OVERVIEW:

Before the introduction of the modernized banking system, people used to save their money in
hard cash. They stored this cash in lockers, underground, with the grains, etc. There were so many
instances when the money got stolen, eaten by the rats or simply rot through the years. However, the
modern banking system completely eliminated the need to store hard cash. It actually helps save a huge
proportion of public wealth that used to get spoiled in storage.

CARD Bank advocates financial inclusivity. And to provide formal banking services to the
unbanked and underserved, CARD Bank take digital transformation initiative – making financial services
more convenient and more accessible to the clients.

CARD Bank, Inc. is committed to provide wide range of loan and savings products and others
services. Loan products are intended to fit clients businesses and family needs at low interest rate and
flexible payment terms. Loans are granted based on actual needs and payments capacity of the clients.
Saving products are designed to suit for every family member’s needs and clients can now enjoy high
yield of their savings at low initial deposit amount. Another service is the remittance program that
provides local and international money transfer in partnership other banks and providers. In addition,
CARD Bank provides access to non-financial services such as business development and marketing
support, educational support/scholarship program and health services. (https://cardbankph.com/)

CARD Bank, Inc.’s origin can be traced from the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development,
Inc. (CARD, Inc.), which was organized on December 10, 1986 by a group of 15 rural development
practitioners as a social development foundation through responsible financial services. CARD spent
considerable time in refining its operation using modified Grameen Bank methodology in 1989, with the
end view of achieving the twin goals of outreach and sustainability. Within a decade, CARD has
successfully formalized its micro lending operations by transforming itself into a formal financial
institution. In 1997, CARD Inc. obtained its license from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as a microfinance-
oriented rural bank. Then on September 1, 1997, the CARD Bank, Inc. opened its door to the public in
San Pablo City subsuming four CARD Inc. branches. Inspired by its vision, CARD Bank, Inc.’s
ownership was shared among clients on February 14, 2000. From then on, members can buy shares of
stocks through transfer of their compulsory savings as payment for shares of stocks. Dr. Jaime Aristotle
B. Alip, CARD MRI Founder, fully supported clients’ ownership of CARD Bank, Inc. by saying, “Only
by creating a vehicle for asset ownership, can we ensure that the poor will gain control over their own
resources and over their own destiny.” CARD Bank, Inc. continues to improve the quality of products and
services to better serve its ever-growing number of clients. Currently, it has 88 branches across the
country serving more than 2.28 million clients. In years to come, CARD Bank, Inc. plans to expand and
to open more branches in all regions of the Philippines reaching out to millions of clients.

As we have had the chance to glance and get a closer look even for a short period of time, its
branch located at Barangay Rizal, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur had able to give us an observation on the nature of
its operation. We assigned each member a task to observe the daily routine of the said branch. Two days
were consumed to monitor, and of those said days, we have observed a handful of members in the
morning. Past ten in the said morning, crowd began to accumulate. We randomly asked making us to list
down observations that include submission of group/center collections, withdrawal of savings, and few
deposit transactions, And most of all we asked some members of Card bank and someone answered that
is she waiting for the approval of her loan.

We have observed the some issues/ problem in Card Bank Inc. are the following:

 Lay out of the Office

- Office space
- Office condition
 Security of the Office
- No CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)
- No Security Guard
- No fire alarm
- No safety deposit Box
 Employee Motivation
- Lack of employees
- There is no time management
- Weak processing of releasing money
 House Rules on Holidays
- Collect payment a day after

This research aims to create an analysis and understanding on the office lay-out which leads to
uncomfortable/ unaccommodating to the employees and clients. The office space to accommodate the
growing number of its members seemed to be uncomfortable as some of the members wish to stay outside
to wait for their turn. And security of the Bank that will secure the office. And then, to generate an
analysis and understanding on the employee motivation. The employees have lack of challenging work
and most of all the House rules on Holidays that collected payment a day after.
 And this research aims to create a suggestion and possible solution to make a move to resolve
those issues that might leave the organization with risk where competitors could utilize those flaws to
improve their services at their advantage. And greater tendencies could end up to its members who will
be moving to another microfinance banking that could satisfy their timely needs. If this happens, the post
of this banking institution will collapse, meeting up its closure and will eventually leave its trade name a
mark of in competitiveness in the banking arena.
MAKING SENSE

Lay out of the Office

Office space

The office space to accommodate the growing number of its members seemed to be
unaccommodating/ uncomfortable as some of the members wish to stay outside to wait for their turn.
Card Bank has a narrow space and can only accommodate not more than 10 persons.

Office condition

The environment of their organization is not uncomfortable. They must Prioritize cleanliness so
that employee or client avoid irritable and unconformable. They must put an electric fan outside their
office so that clients or customers feel comfortable waiting for their turn.

Security of the Office

No CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)

They must put a CCTV so that they watch over the actions or the malicious actions of the other
clients that may not see by the guard.

No Security Guard

They must have hired a qualified security Guard to protect against intruders, to guard, watch and
assist or escort the clients. To ensure the safety of the money and to satisfy the clients it must have a
security.

