WITH fewer bank-related crimes recorded this year, the Cebu Bankers Club (CBC) said this has boosted clients’ confidence in supporting the Cebu banking sector’s continued growth.
In an interview yesterday, CBC president Maximo Rey Eleccion said there were fewer crime incidents recorded this year than in the previous year.
There were two notable robbery incidents this year, involving a pawnshop in Cebu City and an electronic bingo outlet in Mandaue City.
Syndicate
In addition, there were also two ATM skimming incidents reported both in Mandaue City late this year which involved Romanian nationals. Police said these were members of an international syndicate whose aim is to hack bank accounts of British nationals and withdraw the money through ATMs in the Philippines.
“Crimes in the society mitigate confidence of the public…In the banking sector, that’s what we are praying for that we would not be victimized by these criminals (especially robbers),” Eleccion said.
The official said CBC maintains close coordination with the police to ensure peace and order in the banking sector.
Unlike in the previous years, 2015 was considered generally a peaceful year in the local banking industry, if no big crimes happen before the year comes to a close.
Eleccion said crimes usually heighten during Christmas and election seasons. Based on the present conditions, Cebu’s banking sector enjoys peaceful, although busy, operations.
Personal loans and credit card purchases normally spike during December.
CBC has commended the local police for their active involvement in ensuring that the public’s money in the banks remain safe.
Eleccion, quoting a report from the Philippine central bank, bank lending grew by 14.1 percent year-on-year in September 2015.
Fast growth
He said the expansion in production loans was driven by real estate activities (20.3 percent), electricity, gas, steam, and airconditioning sector (26.8 percent), wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles (13.7 percent) and financial and insurance activities (15.6 percent).
Eleccion maintained that Cebu’s banks are among the fastest growing among other banks in other parts of the country, even higher than those in Metro Manila.
“Cebu is higher than national growth. Higher loans, deposits, and this is reflective of higher GDP (gross domestic product) of Cebu which is higher than the national figures,” said the CBC president.