Digital challenger Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., or RCBC, started an initiative to extend its physical-digital or phygital barangayan banking services to the geographically-isolated and disadvantaged area of Turtle Island, Tawi-Tawi, situated in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM, region.

Provision of the banking services was made possible through RCBC ATM Go, the first and largest network of grassroots-oriented and mobile-point-of-system ATM service that covers 100 percent of the Philippines and has presence in all 82 provinces through its network of partner merchants.

Turtle Island is located at the southwestern tip of the Philippines and a brief 30-minute boat ride from Sabah, Malaysia.

The fifth class municipality has historically faced challenges with its residents traveling to BARMM for banking needs, incurring costs and physical burdens.

The introduction of RCBC ATM Go is the first actual deployment of a bank in the island municipality, providing digital financial services and addressing logistical and financial concerns.