u/cocoalime838

Hi traveling this June and wondering if you have good recommendations for a good Ryokan with Onsen? Would love to explore outside Osaka because i’ve already done the touristy things in the past. Thank you!

Hi! I’m starting a new business and would love to keep the audience from my current page. Is there any way to change the page name without notifying the friends or followers who previously liked the page?

During the pandemic, banks offered the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” grace periods under Bayanihan 1 and 2. On paper, it sounded like relief. “Grace period,” “automatic application,” “Bayanihan” - naturally, people assumed banks were trying to help during global health crisis.

What they DIDN’T make clear enough was how some of these deferred payments would continue to accumulate interest and charges later on.

Back then, UnionBank kept sending generic emails about the program. During the pandemic, you couldn’t exactly walk into a bank branch and get a clear explanation from anyone. They didn’t even have a designated hotline! Customer service was horrible. Responses were vague. Everything felt automated.

Thankfully, a friend warned me NOT to take the offer because it could become a nightmare later. I listened.

Even then, despite repeatedly telling UnionBank I did NOT want to avail of the Bayanihan deferment, they still failed to properly reverse it for MONTHS. It became such a mess that I eventually had to pay a huge lump sum for the months they stopped auto-debiting my mortgage payments.

I was already furious back in 2021 because of how inefficient and disorganized they were.

But here’s the scary part:

I recently checked my SOA and discovered I was STILL being charged Bayanihan-related interest fees years later. Huge amounts.

I had to escalate the issue to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas because apparently these charges were just left there unnoticed. And honestly? It makes me wonder how many borrowers are silently paying these fees without even understanding what they’re being charged for.

And guess what happened after BSP got involved?

A few days later, UnionBank of the Philippines suddenly sent me a revised SOA and apologized for the “inconvenience.” LOL.

So yes, CHECK YOUR STATEMENTS CAREFULLY. Because if I hadn’t questioned it, those charges probably would’ve stayed there indefinitely.

PLEASE:

Review every single fee on your mortgage statements.
Don’t blindly trust any act of goodwill from these banks
Ask for FULL amortization breakdowns.
Monitor how much actually goes to principal vs interest.
Know your rights as a borrower.

And if you’re still with UnionBank of the Philippines, monitor your loan VERY closely.

Their interest rates became insane over time, and it feels like your payments barely touch the principal.

This is not financial advice. Just a warning from someone who learned the hard way: banks are not automatically looking out for your best interests, even during a national crisis.