Merchants Savings & Loan Association, Inc., which is doing business under the name and style of “Rizal MicroBank – A Thrift bank”, was incorporated on December 15, 1976. The bank, which has twenty-one (21) branches scattered all over the Philippines became a subsidiary of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) after the latter bought it in 2008. Twenty (20) of the branch licenses of Merchants Bank were used by RCBC to further expand its branch network while one (1) branch license together with the thrift bank license were retained to jumpstart the universal bank’s venture into microfinance as part of RCBC’s business and market diversification strategy.
In 2010, Rizal MicroBank (RMB) activated its banking operation with its lone branch in Koronadal South Cotabato. In the same year, Rizal MicroBank opened another banking operation in Davao City after it was able to secure the transfer of the thrift bank’s head office from Makati to Davao City. In 2012, the bank added more branches in Digos (Davao Del Sur) and Tagum (Davao Del Norte). In the same year, Rizal MicroBank purchased the ten (10) branch licenses of the Southern Tagalog-based Pres. Jose P. Laurel Rural Bank, another RCBC subsidiary focused in microfinance services. These 10 branches were located in Tanauan, Laurel, Rosario, Bauan, Nasugbu, Lemery (Batangas), Calamba (Laguna), Candelaria (Quezon), San Jose (Occidental Mindoro) and Puerto Princesa (Palawan). In 2014, additional new branches were put-up in Mindanao, namely in General Santos City (South Cotabato), Valencia City (Bukidnon), Cagayan De Oro City (Misamis Oriental) and Butuan City (Agusan Del Norte). In 2015, the bank management decided to close the operations of two (2) branches namely Lemery (Batangas) and Candelaria (Quezon) as part of its branch rationalization strategy in Luzon area, and thereafter relocated the branch licenses in Consolacion and Talisay City, (Cebu Province). This move to the Visayas area sets the tone for the planned nationwide operation of Rizal MicroBank.
Today, Rizal MicroBank is on its way to fulfilling its role in the RCBC Group as its vehicle for providing much-needed services to the un-banked and underserved segments of the country’s population. Through the combined strengths of RCBC and RMB, we can make positive differences in the lives not just of our customers and our beloved country but ours, too.
We are Rizal MicroBank and we believe in our micro and small entrepreneurs!
