By Tyrone Jay V. Samson

The 33-year-old Rizal Rural Bank (RBR) Incorporated recently unveiled its newly built, seven-storey state-of-the-art building – the new RBR Corporate Center located at Rizal Avenue, Dipolog City.

The official opening of the said building was held last January 8 in front of RBR officials headed by its chief executive officer, Atty. Alberto P. Concha; former Dipolog City Mayor Roberto Uy; Vice Mayor Senen Angeles; and Zamboanga del Norte provincial tourism officer, Atty. Ivan Patrick Ang. Also present during the opening were officiating priests Father Beltran Patangan and Father Cuaton; and other guests including PNB manager, Dr. Cesar Bala.

“Looking back in 1977, with only meager resources but driven with the zealous desire to advance development and promote progress in the countryside, I courageously built my first branch in Mapang with a firm faith on our God Almighty. And with unwavering faith, by offering the best services through the time-honored practice of professionalism, fairness, dynamism, prudence and reliability, it is with great pride to have built a sturdy and tall edifice to show our eagerness to be a significant partner in the building of a strong Republic starting from the grassroots – empowering our farmers, overseas foreign workers, teachers and other small to medium entrepreneurs. Like a tiger, we will fiercely growl with prosperity and abundance for the Filipino people,” RBR chair, Atty. Concha said.

Guided by its vision “to gain leadership in the rural banking sector, providing superior and responsive products and services to uplift the lives of the Filipino people,” the bank dubbed as “Ang Bangko Nga Kasaligan, Para Sa Tanan” and is originally located in Mapang, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte as head office, has produced four established branches in Dipolog City, Polanco, Sindangan, and Calamba, Misamis Occidental.

“RBR in its 33 glorious years has been true and has never wavered in its vision and mission to be the most respected financial institution in the countryside and to achieve the goal of poverty alleviation and reduction in our community. With the help of our beloved members of RBR family, we can make things happen, we can make a real difference in the lives of our borrowers and depositors and in return our lives as well! This edifice are not stonewalls but a symbol of our stability, and our ever increasing desire to be at top in the business of banking,” RBR assistant vice president for Marketing, Dr. Gerald Concha, said.

The RBR was established in August 29, 1975 with eleven (11) entrepreneurs as incorporators and is duly authorized by BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS (BSP) and a member of PHILIPPINE DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION (PDIC). It commenced its operation on January 17, 1977. The Program Components of Rural Bank of Rizal (ZN), Inc. then was Training, Savings Mobilization, Credit Services, Insurance and others.

RBR was honored with an award by the Landbank of the Philippines as Most Outstanding Rural Bank in Region IX FOR 2002 & 2003. aside from that, the RBR is also a Philippine Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC) awardee in 2003. It is a member of various banking organizations including the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), Rural Banker’s Association of the Philippines, Rural Banker’s Federation of Zanorte, Southwestern Mindanao Confederation of Rural Bankers, Rural Bankers Research and Development Foundation, Inc., and the Dipolog City Bankers Club.

Recognizing that microfinance is one if not the most effective tool in empowering the low-income entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their lives, RBR opened its doors to micro-financing in 1998 in addition its traditional banking operations.

Among its new products for this year, the RBR is offering a “Pabahay Loan” which features a chance to purchase a house and/or lot or construction, renovation or repair of residential house and lot. Another offering is the “Kotse Loan” which features an acquisition of vehicles for personal use, car repair or upgrade with accepted models 2005-2010 and with your car as collateral. There is also the “Negosyo Loan” featuring Market-Stall-Owner Loans, Stall Business Loan or Retailer’s Loan, and Cart Loan; the “OFW Allotment & Seaman’s Loan” for families with a family member working abroad and receiving an allotment of at least P15,000.00 per month; “Back-to-back Loan”; “Farmer’s Loan” featuring Palay Production Loan, Farm Equipment Loan, and Sa-op Loan; and “Jewelry Loan”.