Opening a Peso Denominated Bank Account

[darren-b]

PNB also have branches in UK and can offer similar facilities to those of BPI. However, be aware that bank interest rates in Phils are pretty dire .... mind you, the UK is not much better now!

We've got a PNB account as well, but as it costs at least £5 a time to transfer money into it, the Nationwide Flex account is a far better option.

[PeterB]

We've got a PNB account as well, but as it costs at least £5 a time to transfer money into it, the Nationwide Flex account is a far better option.

There is a problem with Nationwide - before I came to Phils I was given assurance that there would be no problem operating my Nationwide accounts while I'm resident here. That was fine ... until my debit card expired - they absolutely refuse to despatch my replacement card to any address in Philippines (remember that this even prevents me using PNB remittance from my Nationwode accounts). This caused me some stress until I was able to rearrange my finances to make the cash more readily available. I have now been managing without my Nationwide card for almost six months.

I cannot understand why Nationwide create this difficulty - I have received two debit cards and one credit card from other UK institutions with absolutely no problem.

The other problem, of course, is that you can only draw the equivalent of £300 per day. This is absolutely hopeless for significant transactions, such as purchasing a car, property, or for any other large purchase. The PNB account allows me transfer large sums - I have moved five figure (sterling) sums on several occasions, and made the withdrawal by Manager's Cheque, or cash over the counter, on the following day.

[darren-b]

There is a problem with Nationwide - before I came to Phils I was given assurance that there would be no problem operating my Nationwide accounts while I'm resident here. That was fine ... until my debit card expired - they absolutely refuse to despatch my replacement card to any address in Philippines (remember that this even prevents me using PNB remittance from my Nationwode accounts). This caused me some stress until I was able to rearrange my finances to make the cash more readily available. I have now been managing without my Nationwide card for almost six months.

I cannot understand why Nationwide create this difficulty - I have received two debit cards and one credit card from other UK institutions with absolutely no problem.

The other problem, of course, is that you can only draw the equivalent of £300 per day. This is absolutely hopeless for significant transactions, such as purchasing a car, property, or for any other large purchase. The PNB account allows me transfer large sums - I have moved five figure (sterling) sums on several occasions, and made the withdrawal by Manager's Cheque, or cash over the counter, on the following day.

I agree that if you are going to make large purchases then you really need a 'local' account - we had a to get a manager's cheque a couple of years ago to buy a property. All I was saying for someone who just wants an ATM card for their holiday spending abroad it's best to stick to a Nationwide account.