UCPB United Coconut Planters Bank – Get To Know A Special Bank

One of the oldest banks in the Philippines, UCPB is a strong bank that offers competitive rates for all your banking needs. They offer personal and business accounts, loans, credit cards, investments, and more. If you’re looking to join the ranks of over one million happy customers who bank with UCPB, then look no further than this article. 

What Is UCPB?

Among the Philippines’ largest banks, UCPB is famous for providing financial products and services. They cater to every need, from corporations, middle-market companies, private or government institutions, to individuals. 

The United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB), or its old name as Cocobank, ranks among the top twenty Philippine banking institutions when it comes to assets. Also, this universal bank is the only one not listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange. As its name suggests, the bank caters heavily towards coconut farmers, but it provides a wide range of services for various customers as well.

The bank’s affiliates are now operating across the country, bringing its complete range of commercial banking services to a diverse clientele. It has strong potential in many aspects, such as consumer finance, trust banking, commercial credit, corporate & investment banking, international and domestic trade finance, deposit services, cash management as well as treasury and money market investment.

UCPB has always been a trendsetter in customer service, among the first ones introducing ATM services more than 20 years ago. Since then, it has expanded electronic banking capability based on internet banking facilities as well mobile services for customers.

The banking services provided by UCPB ensure that clients can access their funds anywhere in the country, anytime. With over 300 ATMs and 188 branches to serve you 24/7, there is no need for worry when it comes to managing your money.

See also: Metrobank Phillippines – 6 things you need to know

UCPB Operation And Development

On 15th May 1963, UCPB started as the First United Bank (in the Philippines). At that time, it was only a small commercial bank having four branches. 

UCPB is the result of Presidential Decree 755, where President Marcos instructed PCA in 1975 to formulate and recommend for adoption credit policies. These policies affected the production, marketing, processing of coconut oil, as well as gave coconut farmers opportunities of the favorable rate of interest on loans. 

The Philippine Central Bank, headed by Juan Ponce Enrile, then bought the 72.2% First United Bank belonging to Jose Cojuangco. Cocobank was the official name in the short form of the bank in the 1980s and early 1990s. 

In the 1980s, UCPB was one of the first financial institutions in the Philippines to offer ATM services. In 1990, UCPB, together with Equitable Banking Corporation (now Banco de Oro Universal Bank), Philippine National Bank, and the Far East Bank and Trust Company (now BPI), established MegaLink in 1990. 

Since then, they have grown to be among the three main interbank networks in this country. Later in 1993, UCPB established Cocoplans – the pre-need service.

In November of 2015, UCPB joined BancNet.

In 2018, it began conversion into a government-owned financial service provider. Then it joined the league of LandBank, Development Bank of the Philippines, and Overseas Filipino Bank. In 2020 with a further increase in ownership from 75% to 97% by the Philippine Government, UCPB is now a state-owned and controlled bank as well.

On 25th June 2021, the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, signed an Executive Order that merges The Land Bank with UCPB.

UCPB in Rizal

See also: Everything You Need To Know About PNB – Philippine National Bank

Is UCPB A Government Or A Private Bank?

The 2018 UCPB’s annual report says that it became a GOCC and is a state depository bank too. Despite the UCPB’s huge amounts of money receiving over time from the government, there is no plan of its operation as a government bank. It has been working closely with the Department of Finance on privatization. 

What Products And Services Do Ucpb Provide?

UCPB is a premier provider of banking services, offering a large range of innovative ones. Their products include Loans (Home loans, Personal loans, Business Loans, and Auto loans), Deposits (Savings Accounts with foreign currency deposits and Time Deposits), and many others.

