PDIC Ad Rules for Bank Advertisements

Section 16(a) of Republic Act No. 3591, as amended requires an insured bank to display the PDIC official signs at each place of business and to include the PDIC insurance statement in its advertisements.
PDIC Regulatory Issuance No. 92-4 establishes detailed policies and rules on how an insured bank must display PDIC official signs and include PDIC insurance statements or membership emblems in advertising.
The rules apply to insured banks that advertise services and facilities connected with deposits and PDIC membership.

A desktop sign is one of the two PDIC official sign types supplied by PDIC for on-site display by insured banks.
A sticker or decal is the second type of PDIC official sign supplied by PDIC for on-site posting by insured banks.
A membership emblem is a pattern with the same design as the sticker or decal and may be used by an insured bank in printed advertisements as an alternative to the PDIC insurance statement.
The PDIC insurance statement comes in two prescribed types: an official advertising statement for printed advertisements and a short title for TV/film strips/radio advertisements.

PDIC shall supply, at predetermined prices, the signs that an insured bank shall display.
PDIC signs are of two types: Desktop and sticker or decal.
The desktop sign must be displayed at each teller’s counter or window where insured deposits are usually and normally received in the bank’s principal place of business and in all branches and offices.
The sticker or decal must be posted at each banking unit’s main entrance/doors.
At the site of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) that have deposit taking facilities, the insured bank must either:
- display a desktop sign, or
- post a sticker,
  depending on what is appropriate for the ATM site.

The sign or signs must be displayed conspicuously and continuously.
An insured bank may use a sign other than the official sign, provided it is of the same size, wording, and appearance as the official sign.
A substitute sign must be approved in writing by PDIC as conforming to the requirements of Section 6.01 of the PDIC Rules and Regulations.
Written PDIC approval is given only in individual cases where:
- the official sign is not in harmony with the bank’s counters and fixtures; or
- the official sign cannot be adequately displayed because of the type of construction of the bank’s counters and fixtures.
If the official sign cannot be displayed for reasons cited in Item No. 6 (i.e., those requiring PDIC approval of substitute signs), the bank must:
- inform PDIC in writing of the circumstance hindering display; and
- present the substitute sign to PDIC for approval.

Temporary exemption from sign display requirements may be granted only upon PDIC Board of Directors’ approval of the bank’s written application setting forth the facts.

An insured bank must include the PDIC insurance statement or membership emblem in advertising types that involve:
- deposits;
- Automated Teller Machine (ATM) service;
- advertisements that do not show or mention any particular service being offered; and
- advertisements that PDIC deems as requiring inclusion of the insurance statement.
The PDIC insurance statement exists in two types with different mandatory uses:
- For printed advertisements, the official advertising statement must be used: “Member of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation. Deposits Insured up to P100,000.00”.
- For TV, film strips, and radio advertisements, the short title must be used: “Member: PDIC”.

A membership emblem may be used by an insured bank in printed advertisements as an alternative to the PDIC insurance statement.
The PDIC insurance statement may be translated into any other dialect or language, provided the translation is formally approved by PDIC.
The short title cannot be substituted for the official advertising statement in advertisement types where the official statement is mandatory.

The PDIC insurance statement may be excluded in advertisements relating to:
- trust business or trust department products or services;
- safekeeping box business or services;
- real estate business or services;
- armored car services;
- securities business;
- travel department business;
- loan services;
- trade financing; and
- credit card services, except when acquisition of a credit card requires the maintenance of a deposit account.
The PDIC insurance statement may be excluded in advertisements promoting human values.
The PDIC insurance statement may be excluded in advertisement types or characters that make inclusion impractical, including:
- advertisements that do not set forth the name of the insured bank, except when the advertising bank is identifiable; and
- promotional items whose size cannot practically accommodate the insurance statement or emblem.
The PDIC insurance statement may be excluded from:
- Statements of Condition and Reports of Condition of an insured bank, publication of which is required by law.
- bank supplies such as stationery, envelopes, deposit slips, checks, drafts, signature cards, passbooks, CTDs, etc.

When the official advertising statement or emblem appears in any printed advertisement, the prints must not be smaller than the smallest letter of the advertisement, but in any case must be no less than 10 pts. type bold.
In television or film strip advertisements, the short title must be shown for at least three (3) seconds.
In radio advertisements, a particular mention of the short title must be made.

A bank found violating the advertisement requirements shall be charged a penalty of not more than P1,000 for each day a violation has been committed.
Penalties are assessed in accordance with Section 14(a) of Republic Act No. 3691, as amended.
The penalty rule applies to violations of the advertisement requirements, including those governed by the sign and insurance statement inclusion framework under this issuance.