MABS conducted the Senior Management Orientation to orient officers of five rural banks on the MABS Approach to Microfinance on April 2, 2009. This is in line with expanding outreach to more rural banks and microenterprise clients.
The Senior Management Orientation – the first of the five modules under the MABS Approach Training and Technical Services package – provides an overview and appreciation of the MABS Approach to developing microfinance products and services. The MABS Approach is a systematic step-by-step training and technical assistance package followed by rural banks as they develop the full capability to profitably provide loan, deposit, money transfer and other financial services to meet the needs of microentrepreneurs and low-income households.
Fourteen senior officers from five rural banks planning to establish microfinance operations attended the orientation. These banks were First Mindoro Microfinance Bank, First Reliance Bank, Negros Cooperative Bank, Rural Bank of Dipolog, and Rural Bank of Kawit. Representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Project Management Specialist Teresita Espenilla and Ms. Katherine Rodriguez – also attended the session.
MABS Deputy Chief of Party Meliza Agabin gave an introduction, discussing the participants’ expectations on the orientation and bank interests. The other sessions of the whole-day activity focused on: microfinance definition and best practices, management information systems, microinsurance, and profitability of microfinance operations. The participants were also asked to complete an institutional assessment survey that would gauge their bank’s readiness to offer new microfinance products and services.
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