Government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) is urging its clients to utilise its electronic and digital platforms to serve banking needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a press release, the bank’s President noted that the agency encourages everyone to use LANDBANK’s digital and online banking services in the safety of their homes as much as possible, instead of physically visiting the bank’s branches.
The President has strongly promoted the use of the LANDBANK Visa Debit Card and LANDBANK Mastercard Credit Card to make cashless payments at merchants that accept online payments.
Likewise, the general public is urged to utilise LANDBANK’s 2,196 ATMs and 159 cash deposit machines nationwide, including online and electronic channels to access secure and convenient banking services.
These channels include the LANDBANK Mobile Banking App, iAccess, WeAccess, Electronic Tax Payment System, and Phone Access, which offer a wide array of services such as viewing of account balance, viewing of transaction history, and transferring of funds, among others.
The release also said that LANDBANK is one of the first banks in the country to adopt the national QR standard in its Mobile Banking App, which facilitates faster and seamless person-to-person (P2P) fund transfers with greater ease and convenience.
Through LANDBANK’s Link.BizPortal, clients can also pay for products and services via the internet from 700-enrolled private merchants and government institutions. This includes the payment of income tax returns (ITR) which are to be properly filed to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Several LANDBANK branches in the NCR and Luzon, as well as in Visayas and Mindanao, will remain open and continue banking operations.
While complying with the enhanced community quarantine and the stringent social distancing measures over the entire Luzon, LANDBANK employees in the Head Office and selected branches are reporting for work as a skeletal force to ensure that there will be no disruption in the delivery of the bank’s services, the release noted.
Moreover, LANDBANK has started implementing safety health measures in its branches and offices nationwide, in line with upholding public health while continuing to serve banking needs.
This forms part of LANDBANK’s Business Continuity Management (BCM) protocols, which have been activated to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 while maintaining normal banking operations.
The President stated that LANDBANK is implementing these measures to ensure the health and safety of its customers and employees, which are of utmost importance at this time. “Rest assured that as we exert efforts to protect public health, we will continue to provide reliable and accessible banking services.”
LANDBANK branches are now carrying out screening procedures for clients, which include temperature checks and provision of hand disinfectants before entry. Those with temperature readings of 38°C and above will not be allowed to enter the bank.
Social distancing is also promoted by limiting the number of customers on seating capacity inside the branch premises at any given time.