MANILA -- The Philippines' largest lender, BDO Unibank, said Friday it was working to keep as many branches open and ensure that its ATMs have cash, with transportation limited under the Luzon-wide COVID-19 lockdown.

Sy-led BDO has 128 branches open in Metro Manila, about a third of the region's total. In Northern and Southern Luzon, 100 percent of branches are open. BDO branches and banks in its network are open in the Visayas and Mindanao, bank president Nestor Tan said.

Armored vans and cash handling facilities are working "double time" to ensure cash availability in ATM's, Tan said in a letter to clients.

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Clients can move their loan due dates without penalty and those who want to pay earlier will be accommodated, he said. Fees for electronic transactions were waived to encourage clients to transact from home, he said.

A skeletal crew is manning the BDO head office and a business continuity plan is running, he said.

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