ISLAMIC BANKS PLANONG ITAYO SA PINAS

FINANCIAL INCLUSION. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. (left) promotes Islamic Banking as a way of ensuring financial inclusion in the country. BSP Assistant Governor Arifa Ala said two firms are eyeing to establish Islamic Banking operations in the Philippines. (Photo by Leah Gonzales)

PLANO ng Maybank Philippines at ng isang foreign company na magkaroon ng Islamic banking operations sa bansa, ayon sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Sa isang briefing sa BSP Office sa Manila, sinabi ni BSP Assistant Governor for Financial Supervision Sub-sector 3 Arifa Ala na plano ng Maybank na magbukas ng isang Islamic banking window.

“It has a plan. It plans to open an Islamic banking window… We are seeing two potential applicants, but they have not yet submitted applications. But we have held meetings with them already, discussing the requirements for establishing the Islamic banking unit,” sabi ni Ala.

Gayunman, hanggang sa kasalukuyan ay hindi pa, aniya, nagsusumite ang Maybank at ang isa pang foreign firm ng aplikasyon.

“But we’ve heard information that [Maybank] may submit it maybe within this month. We’ve been discussing with them the requirements,” dagdag pa niya.

Sa ilalim ng  Republic Act 11439,  ang Islamic banking business ay ang “banking business with objectives and operations that do not involve interest as prohibited by the Shari’ah and which conducts its business transactions in accordance with the principles of the Shari’ah.

An Islamic banking unit, meanwhile, refers to a division, department, office, or branch of a conventional branch that conducts business under Shari’ah.”

“In terms of the assets, one of the requirements is that the assets should be Shari’ah compliant. So financing of corporations that are producing alcohols or gambling are not allowed to be financed by Islamic banks,” sabi pa ni Ala.

Sa kasalukuyan, ang Pilipinas ay may dalawang Islamic banks na nag-ooperate sa bansa. Ang mga ito ay ang  Amanah Islamic Bank at ang CARD Bank.

Sinabi ni Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. na ang Islamic banking ay isang magandang paraan para isulong ang financial inclusion, lalo na sa Bangsamoro area kung saan 8 percent lamang ng populasyon ang may bank accounts.

“So, I think by introducing Islamic Banking, we can bring more people into the formal banking system. The most attractive banking instruments for that region would be Islamic Banking,” ani Remolona.

“What we want to do is create an inclusive banking system, a sustainable and vibrant Islamic finance ecosystem within the country to complement the banking system we already have,” dagdag pa niya.

(PNA)