THE Rural Bank of Pola, Inc. from Oriental Mindoro has just opened a branch in Naga City, and will have the grand opening and blessing of its new building located at Jaime Hernandez Street, Naga City near the UNC main gate on October 25, 2008.
It will be the bank’s 10th branch after it was established on June 24, 1971 or after 37 years of operation mainly in Mindoro, according to Branch Manager Larry Capuno. The Rural Bank of Pola, Inc.was awarded by Land Bank of the Philippines as the “Most Outstanding Rural Bank”, and the “Best in Capital Build-up, First Place-National Level” in 2005.
On September 2007, the bank was elevated to the Hall of Fame as one of the Outstanding Countryside Financial Institutions (CFIs) and partners picked by Landbank in extending credit to priority sectors--farmers and fisherfolk, small and medium enterprises and micro-enterprises.
President & General-Manager Leonor L. Hidalgo explained that their bank is a very prudent and conservative bank that put foremost consideration the best interest of the depositors and the safety of their deposits. Mrs. Hidalgo hails from Pola, Oriental Mindoro which incidentally is also the hometown of Vice President Noli de Castro. Mrs. Hidalgo was a former World Bank examiner and was based in the US for many years. She studied at the State University of San Francisco, USA and was a Certified Teacher in the US & Hong Kong. She was also in real estate ventures, and she was able to accumulate prime lots in Makati City, Mindoro, and other parts of the Philippines amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos.
The Rural Bank of Pola, Inc is in Naga City not only to invite depositors to save in their bank but more so lend money to qualified borrowers. Mrs. Hidalgo in particular would like to cater to teachers in public schools & selected reputable private schools, housing loans for home owners, and businessmen as a start.
Knowing that there are many existing commercial and rural banks in the city, the Rural Bank of Pola, Inc management would like to position their bank in the niche market which are less served. They would also like to bring in with them their long experience and expertise in running a rural bank efficiently.
Talking about this efficient and smooth operation of a rural bank is no less than the bank’s owner and Chairman of the Board, Ambassador Sime Diaz Hidalgo, who is a CPA-lawyer. Not many know him but he hails from Milaor, Camarines Sur and his parent owned the once bustling Elegant School of Fashion that offers vocational courses. He graduated from Primary at Tinago Elementary School, his elementary at the Santa Cruz Elementary School, and his secondary schooling at the Camarines Sur High School. He took up and finished his Law studies at the University of the Philippines (1949-1955), where he at one time, the Grand Chancellor of the Alpha Phi Beta. He studied accountancy at the University of Nueva Caceres ( UNC) for a year and finished it at MLQU, and passed the CPA Board exam.
He also topped the exam of the Department of Commerce in 1963, and passed the Foreign Service Officer exam in 1964. Because of his qualifications, he was appointed as a commercial attaché, and eventually the consul of the Philippines to New Orleans, USA, Taipei, Hong Kong. He was also posted at the Washington D.C. as Minister Counselor, after which he was assigned at the World Bank as Special Assistant to the Executive Director representing Latin America and the Philippines. One of his tasks then was to review the loans provided by the World Bank. He held thist position for two and a half years under the tutelage of World Bank President Robert S. MacNamara.
Then, he went back to the Philippines and became an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs for 6 years, handling the ASEAN concerns. When the Philippine embassy was first opened in Cuba, Amb. Hidalgo was sent there by the President. He stayed there for several years and even finished Advanced Spanish at the University of Havana, after which, he was assigned to Argentina and Uruguay where he remained for another nine years.
When Amb. Hidalgo came back to the Philippines, he was appointed as the Assistant Secretary of its Legal Affairs Department until he retired from the service in 1994. That was the time that he devoted his time in helping his wife Leonila in expanding the operation of the Rural Bank of Pola, Inc. in Mindoro. Amb. Hidalgo incidentally, is the second cousin of the father of Naga City Vice-Mayor Gabby Hidalgo Bordado.
RURAL BANK OF POLA, INC (ORIENTAL MINDORO) opens a branch in Naga City. In the photo is the President & General-Manager Leonor L. Hidalgo (seated) together with the bank’s officers & staff. Standing (l-r) are Internal Auditor Claire G. Generoso, Cashier Carla O. Meulio, Bookkeeper Roselle C. Arcilla, Branch Manager Larry Capuno, guard Roberto Garcia, messenger Marlom G. Dangca, & Appraiser Ramil C. Cao. Not in the photo is Loan Officer Riza Bazar.
