Citibank Pi And Citibank Savings Pi Are Now Online

[Mr Lee]

Citibank Savings Philippines is now online.I do not know if this would help anyone else or not but both Citibank's that are in the Philippines and the Citibank USA are now linked. You can now transfer money from a US Citibank dollar account into a Philippine Citibank dollar account right online and they charge $8 per one thousand dollars. You can now also view your Philippine balance online at https://www.citibank.com.ph once you register your accounts online. You transfer money by going to the transfer icon and following the instructions to transfer to an account outside your home country or from the Philippines to your home country. I would also guess that you would be able to transfer money directly from a dollar account into a peso account but I am sure that you would not get as good an exchange rate as you can at a money changer. It would also be my guess that you could transfer money from other countries Citibank's to Citibank Philippines the same way now.I am happy because this makes life easier for us. :13_4_10[1]: Hope it makes life easier for others as well. :7_4_17[1]: :7_4_17[1]:

Edited November 4, 2008 by Mr. Lee

[wallyperrier]

for belgium citibank, this was already long timebut we do already long time internet banking also

[Mr Lee]

Our US Citibank has also been online for many years but we could not access our Philippine Citibank Savings account online until recently.Next, I am going to expand on my original post. There are a number of ways of getting money into the Philippines from other countries. Some cost money and others are freeYou can have it wired in. That has a fee attached that they charge for both sending it and for the bank that receives it. Our US bank charged us $35 to send and our Philippine bank charged a P1000 fee to receive it. So this is the most expensive way in my mind to do it unless you do a very large sum and you are in a big rush to receive the funds and cannot wait the 3 weeks for a check to clear.If you are not in a rush and can plan ahead and can wait the 3 weeks, you can write a check from your country of origins account and deposit it into your Philippine account of the same currency, then it cost you nothing (free) to do it this way and we have found it to be the best way to bring our money over and make the most of what we have with what you get. Example, we have a dollar account in Citibank Savings Philippines and we write a check on our US dollar checking account and deposit it into our Philippine dollar account and then withdraw the money in the Philippines after it clears, (it usually takes 21 days) then if it is a large amount, we call the money changer and have them come to the Citibank Savings bank branch office with the exchanged money and we deposit it directly into our Citibank Savings peso checking account, and if it is a small amount we go to the money changer and cash it there. We also call the different money changers in advance and shop for the best rate of exchange first. BTW, we have also deposited our checks into other banks that we had accounts in the Philippines in the past, PNB, BPI, etc, and it works the same.Next, you could do as my original post said and go online and do an online transfer from a bank in the US to your bank account in the Philippines. This cost is $8 per thousand to do and I have found that Citibank in the US only allows $1000 at a time. I guess this is so they can charge you the $8 each time and to prevent a large outflow of money.Last, you can use your ATM card from your country of origin and it can be free if they have a branch in the Philippines, or there will be a fee charged to you if you use an ATM card from a bank that does not have a branch in the Philippines to get the money or a different ATM machine than the one at the actual branch. Example, we use our US Citibank ATM card at the Citibank in the Philippines and have found that the exchange rate is close to the actual rate but we could still do better at a money changer by up to one peso per dollar and as little as a few centavos on each dollar, depending on when the exchange was done, and I have found that you can almost always do better in person at a money changer, yet this is a good way for people who do not live in the Philippines and are just visiting and have not set up bank accounts in the Philippines.Hope this helps and feel free to ask if I have not made something clear.

