UCPB sustained the growth of its current account and savings account deposits (CASA) in the first quarter of the year, allowing it to continue expanding its consumer banking business.

In the first three months of 2008, the bank increased its CASA to P33.1 billion, up by P4.3 billion or 15% from P28.7 billion a year ago, UCPB first vice president for branch banking Edmond Bernardo said.

UCPB funds its consumer loans with CASA. Because CASA are inexpensive, the bank is able to price its loans competitively and attract borrowers.

With CASA growing strongly, UCPB hiked new consumer loan bookings by 54% during the period to P703 million from P458 million a year ago.

UCPB's consumer loans consist of real estate loans, auto loans and personal loans. All three product lines registered significant growth in the first quarter of the year.

Real estate loans, for example, rose by 93% to P339 million from P176 million in the same period last year as the mid-range property market remained upbeat. UCPB has correctly focused on the mid-range segment knowing that demand here is stable because the borrowers are mostly end-users rather than speculators.

On the other hand, auto loans went up 24% from P245 million to P305 million on strong demand for new passenger cars, while personal loans increased to P59 million, up by 59% from P37 million.

“From all indications, we can achieve our booking target this year,” UCPB first vice president for consumer banking David Mercado said.

The bank is eyeing to book P3.0 billion in consumer loans this year, 34% higher than the P2.27 billion last year, which was a record high.

UCPB to Save 8.9-M Liters of Water a Year

With the threat of a water crisis looming in the Philippines, UCPB has taken the initiative once again to contribute to conservation efforts by installing waterless urinals in the bank's head office in Makati. The waterless urinals will save 8.9 million liters of clean water every year.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza had previously warned that nearly all of the country's watersheds are in critical condition due to logging, erosion, sedimentation, mining, overgrazing, and pollution.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) published a similar warning in its “Asian Water Development Outlook 2007” saying that only 33% of the country's river system remain suitable as supply sources and up to 58% of groundwater are now contaminated.

ADB said the availability of water in eight of the country's 19 major river basins and in most key cities could become unsatisfactory before 2025 if no actions are taken now.

UCPB has always been very active in safeguarding the environment. In fact, since 1989, the bank has been implementing a reforestation program on the hills of Antipolo, which form part of the Marikina watershed. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources declared the area a model reforestation site last year.