Manila bankers is the worst

A Terrible Experience with Manila Bankers

Long story short…

Yesterday, I had a frustrating encounter at the Robinsons in General Trias, Cavite. An agent approached me about a “raffle” they were hosting to celebrate Manila Bankers’ anniversary. She asked me to pick a number between 1 and 7 for a freebie, and then insisted on leading me to the second floor where the freebie was supposedly located. However, when we arrived at the office, it was empty. The agent claimed everyone was at the bank, so I suggested I would come back later since I was looking for a place to eat. I even asked if I could just take a brochure instead, but she insisted they didn’t have any to give out.

As I was leaving, the agent called me back, saying someone had returned to the office. I decided to check it out, thinking it would be a quick stop. When I got to the booth, I asked the agent how long it would take, and she assured me it would just be a moment. Once I entered the lounge area, the branch head approached me, and I was led into a room. I immediately expressed that I was pressed for time since it was lunchtime, and she told me it would only take about 20 minutes. I reluctantly agreed, even though I felt that was a long time.

Inside, I was met by a financial advisor. While I already had a general idea of what they were discussing, I listened patiently as they went on and on about unnecessary details. I had no intention of opening a savings account at that moment, especially without discussing it with my husband first. I repeatedly told the advisor that I couldn’t decide on my own and needed to consult him. She even asked if my husband would be upset, and although I said no, I emphasized that I respected his opinion and wanted to include him in the decision.

The advisor then guilt-tripped me, suggesting that others she spoke with didn’t consult their spouses before making decisions. To my annoyance, it was clear that she was pushing me to forget my husband’s input. It felt incredibly uncomfortable as she continued to explain, even as it became obvious that I was uninterested. An hour had passed, and my hunger was overwhelming. I finally asked about the lowest offer she had, which turned out to be a “money saver” plan for 4,400 pesos. I initially thought this was a yearly payment since she mentioned it was about 10 pesos per day.

I ended up agreeing to it because she stressed that it was a special offer for that day. After signing numerous papers and filling out forms, I had my credit card approved and was at the cashier. When I tried to clarify something with the cashier, she rudely insisted that I let her finish speaking. After processing my payment, I continued waiting for my policy and asked again about the monthly payments. To my surprise, I learned that the 4,400 was actually a quarterly payment, not a monthly one. I was also unaware that I needed to call the bank to set up my installment plan—no one had informed me of that.

When I asked about withdrawing my funds after one year, I was told it would take two years. Although I left the office feeling lighter after getting the policy, I came home and researched Manila Bankers. I was disheartened to find numerous complaints about their sales tactics and offers. That afternoon, I submitted a cancellation request, but received no acknowledgment. So, I sent an email to [email protected] and received a prompt reply saying my request was under review.

The next morning, I called customer service about the cancellation process, which would take 15 working days and incur a 1,000 peso administrative fee. I paid 4,400 pesos, but they would only refund me 3,400, despite the fact that I hadn’t utilized any of the benefits. I would have been okay