[ CIRCULAR NO. 887, October 14, 2015 ]

FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS ON THE APPROVAL/CONFIRMATION OF THE ELECTION/APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS/OFFICERS



Adopted: 07 October 2015
Date Filed: 14 October 2015


The Monetary Board in its Resolution No. 1342 dated 20 August 2015, approved the  following  amendments  to the  provisions  of the  Manual  of Regulations  for Banks   (MORB)   and   the   Manual   of   Regulations   for   Non-Bank   Financial Institutions (MORNBFI):

Section  1. Subsection  X141.2  of the MORB  prescribing  the minimum qualifications of a director is hereby amended to read as follows:
Subsec. X141.2 Qualifications of a director.
a.     A director shall have the following minimum qualifications:

(1) xxx
(2) xxx
(3) xxx
(4)  xxx

An elected director has the burden to prove that he/she possesses all the foregoing   minimum   qualifications   and   none   of  the  disqualifications   by submitting the documentary requirements listed in Appendix 98. Non- submission  of  complete  documentary  requirements  within  the  prescribed period shall be construed as his/her failure to establish his/her qualifications for the position and result in his/her removal from the Board.

The   members   of  the   board   of  directors   shall   possess   the   foregoing qualifications  for directors in addition to those required or prescribed  under R.A. No. 8791 and other existing applicable laws and regulations.

b.     xxx

xxx xxx xxx
Section   2.   Subsection    X141.4   of   the   MORB   on   confirmation    of   the election/appointment  of directors/officers is hereby amended, as follows:

Subsec. X141.4
Confirmation of the election/appointment of directors/officers.  The election/appointment  of directors/officers  of banks shall be subject to confirmation by the following:

Con fi rmi ng Aut hority

Pos iti on Le v e l

a . Monet ary Board

D i rect ors and seni or vi ce presi dent and above (o r equi val ent ranks) of UBs and KBs, and of I sl amic Banks, TBs, RBs and Coop Banks with Tota l Assets of at l east P1.0 billi on.

b . An SES Committ ee to be composed of:

- Deputy Governor, SES
- Heads of SES Subsect ors I, II and III

D i rect ors and seni or vi ce presi dent and above (o r equi val ent ranks) of I sl amic Banks, TBs, RBs and Coop Banks with t ot al assets of l ess t han P1.0 billi on



The election/appointment  of abovementioned  directors/officers  shall be deemed to have been confirmed by the Bangko Sentral, if after sixty (60) banking days from receipt of the complete required reports, the appropriate supervising department of the SES does not advise the bank concerned against said election/appointment.

However, the confirmation by the Monetary Board/SES Committee of the election/appointment  to abovementioned  position levels shall not be required, in the following cases:
a.     Reelection  of a director (as a director) in the same bank or election of the same director in another bank, QB, trust entities other than stand-alone  or trust corporation within a banking group;
 
b.     Reelection of an independent director (as an independent director or not) in the same bank or election of the same director (as an independent  director or not) in another bank, QB, trust entities other than stand-alone or trust corporation within a banking group; and

c.     Promotion of an officer, other than to that which requires (i) prior Monetary Board  approval  or  (ii)  a  different  set  of  minimum  qualifications  or  (iii)  a different  level  of  confirming  authority  as  provided  in  the  first  paragraph hereof, in the same bank or appointment/transfer  to another bank, QB, trust entities other than stand-alone or trust corporation within a banking group:
Provided, That the director/officer concerned has been previously confirmed or in the case of a compliance officer or trust officer who will be promoted to the rank of senior vice president or above (or equivalent rank), previously approved/ confirmed   by  the  Monetary  Board,  or  if  previously   confirmed   by  the  SES Committee, his/her reelection/promotion/transfer requires the same level of confirming authority as provided in the first paragraph hereof: Provided, further, That said director/officer  has had continuous  service  within  the same  bank  or banking group. This exemption shall apply to directors/officers confirmed by the Monetary Board/SES Committee starting 1 January 2011.

The appointment of officers below the rank of SVP shall be subject neither to
Monetary Board approval nor Bangko Sentral confirmation.

The appointment of compliance officers and trust officers regardless of rank shall be subject to prior Monetary Board approval/confirmation as provided in Subsecs. X180.4 and X406.10, respectively.

œFor purposes of this Subsection,  the term banking group shall refer to the parent bank and its subsidiary banks, QBs, trust entities other than stand-alone and  trust  corporations,  as  well  as  other  banks,  QBs,  trust  entities  other  than stand-alone and trust corporations over which the parent bank has the power to exercise œcontrol  as defined in Subsec. X141.2.

