Cebuana Lhuillier Bank gets honors for its commitment to financial inclusion and innovations in microfinance

Cebuana Lhuillier has solidified its status as one of the big players in the banking industry. While its roots lie in rural banking, the bank has transcended conventional boundaries through its unwavering commitment to excellence, giving rise to groundbreaking initiatives.

Cebuana Lhuillier Bank President Dennis Valdes receives the award.

At the heart of Cebuana Lhuillier Bank’s achievements lie strategic expansion and an innovative approach to using technology to increase financial inclusion.

Currently, the bank boasts a network of six branches strategically positioned across the country, including key locations such as Cavite, Calatagan, Cebu, Davao, Makati City, and Nasugbu.

Cebuana Lhullier Bank’s revolutionary Cebuana Lhuillier Micro Savings Account has played a pivotal role in extending financial security to Filipinos, especially the unbanked and underbanked, empowering them to save and build a brighter future. Furthermore, the launch of the pioneering eCebuana app, which has equipped Filipinos with seamless online money transfers, stands as a testament to the bank’s unswerving dedication to harnessing digital solutions.

Collaborative partnerships with Bancnet and UnionPay have significantly broadened its card network coverage, expanding accessibility to ATMs and points of sale throughout the Philippines. Meanwhile, its strategic partnerships with Instapay and PesoNet have been instrumental in enhancing online fund transfers. These partnerships have significantly contributed to the bank’s success in delivering accessible and efficient financial services to a broader audience.

In addition to these large-scale initiatives, the bank launched its Teachers Loans program which saw fivefold returns in 2022, as well as its Iponaryo financial literacy campaign which reached far-flung areas in the country.

Because of these achievements, the bank has emerged triumphant on the global stage, clinching the prestigious Rural/Cooperative Bank of the Year award for the third consecutive year from ABF and multiple awards from World Economic Magazine, including the Fastest Growing Bank for Financial Inclusion, Most Innovative Microfinance Bank, and Best Microfinance Bank in the Philippines awards for 2023.

“We’re overjoyed to receive even more awards and recognitions from some of the world’s financial luminaries for the good we’ve been doing at Cebuana Lhuillier Bank,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO and Cebuana Lhuillier Bank Vice Chairman. “Our foremost commitment is to ensure Filipinos enjoy the fullest financial inclusion and literacy, so that they get to finish their success story and live better, more fulfilling lives.”

“We’ve introduced many helpful and useful innovations to our customers and clients nationwide, but our work doesn’t stop here. Filipinos can be assured that we’ll continue to give our greatest efforts to make sure they can experience as many financial services as possible for all their needs, no matter how much they have,” said Cebuana Lhuillier Bank President Dennis Valdes.

In addition to Cebuana Lhuillier Bank’s awards from ABF in previous years, the bank was also recognized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as an Outstanding BSP Stakeholder in 2021, cementing it as one of its notable resources in the agency’s Financial Inclusion Steering Committee.