The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) are among the early adopters of the Direct Debit facility in the Philippines, an interoperable and multilateral auto-debit system allowing property buyers and tenants to settle recurring payments from any account from participating banks — seamlessly, securely and on schedule.

The initiative reflects a strategic collaboration between two leading Ayala companies, combining BPI’s digital banking infrastructure and Ayala Land’s extensive property ecosystem to modernize payment processes and elevate the overall customer experience.

Through the integration, ALI property buyers and tenants can authorize automatic debits from any participating banks for recurring obligations such as property amortizations, rentals, association dues and other scheduled payments, with full rollout targeted within the first quarter of the year following the pilot phase.

Phl’s first interoperable and multilateral auto-debit system

The Direct Debit facility is the Philippines’ first interoperable and multilateral auto-debit system, enabling automated debits across banks via a regulated clearing house.

Historically, auto-debit arrangements required both payor and biller to maintain accounts within the same bank.

With Direct Debit, customers can now use their existing bank accounts across participating banks, making recurring payments more convenient and accessible while supporting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ roadmap for a faster, safer, and more inclusive digital payments ecosystem.

Financial system strengthened

Direct Debit forms part of the BSP’s broader push for interoperable digital payment streams, alongside InstaPay and PESONet, strengthening the country’s financial infrastructure, ensuring safe, efficient and reliable payment systems, and consumer protection.

For Ayala Land, the platform enhances operational efficiency by enabling automated clearing, same-day settlement to their BPI account, and standardized reporting across Philippine Clearing House Corporation member banks — reducing manual processing, accelerating posting of payments and improving reconciliation.

For customers, it means fewer missed payments, less administrative effort and a smoother end-to-end property ownership journey.

New standard in payments

“This is a first-of-its-kind solution in the Philippines that allows interoperable direct debit for recurring payments,” said Louie Cruz, head of Institutional Banking at BPI. “By enabling automated debits from any participating bank, we are setting a new standard for convenience, reliability and innovation in payments. Our collaboration with Ayala Land demonstrates how partnerships can scale digital solutions that directly benefit customers.”

“As BPI celebrates 175 years, we continue to invest in innovations that simplify everyday financial transactions,” he added.

“This initiative reinforces Ayala Land’s commitment to delivering a more seamless and efficient buying experience,” said Jigger Jamir, deputy treasurer of Ayala Land.

“Through a one-time authorization, customers can now make recurring payments electronically using their existing bank accounts, removing the need for multiple checks and simplifying how they manage their financial commitments. At the same time, automated clearing, same-day settlement, and standardized reporting enable faster posting of payments and more efficient processing.”