Delegates from NRBSL attend the 47th Annual Meetings the Association of Development Finance Institutions in Asia and Pacific (ADFIAP)

The New Rural Bank of San Leonardo continues to live up to its strategy of partnership, networking and collaboration work. Last May 15-17, 2024, at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, NRBSL took part in the 47th Annual Meetings the Association of Development Finance Institutions in Asia and Pacific (ADFIAP). A five-person delegation from the Bank's governing Board - John Mark Cajiuat, Magdalena G. Fernandez, Marcelo N. Jampil, Jubailene B. Bulawit and Abundio D. Quililan, Jr., represented NRBSL in this international gathering.

Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing global climate landscape, this year's theme, "DFIs Role in Sustainable Finance Ecosystem: Cultivating a Climate-Smart and Sustainable Future," underscores the pivotal role that Development Financing Institutions (DFIs) play in fostering environmental responsibility and long-term financial stability. The event gathered together executives from the leading development finance institutions in the Asia-Pacific region including other stakeholders. They dwelled on pressing issues and explored innovative solutions in the practice of sustainable finance. The call and challenge according to Enrique I. Florencio, ADFIAP Secretary General, is for DFIs to take a proactive stance in shaping a sustainable financial ecosystem. Indeed so, the gathering had facilitated meaningful discussions on how various initiatives contribute to a climate-smart and sustainable future through panel discussions and delegates-meet-delegates sessions.

NRBSL President and CEO Abundio D. Quililan, Jr. were among the presentors who took turns in addressing a broad spectrum of topics which included green finance, climate risk management, and fintech innovations. NRBSL's membership with ADFIAP was not out of the Bank's own initiation but was a result of an endorsement from the former President of Development of the Bank President (DBP) Manny Herbosa who previously held key position in the Association. This is not surprising as ADFIAP's roster of member-institutions is filled mostly by government-owned banks and entities directly funded by them or assisted by aid agencies. The Philippine representation includes LBP, DBP and SB Corporation from the government side. Also in the short list are CARD and ASKI coming from the sector of MFIs while Esquire Corporation is a private financing company. NRBSL, on the other hand, is capitalized by private equity and supervised by monetary authorities without any distinction much less preference against the larger members of the financial sector. These characteristics make NRBSL's case unique and untypical relative to the profile and composition of ADFIAP's general assembly.

The majority of ADFIAP's member-institutions are funded by their respective government while private initiatives are mostly large corporation or MFIs which are capitalized by business entities or supported by grant funds. NRBSL lacks any of these attributes. Nonetheless, the participation of NRBSL in the recent ADFIAP's General Assembly served as a window for the Bank to look for insights from the international financial environment. It is not a way to measure-up but to have a glimpse on how it can scale-up its operations with the current trends in development finance.

The experience in attending events such as ADFIAP's is supposed to instill criticality among the members of NRBSL organization to observe not only the structural trends happening but to see the factors behind the success others have achieved are traced in initiating concrete actions individually and collectively. These structural trends that drive many of these changes in the financial environment are a rich source of blueprints of a broad range of activities that NRBSL can adopt in its continuing journey into the future of development finance.

Cropital and NRBSL ink Engagement on Credit Scoring Solution

Cropital is a crowd-funding platform that connects anyone to help finance farmers. The company receives support from institutions in the U.S.A, Netherlands, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Aside from its activities as a social enterprise which provides farmers access to scalable and sustainable financing, Cropital offers credit scoring application which NRBSL has outsourced to improve its credit granting methodology in servicing small farmers. Through an official agreement, the parties have formalized this pilot endeavor in the industry of rural banking particularly in the service of small agricultural finance.

NRBSL joins ADFIAP and wins awards

Through the encouragement of President Emmanuel Herbosa of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), NRBSL became the newest member from the Philippines of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP). During its 45th Annual Meetings held in Konrad Hotel Manila on October 26, 2022, ADFIAP welcome NRBSL in the roster of 120 member-institutions engaged in the financing of sustainable development initiatives in 42 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific. Not to be outdone by bigger organizations, NRBSL submitted two projects as entries in as many categories and won in both fields. NRBSL was adjudged as WINNER - Category 7, Local Economic Development for its project: "Collaboration Work in Agriculture Supply Chain Eco-System“ and as MERIT AWARDEE - Category 8, Financial Inclusion, for its product "Credit Facilities for the Acquisition of Residential and Commercial Properties in favor of Asset-less Rural Households and Small Enterprises through Land Partitioning/Individual Titling and Usufruct Rights”.

NRBSL supports Philippine Red Cross as Fund and Blood Donor

After two years, the New Rural Bank of San Leonardo (N.E.), Inc. once again conducted its annual blood-letting activity with a tag line “Donate Blood, Save Lives”. The event was facilitated by Philippine Red Cross Bulacan Chapter. Ricardo A. Villacorte who was once a branch manager of NRBSL and now PRC Bulacan Chapter head led his team of volunteers to administer blood extraction among NRBSL personnel including relatives and friends last September 10, 2022 at the bank’s Training Room NRBSL Bldg. Diversion San Leonardo Nueva Ecija. The said activity becomes successful with a total of 43 successful donors.