œThe documentary  requirements  for the confirmation  of the election/ appointment of directors/officers/trust  officer, and approval of the appointment of compliance officers of banks/QBs/NBFls with trust authority/trust corporations are shown in Appendix 98. Non-submission of complete documentary requirements within  the  prescribed  period  shall  be  construed  as  his/her  failure  to  establish his/her qualifications for the position.

A director/officer whose election/appointment  was not confirmed for failure to submit the complete documentary requirements shall be deemed removed from office after due notice to the board of directors of the bank, even if he/she has assumed   the  position  to  which  he/she  was  elected/appointed,   pursuant  to Section 16 of R.A. No. 8791.

Section  3.  Subsection  X141.9  of  the  MORB  on  reports  required  is  hereby amended, as follows:

Subsec. X141.9 Certifications required. Banks shall furnish all of their first- time  directors  within  a  bank  or  banking  group  with  a  copy  of  the  general responsibility and specific duties and responsibilities of the board of directors and of a director  prescribed  under  Items  œb , œc  and  œd  of Subsec.  X141.3  upon election.

œThe  bank  must  submit  to the  appropriate  department  of the  SES,  within twenty (20) banking days from date of election, a certification under oath of the directors concerned that they have received copies of such general responsibility and specific duties and responsibilities and that they fully understand and accept the same, in accordance with Appendix 6.

œThe  bank  must  submit  to  the  appropriate   department   of  the  SES  a certification  under oath of the director/officer  with rank of senior vice president and  above,  and  officer  whose  appointment   requires  prior  Monetary   Board approval that he/she has all the prescribed qualifications and none of the disqualifications  within  twenty  (20)  banking  days  from  the  date  of election/re- election of the directors/meeting of the board of directors in which the officers are appointed/promoted,  in accordance with Appendix 6. 

Section   4.   Subsection   X142.2   of   the   MORB   prescribing   the   minimum qualifications of an officer is hereby amended to read as follows:

Subsec.  X142.2  Qualifications  of  an  officer.  An  officer  shall  have  the following minimum qualifications:

xxx

In  the  case   of  Coop   Bank,   the  manager   must   have   actual   banking experience (at least manager or assistant manager).

An appointed officer has the burden to prove that he/she possesses all the foregoing minimum qualifications  and none of the disqualifications  by submitting the documentary requirements listed in Appendix 6. Non-submission of complete documentary  requirements  within  the  prescribed  period  shall  be construed  as his/her  failure  to  establish  his/her  qualifications  for  the  position  and  result  to his/her removal therefrom.

The foregoing qualifications for officers shall be in addition to those required or prescribed under R.A. No. 8791 and other existing applicable laws and regulations.

Section 5. Subsection X144 of the MORB on bio-data of directors and officers is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. X144. Biodata of Directors and Officers.

a.   Banks shall submit to the appropriate department of the SES a bio-data with  lD  picture  of  their  (i)  directors/officers  with  rank  of  senior  vice  president (SVP)  and  above  (or  equivalent  ranks),  (ii)  officers  below  the  rank  of  SVP requiring   a  different   set   of  minimum   qualifications   or   (iii)   officers   whose appointment requires prior Monetary Board approval upon every election/re- election/appointment/promotion in a prescribed form and for first-time directors/officers  with  rank  of  SVP  and  above  (or  equivalent  ranks)  within  a particular  bank/banking  group  whose  election/appointment   requires  Monetary
 
Board/SES  Committee  confirmation  or whose  appointment  requires  prior Monetary Board approval, the duly notarized authorization form per Appendix 76, within twenty (20) banking days from the date of election/re-election of the directors/meeting of the board of directors in which the officers are appointed/promoted,  in accordance with Appendix 6.

The bio-data shall be updated and submitted (i) in cases of change of name due to change in civil status and change of residential address, within twenty (20) banking days from the date the change occurred and (ii) in cases of requests for prior Monetary Board approval of interlocks.

