Security Bank Services Resume Following Extended Downtime, Social Media Reaction

On July 20, 2023, at 1:45 pm, Security Bank announced on its official Facebook page that the prolonged system downtime that had disrupted its services was finally over. All operations were stated to be “business as usual”, reassuring its clients of its recovery from the disruptive technical glitch that impacted its branches, ATMs, and online services.

Earlier in the week, a host of clients took to social media to express their discontent regarding the bank's services being offline for two days. The prolonged downtime affected everyday banking activities, which sparked a wave of complaints on various social media platforms.

Security Bank, in response to the flurry of complaints, issued several advisories on their social media accounts to inform clients about the ongoing technical issues affecting their services. The bank expressed regret over the inconvenience caused, pledging to rectify the issues at the earliest.

The July 19 advisory specified that a host of services, including Security Bank Online (desktop and mobile applications), DigiBanker, Cash and Trade Portal, Salary Advance (SALAD), PESONet, branches, payroll, and eKYC were impacted by the glitch. The bank also noted that the processing of transactions and the availability of funds of account holders would be delayed due to technical issues.

A public message sent out by Security Bank read, “Hello Security Bank customer! Were currently experiencing some technical issues which may delay the posting of transactions and/or the availability of funds in your account. We apologize for this inconvenience”. The bank reassured its customers that the technical team was working diligently to resolve the issues promptly.

All advisories released by Security Bank regarding the downtime can be accessed on its official website, in the Banking Advisory section.

However, the bank faced a wave of criticism from some Filipinos for allegedly failing to provide frequent updates, including the estimated time for service restoration. Many disgruntled clients perceived the bank's customer service as “poor” and “unresponsive”, expressing their complaints vociferously on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

One Twitter user voiced their frustration, saying, “Since 9 a.m. today you have been offline and no updates from any of your bank or our bank branch”. A Facebook user chimed in, questioning the lack of updates and clarity regarding the resolution of the issues.

Clients also reported encountering problems with the bank's debit balances after conducting transactions and bill payments, with some pointing out that they were unable to withdraw their salaries due to ongoing issues.

As of June 2021, Security Bank has an extensive network of 316 branches and 789 ATM machines, including Cash Acceptance Machines, spread across the Philippines. Despite the recent events, it has been the recipient of the “Bank of the Year” award for several years, indicating its generally high standards of service.

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For further inquiries or updates about the situation, clients are encouraged to contact Security Bank's customer service or stay updated through the bank's official social media channels and website.