Clean and Green Campaign Launched in line with Sustainable Banking

With the theme “Promoting Health and Cleanliness in the Workplace”, NRBSL launched last August 12, 2022 a bank-wide campaign to promote clean and green working environment. The launching coincided with simultaneous beautification activities in all 24 branch offices of the Bank with an overwhelming participation of employees who acknowledge that keeping work areas conducive and clean is essential for business, health and the environment. More of these activities are expected in the future to promote environmental consciousness and climate change education among bank personnel. The campaign is intended to generate greater momentum in advancing NRBSL’s sustainability goals. Members of NRBSL organization are called to make individual efforts to practice reduce, reuse and recycle in the office and at home as part of overall strategies towards the adoption of sustainability principles in the business model and operations of NRBSL. The ultimate aim is to embed sustainability principles not only in the bank’s business portfolio but to make these as part of the code of how NRBSL as an institution is governed and in the manner work functions in the bank is discharged by members of its organization.

ADFIAP serves NRBSL request for sustainability reporting briefing

Posted by: ADFIAP on 30 June 2022

ADFIAP’s Secretary-General, Mr. Enrique Florencio, briefed the Bank’s key officers virtually on June 30, 2022, on recent trends in international business reporting using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and its guidelines, and on the processes in preparing such a report, at the request of the Nueva Ecija-based member, New Rural Bank of San Leonardo.

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its internal management systems and reporting process, NRBSL https://www.nrbsl.com/ intends to publish its first annual and sustainability report in order to convey its performance to its stakeholders in a comprehensive manner. Through its famed “Lima Para sa Lahat” Program, which was memorialized in Mr. Panganiban’s book “Barefoot Banking,” NRBSL pioneered modern-day microfinance operations in the province. In the years thereafter, the bank has redefined its market niche in serving small farming communities by partnering with the government’s lending program and pushing for the conversion of micro-enterprises to SME status.

Since then, the ADFIAP Secretariat in Manila has briefed and advised members on the drafting of their sustainability reports. If you require guidance or assistance in preparing your sustainability report, please contact your Secretariat at inquiries@adfiap.org.

Source:https://www.adfiap.org/news/association-news/adfiap-serves-nrbsl-request-for-sustainability-reporting-briefing/

NRBSL supports Philippine Red Cross as Fund and Blood Donor

A delegation from Philippine Red Cross Bulacan Chapter headed by its Governor and Bulacan 3rd District Representative Lorna Silverio and Chapter head Ricardo A. Villacorte met with executive officers of NRBSL during a visit at its Corporate Office last June 21, 2022. The occasion was a pleasant exchange of updates from both organizations about the various initiatives in their respective areas. Also discussed is the resumption of blood-letting activity involving the members of NRBSL organization. The meeting was capped with the hand-over of the P50,000 donation from NRBSL in favor of PRC to the delight of the visitors who acknowledged the generosity of the Bank.

NRBSL bags another “Gawad Lingap Award” as Outstanding Lending Conduit of Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC)for 2022

In a ceremony held at Novotel in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City on April 28, 2022, NRBSL’s President and CEO Abundio D. Quililan, Jr. accompanied by Vice President for Marketing Liza J. Ison received the trophy from Monetary Board member Bruce Tolentino and Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Evelyn Laviña. This is the second time in a row that NRBSL won this award from ACPC which organized the event after a two year break. The first time was during the first ever Gawad Lingap Award in 2019 when NRBSL was named as Outstanding Lending Partner in the implementation of Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) Program. These awards are testaments that NRBSL is true to its mission as rural bank in servicing the credit needs of small farming communities through on-boarding with government credit programs.

Published by Philippine Carabao Center, November 4, 2021
Written by: Dine Yve Daganos

With the endorsement of Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC), 38 carapreneurs from Nueva Ecija were formally granted a total of PHP4,617,000 worth of loan by the New Rural Bank of San Leonardo (NRBSL) Incorporated, Nueva Ecija, under the DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) Agri-Negosyo Loan Program (ANYO). The ceremonial turn-over, which happened during the 7th National Carabao Conference closing program, was graced by Abundio Quililan Jr., NRBSL President and Chief Executive Officer, and DA-PCC OIC Executive Director Dr. Ronnie D. Domingo and few carapreneurs who were able to attend the event physically. The loan will be used purposively for purchase of additional numbers of carabao as well as improvement of carabao pen and other incidental or miscellaneous expenses. The loan proceeds will be released directly to the supplier of carabao and/or source of construction materials except for the miscellaneous/incidental expenses which will be received in cash by the carapreneur beneficiaries. The DA-ACPC ANYO Program is a zero-interest capital loan intended to support the daily business operations of small farmers and fisherfolk, farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), and agri-fishery-based micro and small enterprises (MSEs).