Manila Banking

BPI Escolta: Where Modern Banking Meets Spanish Colonial Pace

Lighthearted observations about Manila’s most historic banking speed

BPI – Escolta Branch

Address: 101 Escolta St, Manila
Phone: +63 2 8524 2631
View on Google Maps

10 Escolta Banking Realities:

1. The ceiling fans spin at 1890s revolution speeds
2. Marble floors polished by generations of impatient feet
3. Tellers use abacuses for dramatic effect (and backup)
4. Your deposit receipt looks like a Spanish-era document
5. The “Express” lane moves at kalesa pace
6. Pro tip: Bring a history book for the wait
7. Security guards dress like they’re guarding Fort Santiago
8. The vault door weighs more than your account balance
9. That moment when “online banking” means shouting across the room
10. Free nostalgia with every transaction

Originally posted 2005-01-27 09:00:49.