[volstateguy]

I'm not sure if I'll be asking this under the right topic. However, since the subject of ATMs has came up, I have a question. I have only read about ATMs being located at banks. Are there ATMs in either the Manila Airport (since I have a lay over there on my way to Cebu) or Mactan Airport? I will need to get a few pesos as soon as I land to pay for a taxi to my hotel...otherwise it's gonna be a long walk. Also are there ATMs located in the malls or other locations in Cebu? I will be staying in Rajah Park hotel while I'm there. Does anyone know the closest ATM from there?Thank youBrett

[On-in-2]

I'm not sure if I'll be asking this under the right topic. However, since the subject of ATMs has came up, I have a question. I have only read about ATMs being located at banks. Are there ATMs in either the Manila Airport (since I have a lay over there on my way to Cebu) or Mactan Airport? I will need to get a few pesos as soon as I land to pay for a taxi to my hotel...otherwise it's gonna be a long walk. Also are there ATMs located in the malls or other locations in Cebu? I will be staying in Rajah Park hotel while I'm there. Does anyone know the closest ATM from there?Thank youBrett

Manila airport yesMactan airport yesMalls yesOther locations yes, manyAbout Rajah Park hotel, I'm not sure. Enjoy your visit! Pete

[Jollygoodfellow]

I'm not sure if I'll be asking this under the right topic. However, since the subject of ATMs has came up, I have a question. I have only read about ATMs being located at banks. Are there ATMs in either the Manila Airport (since I have a lay over there on my way to Cebu) or Mactan Airport? I will need to get a few pesos as soon as I land to pay for a taxi to my hotel...otherwise it's gonna be a long walk. Also are there ATMs located in the malls or other locations in Cebu? I will be staying in Rajah Park hotel while I'm there. Does anyone know the closest ATM from there?Thank youBrett

Manila airport yesMactan airport yesMalls yesOther locations yes, manyAbout Rajah Park hotel, I'm not sure. Enjoy your visit!Pete

Hey PeteI could never find an ATM at Matcan Airport, where are they? :1 (235):

[Jollygoodfellow]

I'm not sure if I'll be asking this under the right topic. However, since the subject of ATMs has came up, I have a question. I have only read about ATMs being located at banks. Are there ATMs in either the Manila Airport (since I have a lay over there on my way to Cebu) or Mactan Airport? I will need to get a few pesos as soon as I land to pay for a taxi to my hotel...otherwise it's gonna be a long walk. Also are there ATMs located in the malls or other locations in Cebu? I will be staying in Rajah Park hotel while I'm there. Does anyone know the closest ATM from there?Thank youBrett

Hi BrettAs Pete said there are ATM's everywhere, in the malls,banks etc. But its a different story should you go out into the provinces though.What I always do is get about 5000 peso from my bank in Australia before I leave, you might have to request it a few weeks in advance but its the easiest way. That way nothing can go wrong for your fist day.Be sure to phone your bank or card service and tell them you will be using the card overseas as sometimes it could be blocked if it seems like an unusual transaction.I was on the plane with a guy who was also traveling to Cebu who wanted to get some money to use at the Singapore airport on route to Cebu, he could not get anything out of the ATM there so I gave him some money to buy something to eat. Dont know how he got on in Cebu as we went separate ways.Almost forgot, your card should be mastro or plus branded, check with your bank,some master cards and visa cards are not. :1 (235):

[On-in-2]

Hey PeteI could never find an ATM at Matcan Airport, where are they? :1 (235):

Of course, upon arrival at Mactan's baggage claim area, I was in a serious state of 'autopilot' having been on planes since New Hampshire, but I'm pretty sure I remember getting some taxi fare out of an ATM against the exterior wall directly facing the luggage carousel. It was off to the right side, if I'm not mistaken. I think it was a MetroBank (blue) one.Pete

[Mr Lee]

I am pretty sure that I saw one in the hallway on the right, next to where the bathroom was just before the exit to the pick up area.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Mr. Lee

[volstateguy]

Thanks for the info Pete and Boss Man! Much appreciated I should be good with my ATM cards. I have an account in the U.S. and one here in Germany. My bank card from here in Germany is plus branded. My card from the states is from USAA and I've been all over the world with it and never had a problem. I suppose it would be a good idea to let them both know that I will be in the Philippines though, never thought of that. I would really suck to get there and find out I couldn't withdraw any money. Thanks againBrett