The Asian Bankers Association (ABA), in collaboration with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), is inviting ABA members and friends to the Short-Term Visiting Program on Shaping the Future of Banking Through Sustainability, Open Finance, AI, Cybersecurity, and Digital Innovation to be held on June 24–25, 2026 in Manila, Philippines.
This 1.5-day program will bring together industry leaders and practitioners to exchange insights on key developments shaping the banking landscape, with a focus on digital innovation, financial inclusion, and emerging technologies. Topics are expected to cover areas such as digital banking platforms, open finance, payments innovation, and new frontiers including AI and stablecoin applications.
The program will feature a mix of expert-led sessions and interactive discussions, providing participants with practical perspectives and opportunities for knowledge exchange.
AGENDA
Day 1: June 24, 2026
09:00 Opening Remarks
Reggie Cariaso, President and CEO, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).
Amador Honrado, Deputy Secretary of Asian Bankers Association.
09:30 Module 1: Unlocking Stablecoin Use Cases: Rewiring Digital Banking in the Era of a New Global Order
Speaker: Manideep Gupta, Head of Consulting & AI Practice, VISA Asia Pacific.
A timely conversation on the evolving role of stablecoins in enabling programmable finance, modernizing payments, and shaping the future of global digital banking ecosystems.
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Module 2: Open Finance Platform Banking: Unlocking the PERA Initiative as a National Wealth Infrastructure
Speaker: Lyn Javier, Deputy Governor, Financial Supervision Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
An exploration of how Open Finance, embedded banking, and digital ecosystems can reposition PERA into a scalable platform for inclusive wealth creation and retirement readiness.
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Module 3: Cybersecurity by Design: Operationalizing the NASH Initiative as the Philippines’ Digital Trust Backbone
Speaker: Atty. Aboy Paraiso, Executive Director, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
A forward-looking conversation on strengthening digital trust through real-time intelligence, ecosystem interoperability, and coordinated cyber defense across the financial sector.
14:00 Module 4: Scaling Payments Tokenization: Securing the Rails, Accelerating the Digital Economy
Speaker: TG Ramakrishnan, Strategic Partnership Lead, Google Pay, Asia Pacific.
An executive dialogue on how tokenization is reshaping payments infrastructure by enabling more secure, seamless, and interoperable digital commerce experiences.
15:00 Coffee Break
15:30 Module 5: Harnessing Interoperable Cross-Border Payments: The Project Nexus Imperative
Speaker: Mamerto Tangonan, Deputy Governor, Payment and Currency Management Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
A strategic look at how interoperable payment networks can unlock faster, more inclusive, and cost-efficient cross-border transactions across ASEAN and beyond.
Day 2: 25 June 2026
09:00 Module 6: Sustaining Innovation with Empathy: Designing Financial Systems that Drive Real Financial Health
Speaker: Lito Villanueva, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer, RCBC & Founding Chairman, FinTech Alliance PH.
A leadership discussion on embedding empathy into financial innovation to create solutions that improve financial resilience, trust, and meaningful customer outcomes.
09:45 Coffee Break
10:00 Module 7: Embracing Agentic AI: Future-Proofing Payments Through Autonomous Intelligence
Speaker: Jason Crasto, Country Manager, Mastercard Philippines.
An insightful session on how autonomous AI systems and Agentic AI are redefining payment experiences for consumers and merchants across the evolving digital economy.
10:40 Module 8: Sustainability in Banking: From ESG Compliance to Value Creation and Competitive Advantage
Speaker: Pia Roman Tayag, Assistant Governor and Chief Sustainability Officer, Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability Office, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
A strategic discussion on how banks can transform sustainability from a compliance requirement into a catalyst for growth, resilience, innovation, and long-term competitive advantage.
11:20 Closing Remarks
Reggie Cariaso,President and CEO, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).
Amador Honrado, Deputy Secretary of Asian Bankers Association.
Awarding of Certificates.
11:40 Lunch
- Dates: June 24–25, 2026
- Venue: RCBC Plaza, Makati City, Philippines
- Capacity: 30–50 participants
- Participation Fee: Free for ABA members, US$ 200 for non-members. The Registration Fee can be paid by credit card at the ABA website HERE.
We encourage ABA members to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from RCBC’s digital banking experience. For more information or to register for the program, please contact the ABA Secretariat at aba@aba.org.tw.
