Home 
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Cherrylene Tribunado and Marlon Sanchez lined up to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine (ATM) along the national highway in Mandaue City.
Sanchez, who planned to buy food for the annual noche buena (Christmas eve feast), said he went to two ATMs but both were offline.
Tribunado, meanwhile, did some last minute shopping for presents to her relatives and godchildren.
“Grabe taas kaayo ang linya, hasol pero kinahanglan ko mu-withdraw gyud karon kay holiday na ra ba basin mahutdan ug kwarta ang ATM (The lines are quite long but I need to withdraw now because it's a long holiday and the ATMs may run out of cash),” Tribunado said.
However, the Cebu Bankers Club assured the public that ATMs will be loaded with cash for easy access during the long holiday week starting on Thursday until January 2 next year.
“Actually we have contingency plans to load up ATMs to the maximum,” CBC President Zosimo Lim said.
Lim said the load depends on the type of cassettes.
“Normally cassettes are dispensing only 500 and 100 pesos. There are ATMs that would dispense 100, 500, 200 and 1000. These have larger capacity,” he said.
He said all ATMs are being monitored and they have already assigned officers to reload ATMs to ensure continuity of service 24 hours.
Some banks are staying open on designated days authorized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Lim said that the BSP in Central Visayas will also be open on the 29th to accommodate banks who need supply.
BSP also wants no interruptions on banks’ services on holidays.
Some of the banks which will be open on the holidays are Bank of Philippine Islands, RCBC, and Metrobank, and Exportbank.
BPI's branches will be open on December 29 and January 2 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The RCBC Consolacion branch will be open on December 27 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on December 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
RCBC Manalili branch will also be open on December 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and on December 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Metrobank Minglanilla branch will be open on December 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, while Metrobank branches in Tabuan, Ramos, Opon, Park Mall and downtown will be open on December 27 at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All 34 Metrobank branches will be open on December 29. Exportbank will be open on December 27 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lim also reminded bank clients to be careful with their money to avoid being robbed.
He said depositors should withdraw from ATMs that are well-lighted, monitored by security guards and is lined up with people.
