, including the leading-edge NCR SelfServ ATMs which the Bank had the privilege of acquiring in 2008 ahead of the banks in Southeast Asia, are scheduled to be installed in soon-to-open China Bank branches and offsite locations such as MRT stations, malls and schools.

China Bank’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Ricardo Chua, also BancNet’s chairman, was likewise conferred a special award for his dedicated service.  Chua has been serving in BancNet’s board for the last 20 years.

Citystate Savings Bank, one of only three thrift banks listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, received the “Highest Host Availability Award (2005-2009).” Other major awardees were Allied Banking Corp., Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., Philippine Bank of Communications and Philtrust Bank.

In his keynote speech, Tetangco congratulated BancNet for the remarkable increase in BancNet-facilitated transactions, which now average 800,000 per day, from roughly 4,100 per day during its first year of operations, and urged the banking community to provide the banking public with better seamless service and cost efficiencies, including those in the un-served areas in the countryside.

“Our aim is to further grow BancNet several folds all the way to the countryside so that we will become accessible to practically all communities in this country,” said BancNet President Francisco Caparros, Jr.

Caparros also bared BancNet’s plans to explore and introduce other electronic-banking innovations such as cash withdrawal through its terminals in merchant sites and the loading of cash cards through its channels.

BancNet is the country’s largest ATM consortium with more than 60 members and about 4,000 ATM units nationwide.