For other officers below the rank of SVP, the bank shall not be required to submit their bio-data to the Bangko Sentral.

b.   The bank shall, however, keep a complete record of the bio-data of all its directors and officers and shall maintain a system of updating said records which shall  be  made  available  during  on-site  examination  or  when  required  by  the Bangko Sentral for submission for off-site verification.

c.   Banks shall also submit to the appropriate department of the SES, a duly notarized list of the incumbent members of the board of directors and officers (President or equivalent rank, down the line, format attached as Appendix 98b), within twenty (20) banking days from the annual election of the board of directors as provided in the bank ™s by-laws, in accordance with Appendix 6.

d.   xxx.

xxx      xxx      xxx

Section 6. Subsection 4141Q.2 of the MORNBFI prescribing the minimum qualifications of a director is hereby amended to read as follows:
Subsec. 4141Q.2 Qualifications of a director.
a.     A director shall have the following minimum qualifications: (1)  xxx
(2) xxx (3) xxx (4)  xxx

An elected director has the burden to prove that he/she possesses all the foregoing   minimum   qualifications   and   none   of  the  disqualifications   by submitting the documentary requirements listed in Appendix Q-57. Non- submission  of  complete  documentary  requirements  within  the  prescribed period shall be construed as his/her failure to establish his/her qualifications for the position and result to his/her removal from the Board.

The members of the board of directors shall possess the foregoing qualifications  for directors in addition to those required or prescribed  under R.A. No. 8791 and other existing applicable laws and regulations. 
b.     xxx.
xxx     xxx     xxx
Section   7.  Subsection   4141Q.4   of  the  MORNBFI   on  confirmation   of  the election/appointment  of directors/officers is hereby amended to read as follows:

Subsec. 4141Q.4. Confirmation of the election/appointment of directors/officers.   The  election/appointment   of  directors/officers  of  QBs  and NBFIs with trust authority shall be subject to confirmation by the following:

Confirming Authority

Position Level

a. Monetary Board

Directors and senior vice president and above

(or equivalent ranks) of QBs, and NBFIs with trust authority with total assets of at least P1.0 billion.

b. An SES Committee to be composed of:

- Deputy Governor, SES

- Heads of SES Subsectors I, II and III

Directors and senior vice president and above

(or  equivalent  ranks)  QBs,  and  NBFIs  with

trust authority with total assets of  less than

P1.0 billion


The election/appointment  of abovementioned  directors/officers  shall be deemed  to  have  been  confirmed  by  the  Bangko  Sentral,  if  after  sixty  (60) business days from receipt of the complete required reports, the appropriate supervising department of the SES does not advise the QB/trust entity concerned against said election/appointment.
However, the confirmation by the Monetary Board/SES Committee of the election/appointment  to abovementioned  position levels shall not be required, in the following cases:

a.     Reelection  of a director  (as a director)  in the same QB or NBFI with trust authority or election of the same director in another bank, QB, NBFI with trust authority or trust corporation within a banking group;
b.     Reelection of an independent director (as an independent director or not) in the same QB or NBFI with trust authority or election of the same director (as an independent director or not) in another bank, QB, NBFI with trust authority or trust corporation within a banking group; and
c.     Promotion of an officer, other than to that which requires (i) prior Monetary Board  approval  or  (ii)  a  different  set  of  minimum  qualifications  or  (iii)  a different  level  of  confirming  authority  as  provided  in  the  first  paragraph hereof, in the same QB or NBFI with trust authority or appointment/transfer  to another  bank,  QB,  NBFI  with  trust  authority  or  trust  corporation  within  a banking group:
Provided, That the director/officer concerned has been previously confirmed or in the case of a compliance officer or trust officer who will be promoted to the rank of senior vice president or above (or equivalent rank), previously approved by the Monetary Board, or if previously confirmed by the SES Committee, his/her reelection/promotion/transfer requires the same level of confirming authority as provided in the first paragraph hereof: Provided, further, That said director/officer has had continuous  service within the same QB or NBFI with trust authority or
 
banking group. This exemption shall apply to directors/officers  confirmed by the
Monetary Board/SES Committee starting 1 January 2011.
The appointment of officers below the rank of SVP shall be subject neither to
Monetary Board approval nor Bangko Sentral confirmation.

The appointment of compliance officers and trust officers regardless of rank shall be subject to prior Monetary Board approval/confirmation as provided in Subsecs. 4180Q.2 and 4406Q.10, respectively.

For purposes  of this Subsection,  the term banking  group shall refer to the parent bank and its subsidiary banks, QBs, NBFIs with trust authority and trust corporations, as well as other banks, QBs, NBFIs with trust authority and trust corporations over which the parent bank has the power to exercise œcontrol  as defined in Subsec. X4141Q.2.

The documentary  requirements  for the confirmation  of the election/ appointment   of  the  directors/officers,   and  approval   of  the  appointment   of compliance  officers  and  trust  officers  of banks/QBs/NBFls  with  trust  authority/ trust corporations are shown in Appendix Q-57. Non-submission of complete documentary  requirements  within  the  prescribed  period  shall  be construed  as his/her failure to establish his/her qualifications for the position.

