How do laws and regulations issued by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) help all the financial institutions

Answer 1

Banking Supervision

The Bangko Sentral has supervision over the operations of banks and exercises such regulatory powers as provided in the New Central Bank Act and other pertinent laws over the operations of finance companies and non-bank financial institutions performing quasi-banking functions.

BSP Supervised Banks/Statistics

The BSP monitors and compiles various indicators on the Philippine banking system. The Philippine banking system is composed of universal and commercial banks, thrift banks, rural and cooperative banks.

Universal and commercial banks represent the largest single group, resource-wise, of financial institutions in the country. They offer the widest variety of banking services among financial institutions. In addition to the function of an ordinary commercial bank, universal banks are also authorized to engage in underwriting and other functions of investment houses, and to invest in equities of non-allied undertakings.

The thrift banking system is composed of savings and mortgage banks, private development banks, stock savings and loan associations and microfinance thrift banks. Thrift banks are engaged in accumulating savings of depositors and investing them. They also provide short-term working capital and medium- and long-term financing to businesses engaged in agriculture, services, industry and housing, and diversified financial and allied services, and to their chosen markets and constituencies, especially small- and medium- enterprises and individuals.

Rural and cooperative banks are the more popular type of banks in the rural communities. Their role is to promote and expand the rural economy in an orderly and effective manner by providing the people in the rural communities with basic financial services. Rural and cooperative banks help farmers through the stages of production, from buying seedlings to marketing of their produce. Rural banks and cooperative banks are differentiated from each other by ownership. While rural banks are privately owned and managed, cooperative banks are organized/owned by cooperatives or federation of cooperatives.

Microfinance banks are the newest type of banks that offer broad range of financial services, such as deposits, loans, payment services and money transfer, to the poor and low income households for their micro-enterprises and small businesses.

The BSP likewise releases selected statistics on non banks with quasi-banking functions . This group consists of institutions engaged in the borrowing of funds from 20 or more lenders for the borrower's own account through issuances, endorsement or assignment with recourse or acceptance of deposit substitutes for purposes of relending or purchasing receivables and other obligations.