MANILA, Philippines — The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is making a bigger push to attract deposits as the state-owned lender looks to strengthen its funding base and expand its capacity to finance infrastructure, businesses and other development projects across the country.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Michael O. de Jesus said the bank has launched its “Save 2 Win” campaign as part of an aggressive deposit-generation drive targeting both individual and institutional depositors.
The strategy comes as DBP’s deposit base has already posted significant growth.
According to figures cited by the Philippine Information Agency, DBP’s deposits climbed 15.51 percent to ₱413.41 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up from ₱357.91 billion during the same period last year.
The latest campaign is designed to push that growth further.
DBP wants deposits to fuel development
De Jesus said every deposit placed with the bank can help strengthen its ability to finance projects with broader economic and social impact.
DBP currently focuses its lending activities on four priority areas: infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); environmental projects; and social services and community development.
That makes the deposit campaign more than a conventional savings drive. For DBP, deposits represent an important source of funding that can ultimately support its lending pipeline.
The bank’s role is significant because it remains one of the Philippines’ largest banking institutions. BSP data placed DBP at 10th among universal and commercial banks by total assets, with approximately ₱1.036 trillion as of March 31, 2026.
The ₱250,000 incentive is part of the strategy
Under the Save 2 Win promotion, eligible individual depositors can compete for cash prizes of up to ₱250,000, while institutional depositors can receive gift certificates.
The campaign is also intended to encourage more Filipinos—particularly those who remain underbanked or unbanked—to participate in the formal financial system.
SunStar reported that the promotion is available to eligible depositors at DBP branches nationwide and is scheduled to run until December 31, 2026.
Why the deposit race matters
The move comes against the backdrop of a banking sector where deposits remain a critical source of funding for lending.
BSP statistics show that DBP ranked ninth among universal and commercial banks in total deposit liabilities as of March 31, 2026, with about ₱799.53 billion in total deposits under the BSP’s broader banking statistics.
The difference between the BSP figure and the ₱413.41-billion figure cited in the latest DBP campaign report reflects different reporting bases and should not be treated as contradictory figures without examining the underlying financial-statistics definitions.
DBP has also been working to expand its physical reach. In June, the bank opened a new branch along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City, positioning itself closer to major government and agricultural agencies.
The bank opened another branch in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, in 2025 as part of its effort to bring banking services closer to communities and local businesses.
The bigger picture
DBP’s deposit campaign points to a broader objective: securing a stronger and more diversified funding base while expanding its ability to lend to sectors considered crucial to Philippine economic development.
A DBP-related 2025 debt-market document noted that the bank’s business model relies on deposit growth to support its loan pipeline, while also acknowledging challenges in generating private-sector deposits because of its reach and digital banking capabilities.
That makes the latest campaign particularly important.
If DBP succeeds in bringing in more individual and institutional deposits, the additional funding could give the government-owned lender greater room to support infrastructure, MSMEs, environmental initiatives and community development projects.
For ordinary savers, meanwhile, the campaign offers an additional incentive to consider DBP for their deposits—with the possibility of winning prizes while keeping their money within the banking system.
And that may be the real story behind DBP’s latest move: the bank is not simply asking Filipinos to save more—it is positioning those savings as a bigger engine for the country’s development financing.
Leave a Reply