A director/officer whose election/appointment  was not confirmed for failure to submit the complete documentary requirements shall be deemed removed from office after due notice to the board of directors of the NBFI, even if he/she has assumed   the  position  to  which  he/she  was  elected/appointed,   pursuant  to Section 16 of R.A. No. 8791.

Section 8. Subsection  4141Q.9 of the MORNBFI on reports required is hereby amended, as follows:

Subsec.   4141Q.9   Certifications   required.   QBs  and  NBFIs   with  trust authority shall furnish all of their first-time directors within a QB or NBFI with trust authority or banking group with a copy of the general responsibility  and specific duties and responsibilities  of the board of directors and of a director prescribed under Items œb , œc  and œd  of Subsec. X4141Q.3.

The QB/NBFI with trust authority must submit to the appropriate department of the SES, within twenty (20) business days from date of election, a certification under  oath of the directors  concerned  that they have received  copies  of such general responsibility and specific duties and responsibilities and that they fully understand and accept the same, in accordance with Appendix Q-3.

The QB/NBFl with trust authority must submit to the appropriate department of the SES a certification under oath of the director/officer with rank of senior vice president  and  above,  and  officer  whose  appointment  requires  prior  Monetary Board approval that he/she has all the prescribed qualifications  and none of the disqualifications  within  twenty  (20)  business  days  from  the  date  of  election/ reelection of the directors/meeting  of the board of directors in which the officers are appointed/promoted,  in accordance with Appendix Q-3.
 
Section 9. Section 4142Q of the MORNBFI on the definition and qualifications of officers is hereby amended, as follows:

Sec.  4142Q   Definition   and  Qualifications   of  Officers.   Officers   shall include the president, executive vice president (EVP), senior vice president, vice president,   general   manager,   treasurer,   secretary,   trust   officer   and   others mentioned as officers of the QB/trust entity, or those whose duties as such are defined in the by-laws, or are generally known to be the officers of the QB/trust entity  (or  any  of  its  branches  and  offices  other  than  the  head  office)  either through announcement, representation, publication or any kind of communication made  by  the  QB/trust  entity:  Provided,  That  a person  holding  the  position  of chairman or vice-chairman of the board or another position in the board shall not be considered as an officer unless the duties of his position in the board include functions of management such as those ordinarily performed by regular officers: Provided, further, That members of a group or committee, including sub-groups or  sub-committees,  whose  duties  include  functions  of  management  such  as those  ordinarily  performed  by  regular  officers,  and  are  not  purely recommendatory or advisory, shall likewise be considered as officers.

An officer shall have the following minimum qualifications:

xxx

c.     He must be fit and proper for the position he is being proposed/appointed  to.
In determining whether a person is fit and proper for a particular position, the following  matters  must be considered:  integrity  probity,  competence, education, diligence and experience/training.

An appointed officer has the burden to prove that he/she possesses all the foregoing minimum qualifications  and none of the disqualifications  by submitting the  documentary   requirements   listed  in  Appendix  Q-57.  Non-submission   of complete   documentary   requirements   within   the  prescribed   period   shall  be construed as his/her failure to establish his/her qualifications for the position and result to his/her removal therefrom.

The foregoing qualifications for officers shall be in addition to those required or prescribed under R.A. No. 8791 and other existing applicable laws and regulations. 

Section 10. Section 4144Q of the MORNBFI on Monetary Board confirmation of directors and senior officers is hereby amended to read as follows:

Sec. 4144Q (2008 - 4146Q). Bio-data of Director and Officers

a.   QBs  and  NBFIs  with  trust  authority  shall  submit  to  the  appropriate department of the SES a bio-data with lD picture of their (i) directors/officers with rank of senior vice president (SVP) and above (or equivalent ranks), (ii) officers below the rank of SVP requiring a different set of minimum qualifications or (iii) officers whose appointment requires prior Monetary Board approval upon every election/reelection/appointment/promotion in a prescribed form and for first-time directors/officers  with  rank  of  SVP  and  above  (or  equivalent  ranks)  within  a particular    QB/NBFI    with    trust    authority/banking    group    whose    election/
 
appointment requires Monetary Board/SES Committee confirmation or officers whose appointment requires prior Monetary Board approval, the duly notarized authorization form per Appendix Q-45, within twenty (20) business days from the date of election/re-election  of the directors/meeting  of the board of directors  in which the officers are appointed/promoted  in accordance with Appendix Q-3.

