Agree that @city mall is a lot of space to park a car. Busy or not...quite often when I visit the mall for some shopping, people are in line outside sitting on a chair waiting to be served inside BDO I assume.
I have banked with PNB.......... for near 30 years now. Never had an issue . Don't care about parking as it's within walking distance.
Don't know if it's because I'm a foreigner or look elderly but the guards let me go straight in and get a ticket number for the business I need to do..I then get put on priority for my age status. So have never had to sit in the chairs outside like the locals. However I will say this BDO branch is getting busier.
Just checked my Bank of America account and I have the option for foreign currency or US dollars international transfers. The foreign currency transfer has no fee other than exchange rate markup while the US dollar international transfer rate is $45. Looks like I can skip the dollar account and deposit direct into a peso account. Once I get my PNB account reactivated I will try it.
PNB in Dumaguete is now asking for an ARC, Passport, and 3rd ID so if you are under 6 months or is it 3, they will not open the account for a foreigner. I am on a Balikbayan Visa and I can't open an account until I am past the 3-6 months and apply for an ARC.
Thanks for the info. As always as time pass's ............ so do the rules and regulations of many institutions. PNB and some Western Banks, I have with drawn my Monies and left the minimum to just keep them open. I will no longer keep large savings in a bank. That's just me.