For siblings Angel and Ancel Brillantes, the mortuary business has always been familiar territory. Growing up with their father’s enterprise since the ‘70s, they never shied away from its realities. Today, they continue to lead Angel B. Brillantes Jr. Funeral Homes, Inc. as one of the mortuary service providers in Davao.
Recently, the Brillantes siblings attended the SME Forum organized by BDO Unibank, where they learned about the benefits of Cash Management Services (CMS) to businesses. With the solutions discussed during the forum, they are now equipped to rid their operations of inefficiencies—including the risks associated with handling manual payroll.
“We’re excited to streamline our processes with the help of BDO and reduce incidents of theft. With payroll being distributed manually across our branches, there’s always the risk of ‘ghost employees’, fictitious names or padded employee accounts,” explained Ancel Brillantes, Vice President of the funeral home. “With our payroll being coursed through BDO, there’s no more chance for the payroll to be manipulated. Everything is verified and secure.”
During the Usapang Negosyo SME Forum held at the Davao Convention and Trade Center, the Brillantes siblings and other entrepreneurs saw firsthand how BDO’s SME package—including automated payroll processing, check writing and disbursement, and Business Online Banking—can help businesses operate more efficiently.
Prior to adopting BDO’s payroll service, the funeral home paid employees manually by putting cash in envelopes and distributing check through its branches—a tedious two-day process.
“When it comes to payroll, building trust is a challenge, especially with a growing workforce. By automating our payroll process, we can confidently expand our business even to more distant locations, knowing that inflow and outflow of funds are monitored securely,” Ancel said.
Moreover, by allowing its employees to open personal bank accounts for their payroll, BDO is fostering financial literacy and saving habits.
“Our employees still have no bank account of their own. Once you have money in your hand, you’ll be compelled to spend. It’s different if it’s saved in a bank. Our employees will learn how to save their money,” Ancel added.
Helping businesses thrive. Grace R. Caguioa, BDO Unibank First Vice President and Head of its Transaction Banking Group CMS-SME Segment, explains to SMEs attending the Usapang Negosyo Forum how the right tools can make payments easier and receipt of payments faster so they can focus more on growing their business.
Beyond payroll, the Brilliantes siblings are also able to simplify their check disbursement. The company can now complete its check releasing process at the end of the month even if the siblings are away from the office.
“We used to do multiple steps to process checks, resulting in overdue payments. With BDO’s system, there’s an acknowledgement receipt and filtering mechanisms, making monitoring, revisions, and check reconciliations much easier—even remotely,” Ancel said.
Currently operating in multiple locations across Davao and Iloilo, Angel B. Brillantes Jr. Funeral Homes is gearing up for further expansion and looks forward to deepening its partnership with BDO.