HRO in Action: UnionBank Celebrates Its URCOs For Strengthening Organizational Resilience
By: Martina Lucero
On November 11th, 2024, UnionBank hosted the URCO Year-End Meeting for its Unit Risk and Compliance Officers (URCOs). The event celebrated their role in identifying, assessing, mitigating, reporting, and monitoring risks, as well as ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. With 100 attendees at UnionBank Plaza’s 47th floor and another 100 joining virtually, the event highlighted the critical role URCOs play in safeguarding the organization and upholding regulatory compliance.
The program opened with a heartfelt address by Ms. Ruth Calamba, Head of Operational Risk Management (ORM). She expressed her pride in the URCOs and their strong commitment to UnionBank’s goals. “It’s really great to see you spend the next hour and a half with us to celebrate your achievements, your help, and your support in making UnionBank a highly reliable organization,” she shared.
She reflected on the growth of the URCO network, now 366-strong, and announced plans for additional training and support in 2025. “We are going to build the capability of the URCOs by offering more support – not just to boost your skills, but to really help you understand how valuable your role is to the Bank,” she added.
Institutional Banking Head and Chief Customer Experience and Digital Channel Officer, Ms. Ana Maria Delgado, also delivered an inspiring message of gratitude. She commended the URCOs for their dedication and for balancing their primary responsibilities with their additional roles. “You’ve chosen to rise to the challenge of holding a second role, on top of what you do. You also took on the role of helping the bank to become the best risk manager and the most resilient bank that we can be. And I’d want to say thank you so much for doing that and stepping up to the challenge,” she said.
She also highlighted the growing importance of the URCO role, in light of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ recent resiliency guidelines. “This highlights the importance of building a high-resiliency organization. And you guys are at the center of that,” she added.
As the incoming President and CEO, Ms. Delgado’s remarks emphasized the contributions of URCOs to the bank’s continued transformation.
The event’s highlight was the Awards Ceremony, which honored exceptional URCOs for their remarkable achievements:
Top URCO: Mr. Adrian A. Aldaba (Loans and Trade Services Group)
ORM Champion: Mr. Gennady S. Cruz (HR Legal & Governance)
Rookie URCO: Ms. Johnamae A. Khow (Resiliency)
Resiliency Champion: Ms. Ana Rica E. Mercado (CESG)
IAV Champion: Ms. Maria Theresa A. Estallo (Service Quality and Assurance Management)
Compliance Champion: Mr. Adrian A. Aldaba (Loans and Trade Services Group)
ITRM Champion: Mr. Christopher Chuck T. Acosta (Solutions Delivery – Business Enabling Unit)
The awardees received certificates of recognition and exclusive branded tokens, while onsite attendees received multifunction gadget cleaners adorned with the URCO logo.
Beyond the awards, interactive booths hosted by ORM, IT Risk Management, and Resiliency stakeholders added a festive touch, featuring games and prizes that strengthened bonds among the attendees.
While URCO meetings are typically held quarterly, this event marked a special occasion dedicated to celebrating the unique role of the URCOs. It emphasizes UnionBank’s commitment to fostering a culture of risk awareness, compliance, and resilience—key pillars of its mission to build a stronger, more adaptable, and highly reliable organization.