COTABATO CITY – For the first time, two coastal towns of Lanao del Sur will have its own automated teller machines (ATM) to serve their daily financial needs.
The ATM booths of Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) will start serving its clients in the town of Malabang, Lanao del Sur, on December 3.
The ATM booths are strategically located near the Matling Industrial Commercial Corporation (MICC), a cassava starch manufacturing company that has been operating for the past 90 years in Malabang town without the services of government or private banks.
Local residents here used to travel to Pagadian City or Cotabato City to avail an ATM booth.
He said MICC has requested the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to facilitate the opening of a DBP branch in Malabang town, preferably within the MICC compound to serve the needs of the thousands of farmers who have to encash their checks with rediscounting outlets thus reducing their income.
Starting this Thursday, the people of Malabang can now enjoy more convenient and fast bank transactions using the ATM booths.
Malabang Mayor Tomas Macapodi and Balabagan Mayor Edna Benito both thanked DBP and MinDA for working on the establishment of the ATMs in their towns.
Malabang town is historic for it was in this town where the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 killed Supreme Court Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos. –Edwin O. Fernandez
