About Plantersbank The Bank for SMEs

Planters Development Bank (Plantersbank) is a privately-owned and managed bank with a complete range of commercial banking products and services especially geared towards promoting the interest of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

For the past four decades, Plantersbank has devoted its organization and resources to the service of the Filipino entrepreneur and will continue to champion the cause of SMEs by bringing to them the resources needed in this period of accelerated change and global competition.

Plantersbank is…

  • The country’s largest private development bank with total assets of P55 billion, capital of P4.8 billion and nationwide network of 70 branches.
  • Nationally acclaimed as the Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
  • One of the top 250 among the Philippines Top 1,000 Corporations
  • Provider of global expertise and resources through partnerships with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and Asian Development Bank (ADB)
  • Consistent recipient of awards and citations for SME finance and development, including the first-ever President’s Citation for MSME Development in 2009 and the 2008 Outstanding SME Development Project Award in Asia-Pacific for the Plantersbank SME Business Park.
  • Gateway for SMEs into the Internet through the joint venture company with International Finance Corporation (IFC) – PDB SME Solutions, Inc. (sme.com.ph), winner of the 2001 Asian Banking Award for e-commerce service.

Awards & Recognition

Our harvest of awards and citations for development finance and SME advocacy

2009

  • Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2009 and Master Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Awards presented to Plantersbank chairman Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting for sound management practices in key areas of the bank-finance, marketing, human resources and sales-catapulting Plantersbank to becoming the leader in SME finance and the country’s largest private development bank.
  • Distinguished Person of the Year Award conferred to Plantersbank chairman Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting “in recognition of his contribution as a visionary, advocate, capacity-builder and innovator of development finance.”
  • President’s Citation for Best Practice in Improving Access to Finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises presented during National SME Week.
  • Best Countryside Loan Fund Partner from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
  • Kabalikat ng MSME Award for outstanding performance in Micro and SME Wholesale Lending Program of the Small Business Corporation (SBC).
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership Challenge Citation for Double Bottomline Banking from the Management Association of the Philippines.

More awards and citations

Our Milestones

March. Bulacan Development Bank (BDB) is incorporated in San Miguel, Bulacan.
1961

1971
July. Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting acquires Malolos-based Bulacan Savings and Loan Association (BSLA).

December. Present majority owners led by Ambassador Jesus P. Tambunting take over Bulacan Development Bank.
1972

1975
December. BDB and BSLA merge.

September. Bulacan Development Bank assumes new present corporate name Planters Development Bank. Head office transfers from San Miguel to Baliuag, Bulacan. Plantersbank operates six branches.
1976

1977
December. Plantersbank acquires Investor Savings and Loan Association (ISLA), a Makati-based thrift institution.

July. Plantersbank transfers head office to Makati. Branch network now at 18.
1981

1983
January. The Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), a Dutch state-controlled bank, invests in Plantersbank, making history as the first international investment in a Philippine private development bank.

August. Plantersbank acquires Agro-Industrial Bank (AIDBank) in Pampanga. Branch network increases to 22.
1984

1986
March. Plantersbank acquires Country Development Bank in Olongapo City. Branch network now at 27.

June. Asian Development Bank makes direct equity investment in Plantersbank, an unprecedented move by ADB in the Philippines.
1987

1991
March. New Plantersbank Head Office in Makati inaugurated.

July. Plantersbank adopts new logo as a reflection of the institution “in the context of the changing times.”
1995

2000
February. International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private investment arm of the World Bank, invests P1 billion in equity, loans and grants.

June. IFC undertakes first internet venture, the joint venture with Plantersbank called SME.Com.Ph (PDB SME Solutions, Inc.)
2000

2001
November. Plantersbank, IFC and FMO form Micro Enterprise Bank.

July. Plantersbank acquires Active Bank. Plantersbank also launches the award-winning SME Advocacy Campaign to bring public attention to the country’s SMEs, and promote entrepreneurship, positive values and best business practices.
2002

2003
October. Plantersbank acquires The Region Bank (Los Banos Rural Bank), the country’s largest rural bank at the time.

December. Plantersbank completes P1-billion Tier 2 capital note issue. Germany’s DEG directly participates with US$7.5 million.
2004

2005
January. Plantersbank-Aureos SME Equity Fund, the first private equity fund of its kind in the country, is launched in Malacanang Palace with London-based Aureos Capital Ltd.

December. Plantersbank is one of three banks in the world cited for achieving strong Double Bottom Line objectives during the Harvard Business School Conference on Global Poverty.
2005

2006
March. Plantersbank absorbs Davao-based affiliate Micro Enterprise Bank becoming the largest domestic bank to establish a lending platform to support and sustain a vibrant micro enterprise sector.

September. Plantersbank and Chicago-based ShoreCap International Ltd. formalize partnership to support small enterprises through private finance and training support.
2006

2007
July. Aligned with its thrust to Enable Entrepreneurs, Plantersbank officially opens in Cebu the 40-hectare Plantersbank SME Business Park, the first industrial park wholly dedicated to SMEs.

August. Plantersbank and SME.Com.Ph launch the SME Community Philippines road show, under the aegis of the SME Advocacy Campaign.
2007

2008
April. Plantersbank rolls out SME Online internet banking facility.

April. Plantersbank launches SME Speaker Series in Cebu. The series is a nationwide advocacy campaign to promote cutting edge ideas on wealth creation, personal mastery and entrepreneurial design.
2008

2009
July. Plantersbank becomes the first-ever recipient of the President’s Citation for “Best Practice in Improving Access to Finance” during the launching ceremonies of National MSME Development Week.