PHILIPPINE National Bank (PSE: PNB) formally opened the doors of PNB Remittance Centers, Inc. (PNB RCI) corporate office on May 30 in its new home at 225 West Broadway, Suite 301, Glendale, California 91204.
The new office is centrally located right across the West Broadway side of the Glendale Galleria between Orange Street and Central Avenue. It is the same building where the Social Security office is located. For further information, please call (213) 401 1008 Extension 201 or 302.
Several dozen guests invited for the great occasion included a few of the who’s who in the local business community, Wells Fargo Bank representatives, industry associates and some from the media. Stewart Niles of CRESA, a commercial real estate firm was there as well as Ethel Rubio, an architect and head of the UP Alumni Association group in the U.S.
The event was kicked off by a ribbon-cutting ceremony, blessing of the office premises by Father Percy Juan G. Bacani, MJ — Pastor of Precious Blood Catholic Church in Los Angeles. Guests had a little fun grabbing lucky coins and the delicious lunch was catered by Kusina Filipina, a restaurant and catering company in Eagle Rock.
PNB RCI is an indirect, wholly-owned affiliate of PNB. It was incorporated nearly three decades ago in October 1990 as Century Finance and Remittance Centers, Inc. under then top executive Rommel Garcia. It was licensed by the California Department of Financial Institutions as a transmitter of money abroad in 1991. Rommel Garcia, before he passed away a few years ago, was the longest-presiding President & CEO of the company overseeing many years of growth and profitability for the company.
PNBRCI currently serves as one of the biggest Philippine bank–affiliated money transmitters catering to the remittance needs of Filipinos in the United States. The relocation was part of the bank’s strategy to address the financial needs of a wider customer base in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County. Through this move, PNBRCI aims to gain further traction and reach and satisfy the remittance needs of more expatriate Filipino consumers in Glendale and its neighboring cities of Los Angeles, Burbank and even others living within a 30 to 50-mile radius.
Gracing the occasion of this strategic corporate move is Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso, President & CEO of PNB, who flew in from the Philippines for the event. Veloso is here as well to have a first hand feel for the business climate in the front line communities that PNBRCI serves in this part of the US. Wick Veloso is a graduate of De La Salle University in the Philippines. Prior to this position, he was President & CEO of Hongkong & Shanghai Bank (HSBC) Philippines where he gained both extensive domestic and international banking experience for many years serving in various capacities both in the Philippines and Hongkong.
PNB Retail Banking Sector Head & EVP Bernie Tocmo was also there just as he had attended as an honored guest to the grand opening of the PNB Los Angeles office on Wilshire Blvd a few weeks earlier. Edith Manalad, GM/VP of PNB Los Angeles was also there for the occasion.
Also in attendance are LT Group Communications Director Claro P. Fernandez and PNB Chief Compliance Officer & FSVP Isagani A. Cortes.
Nelson Javier, now President & CEO of PNBRCI, is a stalwart PNB guy through and through and is bringing his deep and wide-ranging experience as he presides over the remittance business. Nelson is the acknowledged originator of the OPHL, Own a Philippine Home Loan program, along with then-bank officer, Bulos Ople and perhaps, a few other officers, more than two decades ago.
Philippine National Bank is one of the country’s largest private universal banks in terms of assets and deposits It has been and will continue to be a major player in the industry because of its solid track record of stability, integrity and excellent service to millions of Filipinos in the country and other parts of the world for over a century.
It provides a full range of banking and financial services to its widely diverse clientele comprised of individual depositors — a significant segment of which are overseas foreign workers and expatriates. PNB serves small and medium enterprises, domestic and international corporations and government institutions. PNB’s prospects for the immediate and long term future are positive as it looks forward to more years of serving its customers first.
For more information, visit its official website: www.pnb.com.ph.
