UnionBank CEO 1st female BAP head

ANA MARIA ABOITIZ-DELGADO, president and chief executive officer (CEO) at Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), has been elected president of the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), becoming the first woman to lead the organization in its almost 80-year history. She will serve a one-year term covering 2026-2027, UnionBank said in a statement on Wednesday.

In her inaugural address, Ms. Aboitiz-Delgado cited the industry’s role in driving economic growth and financial inclusion.

“As bankers, we have the ability to uplift lives and fuel economic progress by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of banking services,” she said. “As we see the acceleration of digitalization and the potential of AI (artificial intelligence), we face a next generation of risks that extend beyond individual institutions and national borders.”

She also cited the importance of collaboration with peers, the central bank and communities to boost trust and confidence in the financial system amid geopolitical uncertainty.

Ms. Aboitiz-Delgado succeeds Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco, president and CEO at Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) who completed a three-year term. Under his leadership, the BAP advanced initiatives against financial scams and cybercrime, supported the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act and promoted regional cooperation through the ASEAN Bankers Association.

The association also focused on improving the efficiency and connectivity of digital transaction platforms.

Ms. Aboitiz-Delgado became UnionBank president and CEO in January 2025 after more than two decades in leadership roles spanning digital transformation, consumer finance, institutional and small and medium enterprise banking and customer experience design.

In other leadership changes, Elfren Antonio S. Sarte, Jr. has been named BAP managing director, succeeding Benjamin P. Castillo, who served from 2017.

The group also elected Fabian S. Dee, president at Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., as first vice-president; Lynette V. Ortiz, president and CEO at Land Bank of the Philippines, as second vice-president; Joseph Albert L. Gotuaco, president at BDO Private Bank, as treasurer; and Paul Raymond A. Favila, CEO at Citibank, N.A., as secretary. — Aaron Michael C. Sy