China Banking Corporation (China Bank) and its thrift bank arm China Bank Savings (CBS) continue to branch out in Metro Manila and Luzon, opening eight of the planned 50 new branches in 2015.
China Bank La Union-Agoo Branch, its second branch in La Union and 315th branch nationwide, began operations today. Meanwhile, CBS opened seven branches in February in a fresh bid to increase its share of the consumer and SME markets. The new CBS branches are San Juan, Better Living, Laguna-Sta. Cruz, Cavite City, SM Hypermarket FTI-Taguig, Savemore Tagaytay-Mendez, and Savemore Malabon-Francis Market. CBS has 85 branches to date, 11 of which are Easi-Banking branches that are open daily and with longer banking hours.
The China Bank Group’s nationwide branch network is now 478-strong, including the 78 branches of Plantersbank.
China Bank La Union-Agoo Branch is located along the National Highway, San Jose Norte, Agoo, La Union, and headed by Rommel M. Agacita. It is open on weekdays, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm., and equipped with an ATM and a night depository box to provide customers with 24/7 banking convenience.
CBS San Juan Branch, headed by Jeannette Mae E. Castillo, is at Madison Square, 264 N. Domingo St., Barangay Pasadena, San Juan; CBS Better Living Branch is at 90 Doña Soledad Avenue, Better Living Subd, Bicutan, Parañaque, headed by Dimples Dacio; CBS Laguna-Sta. Cruz Branch is at E & E Building, Pedro Guevarra Avenue, Sta. Cruz, Laguna, headed by Ma. Lesly G. Amparo; and CBS Cavite City Branch is at 485 P. Burgos St., Barangay 34, Caridad, Cavite City, headed by Alaine M. Catapang. These branches are open from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. and are also equipped with ATMs.
CBS branches conveniently located inside Savemore and SM Hypermarket are equipped with an ATM, a night depository box, and an Online Banking kiosk. SM Hypermarket FTI-Taguig Branch is in Western Bicutan, open from Monday to Saturday, from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, with Mary Ann P. Tenedero as branch service head. Savemore Tagaytay-Mendez Branch is at the corner of Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway and Mendez-Tagaytay Road, while Savemore Malabon-Francis Market Branch is at the corner of Governor Pascual and M.H. Del Pilar Sts. Jenilyn Y. Chua and Shelina H. De Jesus are the branch sales and service officers, respectively. Both Tagaytay-Mendez and Malabon-Francis Market branches in Savemore are open from Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Founded in 1920, China Bank is the country’s first privately owned local commercial bank and now the fifth largest private universal bank in terms of assets and number of branches. In a strategic move to sharpen its retail banking focus, China Bank acquired in 2007 the oldest savings bank in the country, Manila Bank, and re-launched it as China Bank Savings. Now, with the acquisition in January 2014 of Plantersbank, the country’s leading bank in SME finance, and its eventual merger with CBS, China Bank is building a stronger platform for SME finance. The branch network expansion is part of the strategy to serve a wider market and position China Bank and CBS for future growth.