UCPB in Makati

Personal

• Accounts: The most preferred type is Peso accounts, including six options below: Regular Savings Account with Passbook, Regular Savings Account with ATM Card, CheckStarter Account, Multi-One Account, Regular Checking Account, and Start2Save Junior Savings Account (for children at the age of 0 to 9). Besides are many others such as Pensioner Accounts, Foreign Currency Accounts, and U-Remit Accounts.
• Bancassurance: The BSP has granted UCPB permission to cross-sell insurance products nationwide. Several options provided are Non-Life Insurance, Life Insurance, together with many excel packages. 
• Cards: 4 options available are UCPB eMoney EMV Card, UCPB uRemit EMV Card, UCPB Visa Debit EMV Card, and UCPB Start2Save Junior Savings ATM Card 
• Bills Payments: Your account allows you to pay: capable TV, credit cards, insurances, corporation, and so on.
• Loans: UCPB provides 4 loans that you can opt for: home loan, auto loan, salary loan, and small business loan. 

In addition, there are some more products as well as services: 

• Foreign Exchange
• Electronic Banking
• OFW Remittances
• Trust Products and Services
• Treasury Placements

Business

• Accounts: Like personal accounts, peso accounts are the best-favored types in business accounts. There are some following options: Savings Account with ATM, Checking Account with ATM & Passbook, Checking Account, and Savings Account with Passbook. However, a difference is an additional type which is Foreign Currency Accounts. 
• Bills Collections: There are three different bill collections to choose from: Point-of-Sale (POS), Over Counter Collection Facility, and Automatic Debit Arrangement.
• Bills Payments: Just like personal accounts, you can also use personal accounts to pay like a corporation, capable TV, insurances, credit cards.
• Cash Management: The options for cash management in UCPB are UCPB Sweep, Deposit Pick-Up / Cash Delivery Service, and UCPB Automatic Transfer Arrangement.
• Loans: For business, the options for loans are the same as personal accounts.

Below are more products and services for business: 

• Electronic Banking
• Disbursement Products
• Foreign Exchange
• Government Payments
• Fund Transfers
• Import/Export
• POS Cash Out Service
• Payroll Products
• Remittances
• Trade
• Rural Banks Solutions
• Trust Products and Services
• Treasury Placements

See also: UCPB Exchange Rate – UCPB Forex Today

Is UCPB A Reputable Bank?

When it comes to customer service, UCPB has been at the forefront of innovation. The UCPB-CIIF Reforestation Program is a model for environmental excellence, having earned the “Most Outstanding Award” at its 2004 Asian Corporate Social Responsibility Conference.

Is UCPB a reputable bank?

It has also been cited as Asia’s best project in 1999 by The Banker magazine! The Department of Environment and Natural Resources declared it a “Model Reforestation Site”. 

Besides are more awards that UCPB received over the past few years: 

• PhilHealth: UCPB Mindanao Region as Fourth Best Collecting Agent in Region XI
• PMAP: Exemplar Award under the Employer of the Year category
• Standard Chartered Bank: Straight-Through Processing Excellence Award
• CFA Society Philippines: Best Managed Fund
• VISA: Highest Debit Card Growth (2017)
• The Asset Triple A Country Awards 2018
• VISA: Highest Debit eCommerce Payment Volume Growth in 2018
• Excellence in Straight-Through Processing Award 2019

What Is The UCPB Hotline?

THE HEAD OFFICE

United Coconut Planters Bank

UCPB Corporate Offices, 7907 Makati Avenue, Makati City, Philippines

(02) 8811-9000

Here is the contact if you want to email or call the bank:

Contact UCPB hotline to get help

What Is UCPB’s Working Time?

UCPB offers branch banking hours from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, from Mondays to Fridays. 

UCPB ATMs and electronic banking facilities are available for deposits, withdrawals as well as transfers between accounts even on weekdays and holidays.

Conclusion

UCPB is a financial institution that offers products and services to the Filipino people. It provides personal banking, business banking, international remittances, foreign exchange transactions for local currency with other banks in the country or abroad at competitive rates. We hope that all the information we provided in this article is useful for you.

See also: An Overview Of Landbank In The Philippines