(From left) Senior Vice President and Head of the Metro Manila Branch Banking Group Jay Pesigan; Executive Vice President and Head of the Retail Banking Sector Carlo Dimaala; Senior Vice President and Head of the Cash Management Division Katherine Cabrera; and Assistant Vice President and Head of the Cash Management Sales Department Julius Sinoy.
Philippine National Bank (PNB) has earned two major honors at the Asian Banking & Finance Awards 2026, receiving recognition for its retail banking performance and financial inclusion initiatives as the Lucio Tan-led lender continues to expand its digital banking services.
The bank was named Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Philippines under the Retail Banking Awards and Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year – Philippines under the Wholesale Banking Awards during ceremonies held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
PNB President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin R. Bautista said the awards reflect the bank's efforts to provide innovative and accessible financial services to its customers.
"These awards reflect PNB's commitment to serving the evolving needs of our customers through innovation, accessibility, and meaningful financial solutions," Bautista said. "Whether through strengthening our retail banking franchise or expanding access to digital financial services, we remain focused on creating opportunities that empower individuals, businesses, and communities across the country."
The Domestic Retail Bank of the Year award recognized PNB's retail banking performance in 2025, highlighted by the bank surpassing the P1-trillion deposit milestone while accelerating its shift toward a more digitally enabled and customer-focused banking model. The bank attributed the growth to investments in branch modernization, digital capabilities, customer acquisition, and cross-selling initiatives.
Among its digital initiatives was the launch of the Mobile Account Application, which allows customers to open bank accounts entirely through their mobile devices. PNB said the platform generated more than 100,000 new accounts in its first year, with over 80 percent coming from first-time PNB customers.
Meanwhile, the Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year award cited PNB's efforts to expand digital financial services for businesses through QRPh collections, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Corporate Cash Accept Machines (CCAMs), and integrated cash management solutions.
By the end of 2025, PNB had onboarded more than 16,000 merchants to its POS and QRPh platforms, with over 11,000 active users generating more than P20 billion in collections. The bank also rolled out QRPh-enabled payment solutions for more than 1,200 sales personnel nationwide to help transition cash-based transactions into digital payments.
