Insider Spotlight
Hosted by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), the Asian Bankers Association's (ABA) Short-Term Visiting Program brought together representatives from member banks alongside officials from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), global payments companies and technology firms for discussions on emerging trends affecting banking.
The forum, held at RCBC's Collaboration Hub in Bonifacio Global City, centered on stablecoins, payments tokenization, cross-border payments, financial health, sustainability and digital readiness, the bank said in a company release.
Speakers included BSP deputy governors Lyn Javier and Mamerto Tangonan, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center executive director and DICT undersecretary Atty. Aboy Paraiso, Visa Asia Pacific head of consulting and AI practice Manideep Gupta, Google Pay Asia Pacific strategic partnerships lead T.G. Ramakrishnan, Mastercard Philippines country manager Jason Crasto, and BSP assistant governor and chief sustainability officer Pia Roman Tayag.
The big picture
The discussions reflected how financial institutions across Asia are increasingly focusing on digital transformation while addressing the risks that accompany wider adoption of AI-powered services, digital assets and interconnected payment systems.
Asian Bankers Association deputy secretary Amador Honrado said the visiting program aims to strengthen knowledge sharing among member banks, particularly those from developing markets.
“The primary objective of ABA’s short-term visiting program is to provide our member banks, particularly those from less developed countries, the opportunity to study and undergo training on specific aspects of the operations and facilities of the host banks, and learn from their experience and best practices,” Honrado said.
Why it matters
The gathering also underscored the growing collaboration among banks, regulators and technology providers as financial institutions navigate evolving customer expectations, cybersecurity threats and new digital finance models.
RCBC executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer Lito Villanueva said industry-wide dialogue remains essential as banking continues to evolve.
“On behalf of RCBC, we thank the Asian Bankers Association for entrusting us with the opportunity to host these important conversations. Forums such as these enable industry leaders to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collectively shape the future of banking in the region,” Villanueva said.
In his closing remarks, RCBC president and CEO Reggie Cariaso stressed that innovation should remain anchored on public trust despite accelerating technological change.
“What I believe will be the true legacy of this event was our collective refusal to let technology outpace our humanity. We are not just mechanics optimizing machines. We are stewards of the public trust,” Cariaso said. — Princess Daisy C. Ominga| Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
