Banks require that you personally see a bank officer in order to open accounts. It is a BSP regulation. Part of the KYC (know your customer). The officer will interview you to determine:

1. If you have a record (in BAP or negative files). You get on the BAP for bad credit (not paying loans or your credit cards), or issuing bouncing checks (mishandled account). If your name comes up, the bank will not open the account for you.

2. Determine the source of your funds (payroll, business, etc). This is part of AML (anti-money laundering) law. Just to make sure your money source is legit.

3. Get you to sign on their signature cards and to fill up their account opening forms.

Now the above procedure is for new clients. Existing clients need not have to fill in more details if say you want to open a checking account after having 2 savings accounts in the past. You will need to sign their signature card for the checking account. You ask, well you got my signature already for the savings accounts, why for the checking? Well, people may sign differently on checks vs other documents. I do. Better security doing that, but that's just me.

I guess, and I said I am guessing, Metrobank may have different terms and conditions for checking accounts vs savings, hence the need to fill up the new forms and to sign. In case you go to court, Metro will present your account opening forms with your signature in it as proof that you had agreed to the terms and conditions of having a checking account.

Assuming the terms and conditions are the same, then you need not show up in the branch and just wait for your checkbooks to be delivered. The bank will debit you for the checkbooks and depending on their procedures, may require your signature. Some banks have recorded phone conversations so instructions given over the phone are admissible in court in lieu of a signed document. I find this convenient as it saves me from having to make that trip to the branch.

As to online services, I applied for a BPI credit card using their online facility. Next business day, I got a text message asking me to call their customer service number and to mention the reference number in the sms message. Efficient and high tech! I called the number and 9 minutes later, someone picked up the call and told me to submit my ITR either through fax or email. Not good client experience having to wait 9 minutes on the phone. If I called via handphone, that would have been almost P100. I emailed my ITR with the reference number. It's now more than 11 days since I emailed my ITR and I still haven't seen the card. So much for BPI online service.

On depositing cash in a PSBank branch, to another account in another branch of PSBank, I was charged for it. What? I'm putting money in your bank and you're charging me a fee? P50 for deposit amounts below P100,000 and P100 for amounts greater than P100,000. I argued with the branch manager saying that you guys don't physically transport the money over to the other branch do you? Everything is electronic! She didn't budge. Clients who overheard the conversation said that this was common practice amongst banks. I guess this is a fee income generation activity of the bank and these other clients have resigned themselves to it. Pity. Fortunately, my bank doesn't charge me for that nor when I do online transfers to another account within my bank.

One other thing I learned about money transfers or funds transfers. Banks receive your money like within 24 hours after the other bank sends the money. Your bank holds on to the funds for a day or two more. Friend of mine said that this is what they call float income. Not only did the sender get charged for sending money, but the bank debits the recipient for the incoming transfer and holds your money for a day or two! Sobra! Kawawa naman yung mga OFW natin!

On ATM service, I am happy with my bank's ATM service. Always online. Lots of security guards, well lit and neat surroundings. They also don't charge fees for using other bank's ATMs. Terrible thing to be running around the mall, looking for an ATM that's online. If it is online, haba naman yung pila. By the time you get to use it, out of cash naman! Aaarggghh!!!! Worse, your account got debited but no cash comes out of the ATM! Aaaaarggghhh!!!! Buti na lang may credit card.

On BDO internet banking, my wife asked what she needed to do to get into that service. She was asked to fill up a form. What??? She asked how long before she will be able to get in. Answer: About 2 weeks. Huh? She said, forget it. Online service should be available through online application. Not stupid paper-based processes. I don't feel it is secure as along the way, someone could tap into my wife's account before we get the log-in process from BDO.

End of rant.