A free concert was held at the SM MOA Arena on Jan. 12, coinciding with the grand launch of the new banking mobile app, VBank, dubbed as the “Bangko ng Masa.” The app is the brainchild of former Ilocos Sur governor Luis `Manong Chavit’ Singson.
VBank is a product of the four-decade-old Vigan Banco Rural Incorporada (VBRI), a rural bank supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and one of the businesses established by Manong Chavit to help the Filipino masses.
Its goal is to make banking procedures safer and more convenient. Through the VBank mobile app, users can conduct transactions anytime, anywhere, without hassle or long waiting times. This includes opening an online account, transferring funds, paying bills, and shopping using mobile prepaid credits.
VBank had a soft launch on Dec. 15, 2024, which recorded 133,000 downloads for the mobile application and the opening of 105,000 new accounts.
With VBank, users can be assured that their money is safe and accessible at any time and place with 24/7 banking.
Manong Chavit had been confined in the hospital for several days during the grand launch of VBank but requested his doctors to allow him to step out for a brief period to attend the event. He wanted to fulfill his promise of giving away an instant P5,800,000 to those who registered for VBank at the arena, in addition to a cash raffle with two winners of P580,000 each and 58 winners of P5,800.
The event was hosted by singer-comedian-host Eric Nicolas during the games portion, while Billy Crawford and Tuesday Vargas were the main hosts. Performers included Billy Crawford, Bamboo, KZ Tandingan, Ai-Ai de las Alas, Gloc 9, Calista, Ez Mil, and Bamboo.
While the crowd enjoyed the event, a sad moment came when Manong Chavit announced he would drop out of the senatorial race due to health issues. He said continuing the campaign would hurt his health and that he needed to prioritize his well-being over politics. He promised to keep his commitments even if he wasn’t in public service anymore.
Chavit shared that he had been in the hospital for pneumonia and other complications, and would return after his speech. The crowd understood his decision and was supportive, with his daughter Rep. Richelle Singson by his side.