The bio-data shall be updated and submitted (i) in cases of change of name due to change in civil status and change of residential address, within twenty (20) business days from the date the change occurred and (ii) in cases of requests for prior Monetary Board approval of interlocks.

For other officers below the rank of SVP, the QB/NBFI  with trust authority shall not be required to submit their bio-data to the Bangko sentral.

b.   The QB/NBFI with trust authority shall, however, keep a complete record of the bio-data  of all its directors  and officers  and shall maintain  a system  of updating said records which shall be made available during on-site examination or when required by the BSP for submission for offsite verification.

c.  QBs/NBFls with trust authority shall also submit to the appropriate department  of the SES, a duly notarized  list of the incumbent  members  of the board  of  directors  and  officers  (President  or  equivalent  rank,  down  the  line, format attached as Appendix Q-57b), within twenty (20) banking days from the annual election of the board of directors as provided in the QB ™s/NBFI with trust authority ™s by-laws, in accordance with Appendix Q-3.

d.   xxx. 

xxx     xxx     xxx

Section  11. Section  4145N  of the MORNBFI  on bio-data  is hereby  added  as follows:

Sec. 4145N. Bio-data of Directors and Officers

a.   Fls shall submit to the appropriate department of the SES a bio-data with lD picture of their directors/officers with rank of senior vice president (SVP) and above  (or  equivalent  ranks)  upon  every  erection/reelection/appointment/ promotion  in a prescribed  form and for first-time  directors/officers  with rank of senior vice president and above (or equivalent ranks) within a particular Fl, the duly notarized authorization form per Appendix Q-45, within twenty (20) business days from the date of election/re-election  of the directors/meeting  of the board of directors  in  which  the  officers  are  appointed/promoted,   in  accordance   with Appendix N-1.

The bio-data  shall be updated  and submitted  in cases of change  of name due to change in civil status and change of residential address, within twenty (20) business days from the date the change occurred.

For  other  officers  below  the  rank  of SVP,  the  Fl shall  not be required  to submit their bio-data to the Bangko Sentral.
 
directors and officers and shall maintain a system of updating said records which shall  be  made  available  during  on-site  examination  or  when  required  by  the Bangko Sentral for submission for offsite verification.

c.   The Fl shall also submit to the appropriate department of the SES, a duly notarized list of the incumbent members of the board of directors and officers (President or equivalent rank, down the line, format attached as Appendix N-10), within  twenty  (20)  business  days  from  the  annual  election  of  the  board  of directors as provided in the Fl ™s by-laws, in accordance with Appendix N-1.

Section  12. Section  4147S  of the MORNBFI  on bio-data  is hereby  added  as follows:

Sec. 4147S. Bio-data of Trustees and Officers

a.   NSSLAS  shall submit to the appropriate  department  of the SES a bio- data with lD picture  of their trustees/officers  with rank of senior vice president (SVP) and above (or equivalent ranks) upon every election/reelection/ appointment/promotion   in  a  prescribed  form  and  for  first-time  trustees/officers with  rank  of  senior  vice  president  and  above  (or  equivalent  ranks)  within  a particular  NSSLA,  the  duly  notarized  authorization  form  per  Appendix  Q-45, within twenty (20) business days from the date of election/re-election of the trustees/meeting of the board of trustees in which the officers are appointed/promoted,  in accordance with Appendix S-2.

The bio-data  shall be updated  and submitted  in cases of change  of name due to change in civil status and change of residential address, within twenty (20) business days from the date the change occurred.

For other officers below the rank of SVP, the NSSLA shall not be required to submit their bio-data to the Bangko Sentral.

b.   The NSSLA shall, however, keep a complete record of the bio-data of all its trustees  and officers  and shall maintain  a system  of updating  said records which shall be made available  during on-site examination  or when required  by the Bangko Sentral for submission for offsite verification.

œc.  The NSSLA shall also submit to the appropriate department of the SES, a duly  notarized  list  of the  incumbent  members  of the  board  of trustees  and officers   (President   or  equivalent   rank,  down   the  line,  format   attached   as Appendix Q-57b), within twenty (20) business days from the election of the board of trustees as provided in the NSSLA ™s by-laws, in accordance with Appendix S-
2.

Section  13. Appendices  98, Q-57,  98b,  Q-57b,  6, Q-3,  N-1,  and  S-2 are hereby amended as per attached Annexes A to F hereto.

This  Circular   shall  take  effect  fifteen   (15)  calendar   days  following   its publication either in the official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

FOR THE MONETARY BOARD:
 

(SGD) DIWA C. GUINIGUNDO
Officer-in-Charge