Heads Up: My experience with Metro, BDO, and BPI Checking Account Set UP

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, KenM said:

Update on BPI. I transferred in money to make some purchases I need to make of some equipment. Will be a few thousand U.S. It is impossible to use BPI to make online purchases of any expenses. They limit online purchases to 20K pesos per day. They suggested that I use Lazada wallet but the system is not allowing me to transfer any money up to their stated daily limit of 50K. The app says you can change these amounts but in practice no. They have my money. I can't spend it. Unless I can make the purchases locally which is not possible. They want to keep your money to invest and they dont' want you taking it out. How does anyone manage to buy anything online here? I have U.S. based cards but that is a whole other problem that isn't the fault of BPI but of online merchants here not sending the right verification information. 

I've only used Lazada for online shopping here and always choose COD option which is available for anything up to 25,000php with some exceptions.  I've used BPI card a few times but never beyond 20k so can't help. I think most of us don't go above the daily limits so it's not been an issue. 

I have found issues with BPI online system using my PC as you cannot transfer to a 3rd party in another bank but they say you can on the smartphone app. but I don't want to use the app on my phone.  However, they can do it in branch so maybe you can visit your local BPI and see how they can help.

 

[Gator]

13 hours ago, KenM said:

Meanwhile Chase keeps flagging purchases no matter how often I tell them I am in the country. Anyone know U.S. banks that won't do that and don't have foreign transaction fees?

Citi bank. I have an advantage platinum Master Card. No international transaction fees and a fair exchange rate (mid-market I believe). They do charge an annual 95$ fee, but for me it’s worth it. Just make sure you make all purchases in pesos, otherwise the vendor’s bank will do the conversion at a much lower rate. 

[KenM]

I am having multiple overlapping issues with BPI, Chase in the U.S., and Lazada. I have been to the local BPI branch. They just call the 800 number with you sitting there.

There is no apparent way to make larger online purchases from a BPI account. Maybe a locally issued credit card will work. But that will be another hassle and time to set up. I have to bring the bank print outs of proof of income. I don't have a printer. I need to buy a printer. I can't buy the printer for the same reasons. I won't go to a local print place and email them my banking statements or W2. 

I have saphire at Chase so no foreign transaction fees on the bank account debit card. But Lazada system won't take the U.S. address, even though they have a place to add it, the system isn't working. It's been weeks since I reported it. They aren't fixing it. So Chase can't verify purchases online made with them. I would have the same problem on any U.S. issued credit card. Changed the billing address to the Philippines with Chase. Chase flags that. So I have to call them every time when they are open. Will try that tonight. COD not possible on larger purchases. 

I think it's outrageous that BPI has my funds but limits me to $200 U.S. on online purchases even though they verify through sms. Even in store purchases are limited. I want to transfer payments to my landlord each month. I am learning from this discussion that BPI may not allow that either. 

There are no stores in Cebu city I have found with a selection of larger monitors. Or the other equipment I need. 

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, KenM said:

I am having multiple overlapping issues with BPI, Chase in the U.S., and Lazada. I have been to the local BPI branch. They just call the 800 number with you sitting there.

There is no apparent way to make larger online purchases from a BPI account. Maybe a locally issued credit card will work. But that will be another hassle and time to set up. I have to bring the bank print outs of proof of income. I don't have a printer. I need to buy a printer. I can't buy the printer for the same reasons. I won't go to a local print place and email them my banking statements or W2. 

I have saphire at Chase so no foreign transaction fees on the bank account debit card. But Lazada system won't take the U.S. address, even though they have a place to add it, the system isn't working. It's been weeks since I reported it. They aren't fixing it. So Chase can't verify purchases online made with them. I would have the same problem on any U.S. issued credit card. Changed the billing address to the Philippines with Chase. Chase flags that. So I have to call them every time when they are open. Will try that tonight. COD not possible on larger purchases. 

I think it's outrageous that BPI has my funds but limits me to $200 U.S. on online purchases even though they verify through sms. Even in store purchases are limited. I want to transfer payments to my landlord each month. I am learning from this discussion that BPI may not allow that either. 

There are no stores in Cebu city I have found with a selection of larger monitors. Or the other equipment I need. 

Have you actually gone into a BPI branch and discussed the issue with them?  There is definitely a way to increase daily limits beyond the daily 20k for each debit card but, as always here, it is not always as simple as they make it look.  

As for COD limits - have you considered splitting an order into smaller orders to remain withing the COD limit?  It may hurt you in delivery fees though.

Or, open an account with another bank here that has more generous daily limits.

There is always a solution, it just takes more steps here to find it.

[KenM]

As I mentioned I went to the branch. They called the 800 number. The 20K is set by the bank for online purchases. They won't increase it. there are higher limits for in store ;purchases but the local stores don't have many things. There is no way to split at 75K monitor into separate COD shipment. The reason for my post is to ask what others have done. If there are banks with more reasonable limits. If local credit cards have limits like this. 

[hk blues]

4 minutes ago, KenM said:

As I mentioned I went to the branch. They called the 800 number. The 20K is set by the bank for online purchases. They won't increase it. there are higher limits for in store ;purchases but the local stores don't have many things. There is no way to split at 75K monitor into separate COD shipment. The reason for my post is to ask what others have done. If there are banks with more reasonable limits. If local credit cards have limits like this. 

Cash payment? 

[Dave Hounddriver]

38 minutes ago, KenM said:

As I mentioned I went to the branch.

I am curious, did you talk the the branch manager.  Anything I ever wanted done I had to talk to the branch manager for.  Any bank in the Philippines.  It seemed to me that the branch manager did not want to give any power at all to the underlings.  No joke.  My experience only, others may vary.

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I am curious, did you talk the the branch manager.  Anything I ever wanted done I had to talk to the branch manager for.  Any bank in the Philippines.  It seemed to me that the branch manager did not want to give any power at all to the underlings.  No joke.  My experience only, others may vary.

Agree.  I have not had to resort to going up the ranks much, but when I have had to I have had some success. Funnily enough, it has not had a negative impact on my future dealings with the bank, quite the opposite in fact. 

[Gas]

8 hours ago, KenM said:

 If there are banks with more reasonable limits. If local credit cards have limits like this. 

I can set my BDO  debit card to my desired limit for online transactions. 

Local credit cards work the same way as any other country. The higher the credit limit, the more the company trusts the borrower to repay the debit. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

On 6/22/2022 at 8:48 PM, KenM said:

The app says you can change these amounts but in practice no.

This is how ours is set but it can go to 100k. From another bank they told us we can send an application for higher amounts or do it in the bank.