Bridging the gap: inside BDO Unibank’s “phygital” transformation with RJ de la Cruz & Levy Mariñas

Episode 86 of Banking Reinvented explores how the Philippines’ largest bank is bridging physical and digital channels to deliver seamless, customer-first experiences at scale.

Host Tim Rutten is joined by BDO Unibank’s Romeo Josef “RJ” de la Cruz, Head of Digital Applications & Delivery, and Levy Mariñas, Head of Digital Apps Delivery, who lead the teams powering BDO’s mobile and web platforms. Together, they discuss how BDO is unifying its digital architecture, accelerating time-to-market, and expanding access through its “phygital” strategy, where in-branch, online, and mobile banking work as one.

Tune in to hear how BDO tripled digital wallet adoption, plus how they’re driving financial inclusion and preparing for the next wave of AI-powered personalization, efficiency, and fraud prevention.

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Timestamps

(00:00) – Welcome to the “Banking Reinvented” podcast

(00:31) – Introduction to RJ, Levy, and BDO Unibank

(05:14) – The value of a “phygital” transformation

(09:02) – The 2-3 year ambition roadmap

(10:25) – Balancing innovation with security and trust

(13:38) – Collaboration with a fintech partner

(15:51) – Key use cases

(18:03) – Navigating a competitive market

(20:52) – Harnessing the power of AI

(25:45) – Key learnings and takeaways

(31:12) – Episode wrap-up