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SSS partners with EastWest Rural Bank to bring MySSS Card services closer to rural areas

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QUEZON CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) announced that its MySSS Card will soon reach members in unbanked areas after EastWest Rural Bank (EWRB) became its first rural bank card issuer, a move to expand financial inclusion in underserved communities.

SSS president and chief executive officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro (right) and EWRB president Shiela Marasigan-Bajado (left) led the signing of the memorandum of agreement, authorizing the bank to issue MySSS Cards, primarily for members in rural areas while remaining accessible to qualified members nationwide.

De Claro praised the partnership as a significant project that will simplify disbursement account enrollment and improve convenience for members, highlighting the card’s dual role as an official SSS ID and debit card.

“The MySSS card also allows SSS to provide digital payment facilities for our registrants, members, pensioners, and beneficiaries,” De Claro added.

The SSS uses National ID database checks to confirm that applicants are registered SSS members, ensuring secure card issuance by its partner bank and accurate benefit disbursement through the linked account. The card also enables members to manage their daily financial transactions with ease.

Bajado said that a streamlined MySSS Card application process will be available at EWRB’s 112 branches and branch-lites nationwide this year, most of which are in the provinces, particularly in Mindanao and the Visayas. The card may also be offered at Cross-Selling Desks inside EastWest Bank branches, their parent bank, through a digital channel.

“We will waive maintaining balance requirements for MySSS cardholders, who may also earn interest once their balance reaches at least ₱500, allowing them to grow their savings while enjoying flexible account features,” Bajado said.

De Claro said that SSS has maintained a decade-long collaboration with EWRB, which began in 2017 when the bank was recognized as the Best Collecting and Best Paying Partner in the rural category of the SSS Balikat ng Bayan Awards. “We hope our collaboration will help SSS better serve members wherever they are,” he said.

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Community

Magenta Moves: EastWest Rural Bank’s program for teacher wellness and learner protection

by Contributor
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MAGENTA Moves is EastWest Rural Bank’s (EWRB) initiative that champions both teacher wellness and learner protection. Designed as a continuous program that supports educators while contributing to safe learning spaces, Magenta Moves was launched with A Day for Teacher Wellness, a Zumba-for-a-cause activity held at Davao City National High School during National Teachers’ Month in September.

The launch event brought together hundreds of teachers and education leaders in a celebration of health and community service. For every participant, EWRB pledged a Php 100 donation to the Department of Education’s Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO), ensuring that each dance step contributed to the advocacy of creating safe and nurturing learning environments for Filipino students.

A total of 671 DepEd teachers and staff joined the activity together with 33 EWRB employees who shared in the energy of the event.

“Magenta Moves is our way of celebrating educators while also supporting the vital work of the LRPO in protecting Filipino learners,” said Sheila Marasigan Bajado, President of EastWest Rural Bank.

The LRPO plays a key role in ensuring that every student is free from abuse, discrimination, bullying, and other forms of violence in schools. By supporting LRPO, EWRB stands in solidarity with teachers and DepEd officials in upholding safe, inclusive, and nurturing education environments.

Every dance step counts: Magenta Moves turned wellness into purpose, with 671 teachers and 33 EWRB employees moving together for the cause of learner protection.
During Magenta Moves: A Day for Teacher Wellness, EWRB donated Php 50,000 to the Department of Education’s Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO) as part of its goal to support for safe and nurturing learning spaces.

The event was attended by key officials from the Department of Education, including Josie T. Bolofer (Assistant Schools Division Superintendent), Jonito O. Galan (Public Schools District Supervisor), Evelyn Magno (School Head – Davao City National High School), and Jonas Piore (Education Program Supervisor/Division Partnership Focal).

Representing EWRB were Sheila Marasigan Bajado (President) and Senior Leaders Hera A. Duka, Gerard Loni Duque, Zaldy Peter Calicdan, and Region 11 Area Head Alexis Durilag.

Through music and a common purpose, Magenta Moves was yet another celebration of meaningful, learner-centered initiatives and teacher welfare, a direct reflection of its core mission to nurture people and respond to community needs.

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Business

EastWest Rural Bank, Goodlife Group partner to broaden financial access in PH

by Contributor
written by Contributor

EASTWEST Rural Bank (EWRB), a subsidiary of EastWest, has taken another step toward advancing accessible banking in rural communities through a new partnership with the Goodlife Group of Companies. The collaboration was formalized during an official signing ceremony held in Digos City, Davao del Sur, attended by key executives from both organizations.

