The state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has won three awards from an international group of development financing institutions for projects that expand access to education, widen financial inclusion, and support local economic development. The recognitions were announced by DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Michael O. de Jesus.

The bank was named a winner at the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) Development Awards 2026 in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) category for its flagship CSR program for education, while its financial inclusion and countryside development initiatives earned two merit awards. The winning entries covered the bank's scholarship program, its public market financing for a municipality in Bulacan province, and the opening of branch-lite banking units.

"We are deeply honored for these recognitions which serve as an affirmation of DBP's efforts to advance national development and inspire us to remain steadfast in our mandate of supporting initiatives that promote inclusive and sustainable growth in the country," de Jesus said.

DBP, the country's 10th largest bank in terms of assets, provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy: infrastructure and logistics; micro, small, and medium enterprises; environment; and social services and community development. The three recognized projects sit squarely within that mandate, spanning education support, credit to a local government unit, and the expansion of banking access in underserved areas.

Founded in Manila in 1976, ADFIAP is a regional body composed of development banks and financial institutions operating in the Asia-Pacific region. Its annual awards program, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, recognized outstanding projects of member institutions that advance sustainable economic, environmental, and social development. Because membership spans the region, the winning projects were measured against those of comparable development financiers pursuing the same sustainable development goals.

De Jesus said the DBP Integrated Scholastic Program for Inclusive and Sustainable Education (DBP INSPIRE) was cited as the top CSR program for pioneering a ladderized framework that integrates continuous education for students across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

DBP INSPIRE provides scholarship grants — covering endowment for tuition fees and other school-related expenses — to indigent high school graduates who wish to pursue higher education. It also supports primary and secondary public school students through outreach programs, such as the Brigada Eskwela and Adopt-a-School Program of the Department of Education.

"With total allocation of P510-million for five years, DBP INSPIRE represents a significant investment of the Bank and more importantly, addresses the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to ramp up government support to the education sector," he added.

DBP also earned a Merit Award in the Local Economic Development category for extending credit assistance to the local government of Calumpit, Bulacan, for the improvement of its public market. The project was financed under the bank's Assistance for Economic and Social Development for Local Government Units (ASENSO) and benefited more than 120,000 residents in the area and from neighboring municipalities.

De Jesus said ADFIAP also cited the bank's financial inclusion initiatives, particularly the opening of branch-lite units in Talakag, Bukidnon, in Mindanao, and Viga, Catanduanes, in Luzon, which helped bring essential financial services to far-flung areas and unbanked communities in both island groups.

He said the recognitions reflect DBP's commitment to advancing initiatives that make financial services more accessible to Filipinos, especially in underserved areas.

"Rest assured that DBP will continue to serve as a catalyst for growth and support initiatives that redound to the benefit of our ultimate stakeholder — the Filipino people," de Jesus said.