Small BF depositors asked to file claims

Manila — The Philippine Depository Insurance Corp. (PDIC) is calling over 25,000 depositors of the shuttered Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank, who have P10,000 or less in deposits, to file their claims with the PDIC because their information with the bank has been found to be incomplete and the agency has no way of reaching them.

The state deposit insurer earlier said that filing of claims for small accounts has been waived for deposits with complete names and addresses on record.

PDIC executive vice president Cristina Q. Orbeta, also the officer in charge, said yesterday that the agency has written out the checks for Banco Filipino’s small depositors but thousands of such accounts had incomplete data.

Orbeta said more than 25,000 such accounts were found to have incomplete names and addresses or no addresses on record.

These depositors “will not receive check payments by June 20 [and] will have to file their deposit insurance claims,” she said.

These claims would be processed during the scheduled claims settlement operations (CSO) for Banco Filipino in designated CSO sites, she added.

Orbeta said that during the CSO, valid claims with complete supporting documents would be paid onsite.

She said depositors who filed claims, which may be found deficient in supporting documents, would be asked to submit additional documents.

Those filing claims – they are allowed to do it by mail – must submit an accomplished claim form that is available at the PDIC office, CSO sites or the PDIC website (www.pdic.gov.ph).

Claimants should also turn in an original copy of their passbook, certificate of time deposit, bank statements, unused checks or ATM cards.

They should also submit clear photocopies of two valid IDs bearing the photographs and signatures.

The servicing of new claims shall be undertaken in three batches to start on different dates, from mid-June until Aug. 19, according to Orbeta.

PDIC is “commit(ted) to pay deposit insurance for all valid deposits as soon as possible,” she said. /INQUIRER

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