No fire alarm

They must put a fire alarm so that employee or client can get ready in case there is a fire

No safety deposit Box

They must put a safety box in their office to store or keep secure and safe of the money.
Employee Motivation

Lack of employees

During the processing of money like withdrawing there are 2 only employees who can generate
and that will cause of epic line up (mahabang pila). They must have hired qualified employees so that
they can avoid weak processing of money. Employee must early on going to the office so that they can
prepare about the process of loans and withdrawalsof money to the clients.
FUTURE STEPS

Lay out of the Office

The Card Bank has a narrow space and can only accommodate not more than 10 person and their
office looks like a house. In order to address this problem they should look for possible office wide
enough to accommodate transacting members of the day would signify a good approval up to the higher
authorities, implicating a lengthy procedural move to do so. Wide concept of the office and comfortable
will help the employees to work well as well as the clients. The company should provide space extensive
office give additional space for customer’s buildings place that used for customers chairs, tables to not
jam. They should increase the funds allotted for the office to make the office wider and comfortable. They
should improve the signage’s so that their customers can easily access them. The company should place
air conditioners in the area for customers that used in this office to smelled fresh air while they are
waiting. And to avoid customers irritable and unconformable. Prioritize cleanliness, Messy offices seem
busy and out of control. If you have a small space you’re going to want to maximize every bit of it and
promote a calm environment. If you have a lot of paper documentation and other clutter, you might want
to invest in office furniture that has extra storage space like filing cabinets and benches. This way, you
can improve the appearance of your office without having to get rid of any necessary documents or
supplies.

Security of the Office

The area of the bank is considered as rural, we must facilitate each randomly clients in and
outside of the bank, we must secured the releasing process of money. The bank needs to have a security to
be well as secured as safe. They must hire a qualified trust security guard for making sure that bank is do
really safe. It could possibly become dangerous tomorrow if not given a mindful attention. To ensure the
safety of the money and to satisfy the clients it must have a security. The bank must have at least on
security to protect against intruders, to guard, watch and assist or escort the clients. Security guards will
also protect against criminals that do try to steal from places.

It must have also CCTV to watch over the actions or the malicious actions of the other clients that
may not see by the guard. In the event of a robbery or fraud, the surveillance footage often provides
evidence to speed up investigations and further identify and track down suspects. Lastly, with customers
at the heart of every bank, the foremost concern for every bank accepting the life earnings of its
customers remains their confidence and trust in the bank. The more secure a bank is, the more confident
its customers will be. An effective bank video surveillance system goes a long way in enhancing this
sense of security, and boosting its public image and credibility.
 bank security system can be always under threats, so only high effective and reliable equipment
should be used in bank protection and security system. It is important to have a Fire alarm to gives
warning in case there is a fire so that they can get ready. And when it comes how they store or keep
secure and safe the money, there must have a safe deposit box. Safe deposit box is to store confidential or
valuable materials or documents that may be needed after you’re passing or that you want to,"

Employee Motivation

Card Bank has only 2 employees who generate release of loans, withdrawal of savings, and
submission of payments. They must hired qualified employee so that it will have fast processing of the
money and to avoid waiting too long of the clients or customers. The employees have lack of challenging
work, they generate the office at exactly 10:00 in the morning. The bank should requires what the proper
time of their work so that they can immediately go to work earlier than those clients and prepare about
the process of loans and withdrawals of the clients. They must go to work early and assigned steady
employee who will stay at the office and at the same time who can have the authority to make the
processing of the money and Support staff is needed during multiple transaction hours so that members
would not be messed up waiting for their turn to be served.

House Rules on Holidays

In our assigned task, we were able to asked a member to further testify in favor of our
observations. Lucia, not her real name is turning 5 years as a regular member borrower in this institution.
Her loan had been continuously increasing by a certain amount every loan cycle. The privilege of
increase is granted to members like her who always pay on or before time and regularly attends their
weekly center meetings that falls on a Monday. Thus, we came to conclude that the attendance plus on
time payment do really deserve a worthy loanable amount increase. On the opposite situation, it simply
means retained loan amount, deduction of loanable amount and worst, non- granting of loan renewal as a
consequence of breaking the banks rules. She said that center payment falls on a holiday, the given
alternative is to collect payment a day after. The management had set further house rules that when the
center payment falls on a holiday, the given alternative is to collect payment a day after. The principle is
to avoid double payment in the next payment week causing burden to the members. Tendencies might be
member borrowers who are set in a timeframe of industrialization where the programs of yesterday
becomes obsolete today and could possibly become dangerous tomorrow if not given a mindful attention
to trend what the time requires. They must set their house rules that holidays are considered holidays and
the payment are on the next regular days so that the clients will provide for the next payment.
FEEDBACK
REFERENCE:

https://cardbankph.com/

(https://efinancemanagement.com/financial-management/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
banks)

http://www.gabv.org/members/card-bank-inc