The partnership aims to make financial services more accessible to rural communities served by Goodlife’s network. As part of the agreement, EWRB will begin servicing the group’s rural branch deposits through Inter-Branch Transactions (IBT), starting with pilot stores in Nasipit and Dapa. This initiative builds on Goodlife’s existing relationship with EastWest’s Digos Store and is expected to bring greater convenience and reliability to their branch operations.

“Our collaboration with Goodlife Group of Companies reflects EastWest Rural Bank’s mission to bridge the gap between rural communities and quality financial services,” said Hera Duka, business innovation group leader of EWRB. “By leveraging our nationwide capabilities, we are ensuring that even the most remote branches can enjoy seamless and secure banking transactions.”

Representing EastWest at the event were Michael Nacional, head of Mindanao Branch Banking; Michael Angelo Amora, head of VisMin Sales and Implementation; Ashbury Franklin Alcordo, CMS specialist, VisMin Sales and Implementation; and Farrah Aznar, store manager of Digos City. From EWRB, Hera Duka, business innovation group leader, and Nestor Bayacag, team leader–sales, Digos City Store-Lite, joined the signing.

The Goodlife Group of Companies delegation was led by Albert C. Arocco Jr., president, along with Job Fernandez, EVP and chief operating officer; Albert Hilario, EVP and chief financial officer; Julius Celomin, chief information officer; and Epthony Tampus, chief marketing officer.

With 157 branches nationwide, Goodlife Group of Companies operates through its subsidiaries: Goodlife Damayan Insurance Agency Co., Goodlife Memorial Chapels Co., Goodlife Savings & Credit Cooperative, and Goodlife Community Cares Foundation Inc., which offers essential services across various regions.

“Partnering with EastWest Rural Bank gives us a stronger financial backbone to better serve our communities,” said Albert C. Arocco Jr., president of Goodlife Group of Companies. “This step improves our operations and reflects our shared goal of helping the communities we work with thrive.”

The initiative strengthens EWRB’s support for rural communities by providing reliable banking services that drive growth and broaden financial access across the Philippines.

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CommunityEducation

EastWest Rural Bank champions health and education through Brigada Eskwela 2025 initiatives

by Contributor
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EASTWEST Rural Bank (EWRB) continued its strong community involvement by supporting the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela 2025 through two focused efforts: the annual physical test (APT) initiative and its flagship volunteer program, EWRB in Action. Both efforts were launched nationwide to support the physical, mental, and academic readiness of educators and learners alike under this year’s campaign theme, “Sama-sama para sa Bayang Bumabasa.”

Promoting teacher wellness through APT

In a bid to care for the country’s educators, EWRB rolled out the APT program once again. It offered free medical checkups such as CBC, urinalysis, and chest X-rays to DepEd teachers and non-teaching staff. The program also included financial literacy and cybersecurity sessions to help participants protect both their health and finances.

“This initiative shows how we live out our core value, ‘I Respond,’” said Sheila Marasigan Bajado, president of EastWest Rural Bank. “We recognize that to uplift education, we must also take care of the people behind it.”

The program was officially rolled out during the Brigada Eskwela national and regional kick-offs, with over 600 DepEd personnel serving at the national level and an estimated 3,000 more nationwide throughout the week-long campaign.

EWRB in action: Beautifying schools nationwide

Simultaneously, EastWest Rural Bank’s “EWRB in Action” initiative extended tangible classroom support by distributing beautification materials, school supplies, and mobilizing employee volunteers to aid in school preparation.

Aligned with the 2025 Brigada Eskwela theme, “Sama-sama para sa Bayang Bumabasa,” the program benefited 846 public schools across the country through donations of paint, restoration tools, and on-ground assistance. Wellness booths and giveaways further strengthened EWRB’s engagement with local communities.

“Their presence in the field brings meaningful impact to the schools and learners they serve,” said Davedinah “Dove” Cometa, Project Development Officer III at the DepEd Central Office – External Partnerships Service.

Shared impact, shared purpose

Dr. Jinky B. Firman, Schools Division Superintendent of Panabo City, Region XI joins EastWest Rural Bank personnel during the rollout of the annual physical test (APT) initiative.

EastWest Rural Bank’s Brigada Eskwela efforts reached all regions. The programs offered health services and classroom support, with each one focused on meeting the specific needs of schools and teachers in practical ways.

Dr. Jinky B. Firman, schools division superintendent in Panabo City, where both programs were conducted, commended the initiative: “We deeply appreciate EastWest Rural Bank’s support for our teachers, not only through health and financial wellness programs, but also by providing much-needed supplies for our schools. The help they extended was timely and truly meaningful.”

“It’s a privilege to support our public school teachers and students as they prepare for a new school year,” added Hera Duka, EWRB’s Sustainability Champion. “We focus on providing real, practical help through health services, classroom support, or other specific needs identified by each school.”

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