Banco Dipolog, Inc.

Get to Know Zamboanga del Norte’s First Bank!

Banco Dipolog, Inc. (BDI), is the 54th rural bank opened in the Philippines after the enactment of the Rural Banking Act of 1952. The late Justice Florentino Saguin, with the strong support of his son, Atty. Augusto “Tuting” Saguin, originally established it as the Rural Bank of Dipolog, Inc. on October 17, 1957, and opened its welcoming doors to the banking public on November 2, 1957.

From its noble formation and incubation, the bank succeeded in institutionalizing a culture that is highly – imbued with a sense of vision, mission, and integrity. Being a man with far - reaching ideals, the foundational leadership of Justice Saguin from 1957 up to the early 1960s succeeded in laying out the foundation to make RBDI a financially – stable going concern.

The bank’s management, after the death of Justice Saguin in 1965, was passed on to his very competent wife, Doña Consuelo Galleposo Saguin. With burning fervor and loving dedication for the family business, Doña Consuelo spent the last ten years of her life in proficiently nurturing the viability of the bank at its early growth stage until a fine – tuned change of leadership was experienced by the bank after her death. Co – founder of the Rural Bank of Dipolog Inc., Atty. Augusto Saguin, formally took his sublime oath as Chairman and President in June 1975. In line with a truly dignified aspiration to help the poor, Atty. Saguin paved the way for a more market – responsive RBDI. With a premium placed on prudence, tenacity, hard work and utmost integrity, Atty. Saguin commendably strengthened the institution’s financial pillars. The bank was cited by Bangko SEntral ng Pilipinas as the Top Rural Bank for Region IX in 1989.

After decades of well - calculated journey backed by a very healthy balance sheet, RBDI shifted its attention into business expansion in the 1990s. Branches were opened in Dapitan City on January 8, 1998 and in the Municipality of Sindangan on July 8 of the same year. It further opened up to new markets, client base, and all continuous learning possibilities in the year 2000 when it started offering its consumer loan products as well as its Microfinance “TIGUM” or “ Tubag sa Gikinahanglan Ug Magmalambuon ” loan product. At that time it was the first and only accredited rural bank of the Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) within the province. More branches and “other banking offices” were later opened within the provinces Zamboanga-Sibugay, Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur.

In 2009, a total reengineering was realized with new management sitting in. The only son of Atty. Augusto G. Saguin, Mr. Jude Martin Raymund B. Saguin, was elected as the Saguin - Galleposo family group’s third generation President and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Also elected at the executive level was the granddaughter of Atty. Saguin, Ms. Ma. Katrina Francesca S. Herrera designated as Vice - President for Administration and Finance and also elected as one of the bank’s regular directors.

On April 17, 2010, RBDI’s stockholders boldly adopted a full rebranding strategy, involving changes to the brand's logo and corporate name. The said move is backed with the brand vision of sustaining its major role in the rural banking industry and meeting the challenges of a multi-tiered competitive environment, leveraging on its solid 50 - year heritage.

Today, Banco Dipolog, Inc. or BDI has been living on its central management philosophy, “Katumanan sa Maayong Ugma.” It has been very direct, emphatic and assertive in carrying out the ultimate meaning of its existence to the banking public. As of September 30, 2010, RBDI ranks 14th in terms of total capital, 29th in terms of total gross loan portfolio and 42nd in terms of total assets among over 600 surviving rural banks as of that date.

With the guidance of its competent Board of Directors and executives imbued with the excellent corporate philosophies and values of its pillars, BDI is determined to be sincerely instrumental in alleviating the sad plight of those at the bottom of the economic pyramid with its opportune products and services. It is prepared to master the challenges ahead of it, and to apply both prudence and boldness in its decisions depending on how circumstances and opportunities may unfold.

With over 54 years in business, it is undoubtedly an epitome of sound rural banking.