POSB celebrates new perspectives on Singapore

Singapore, 19 Dec 2014 - POSB has launched a new portal, “Neighboursfirst.sg” to celebrate fresh perspectives on Singaporeans and our neighbourhoods.

Serving generations of Singaporeans since 1877, POSB has played a key role in the development of the nation. In the 1970s, the bank helped mobilise national savings, which in turn laid the foundation for modern Singapore.

As kampongs gave way to heartlands, POSB evolved as well, improving its products and services to meet the changing needs and lifestyle of customers. It remains the People’s Bank, actively engaging different segments of the population, from the young to the seniors with its community initiatives.

With Singapore turning 50 next year, POSB is proud to share stories on the “Neighboursfirst.sg” portal that highlights transformation in people’s mindsets, places and our sense of purpose.

Lim Bee Bee, Head of Marketing, Consumer Banking Group Singapore, DBS Bank, said, “Singapore has come a long way in the last 50 years and a lot has changed in terms of how people view society and neighbourhoods. This initiative is part of POSB’s efforts to highlight Singapore’s rapid transformation and how we, as a society, have grown. Through this portal, we hope to bring Singaporeans together, regardless of their background and passion to celebrate shared purposes and diversity.”

The initial response to the portal has been encouraging with most of the content registering a high engagement on POSB’s social media pages. For example, the story of “Bar Brothers” has received more than 95,000 views and close to 700 shares on POSB’s social media platforms. Similarly, “Merging Lanes”, a video that traces the journey of young passionate biker Jonathan as he takes part in the distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride, was viewed more than 65,000 times.

In addition to the featured stories, NeighboursFirst.sg also encourages visitors to share their stories that form the rich tapestry of Singapore. Through the sharing, the bank aims to unearth more stories of what make Singapore home, celebrate transformations and innovations that will shape the nation’s future.

In recent years, POSB has introduced a number of innovative initiatives to extend its reach within the community. In 2010, the bank launched mobile banking enabling customers to perform banking transactions on the go. In 2012, it introduced the first branch within a community club at Zhenghua Community Club. POSB’s presence at community centres has now increased to more than five locations.

In 2013, POSB HDB loan, a first-of-its-kind HDB home loan that offers a comparable alternative to HDB concessionary loans, was launched. Over the last two years, the bank has also increased its cash withdrawal touchpoints to 2,000 with strategic partnerships with SingPost, 7-Eleven, Guardian Health & Beauty and Sheng Siong.

Derrick Goh, Head of POSB, said, “As the People’s Bank, we take great pride in serving generations of Singaporeans and engage the community through different platforms such as the portal. As Singapore progresses, it is important for POSB to continuously innovate and take the lead in delivering safe and smart banking services that are relevant to our customers’ evolving lifestyle.”

In addition to the “Neighboursfirst.sg” portal, POSB will be introducing more initiatives to celebrate Singapore’s Golden Jubilee in 2015.

To discover more inspiring stories about our neighbourhoods, please visit: http://www.posb.com.sg/personal/neighboursfirst/index.html.

                                                                       [End]

About POSB
A part of the DBS Group, POSB is the largest local bank in Singapore with 4 million customers. Having served generations of Singaporeans for the past 137 years, it is known as the "People's Bank", and prides itself on being "neighbours first, bankers second".

With a good understanding of Singaporeans through the years, POSB offers products and services that are relevant to the savings, borrowing, investment and insurance needs of all Singaporeans. With over 50 branches conveniently located islandwide, and over 1,000 ATMs and Cash Acceptance Machines across the island, POSB's distribution network is the largest in Singapore.

POSB acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in each of its staff. For more information, please visit www.posb.com.sg.