BDO now carries Diners Club cards

Joe Hurley, SVP and head of global business development for Discover Financial Services, operator of the Diners Club brand.

BDO Unibank further widened its consumer lending portfolio by becoming the exclusive issuer of Diners Club credit cards in the Philippines.

Diners Club, a storied American charge card brand, now targets a diverse range of clients, from young professionals who are first time card users to high networth individuals.

“BDO carries the most number of credit card brands, and the widest range of credit cards in the country,” said Rolando Tanchanco, BDO executive vice president and consumer lending group head. “We introduce the BDO Diners Club Credit Cards to further expand the dining and travel perks and privileges we offer our cardholders.”

Under the auspices of BDO—which acquired the Diners Club franchise from Security Bank at end-2016—two types of Diners Club Cards will be issued: the BDO Diners Club International Credit Card and BDO Diners Club Premiere Credit Card. Both cards earn instant miles for every purchase, P50 to one mile and P30 to one mile respectively—one of the lowest spend requirement to earn miles in the industry.

BDO Diners Club Premiere Credit Cardholders who have a penchant for luxury dining can avail themselves of a special double-your-miles privilege for all dining merchants, local and overseas.

“We provide the broadest airport club access than other networks, so we feel very good with over 800 lounges around the world,” said Joe Hurley, SVP and head of global business development for Discover Financial Services, operator of the Diners Club brand.

Diners Club International Credit Card comes with one free free lounge access per year while Diners Club Premiere Credit Card comes with two free lounge access per year.

In a world where internet connectivity is part of daily life, Diners Club also comes with a worldwide WiFi product, Hurley noted.

Hurley also cited Diners Club’s unique privilege program which offers special benefits – whether discounted prices or two-for-one arrangements – to cardholders when they travel overseas.

Apart from global offers on dining, travel and entertainment, these cards also offer free travel insurance.

Nannette Regala, BDO senior vice president and consumer lending group marketing head, explained that the Diners Club Premiere targets the higher-end market, mostly people who were very familiar with the brand, whose track record dates back to 1950.

Diners Club International, on the other hand, is positioning to cater to a younger segment.

“We have a young population. The opportunity to get them involved into a credit card is there,” Regala said, adding that this would be for “good millennials who know what they want and go for what they want.”