The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) officially launched its AI-powered chatbot, POLA or the PDIC Online Assistant, during a simple ceremony held at the PDIC Chino Building in Makati City on October 14, 2025.
The launch was a pivotal milestone in the Corporation’s ongoing digital transformation initiative to deliver better, faster, and smarter public service to Filipinos nationwide.
Now live on the PDIC corporate website, www.pdic.gov.ph, the chatbot is designed to provide clients and stakeholders with real-time access to reliable, user-friendly information anytime, anywhere. An even wider reach is in the pipeline with plans to roll out access to POLA via Facebook Messenger through the PDIC’s official Facebook page.
Leading the launch were Civil Service Commission (CSC) Assistant Commissioner for Professionalization and Cooperation Atty. Judith A. Dongallo-Chicano, PDIC President and CEO Roberto B. Tan, and CSC NCR Field Office Director Cesar Garduque, Jr.
Assistant Commissioner Chicano lauded the initiative as a beacon of innovation in public service, calling it a powerful example of how technology can uphold the principle that public office is a public trust.
“Puso sa serbisyo is that genuine desire to give efficient and effective service, that willingness to go the extra mile. This is demonstrated in all the mechanisms you have in place to provide a safety net for depositors,” Assistant Commissioner Chicano said in her keynote message.
PDIC President Tan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the online chatbot represents a key convergence of innovation and service in a digital age.
“POLA is designed to enhance our ability to respond quickly, accurately, and efficiently to public inquiries – especially as we see a growing number of tech-savvy depositors, closed bank clients, and other stakeholders engaging with us online,” President Tan said.
The PDIC President reassured the public that while digital tools are evolving, traditional service channels remain strong, with the PDIC Public Assistance Center sustaining its service to walk-in clients who prefer in-person interaction, ensuring no one is left behind in the Corporation’s digital transformation.
“Regardless of the channel — online or face-to-face — our commitment remains the same: timely, accurate, and personalized service for every Filipino we serve,” he added.
The online chatbot is a key component of the PDIC’s broader Customer Handling System, a centralized platform designed to handle queries, requests, and complaints across multiple service channels with improved speed and efficiency.
The launch of POLA also comes as a fitting culmination to the observance of the Civil Service Month, reinforcing the PDIC’s core mission to protect depositors and promote financial stability through continuous innovation in service delivery.
“We look forward to serving our clients better, faster, and smarter — not just today, but for years to come,” the PDIC President concluded. (PDIC)
