ATM for garment workers installed

Garment workers can now fulfill their banking transactions without leaving the comfort and safety of their own factory.

Tan Holdings Corporation and Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation have joined hands in the installation of an Automated Teller Machine inside the premises of the company’s garment manufacturing plant in Lower Base.

The new ATM facility, which was inaugurated yesterday, comes as an added benefit to employees of THC whose salary payments are now being made through the direct deposit program.

THC employees have been provided an ATM card that allows them the convenience and flexibility of accessing their account through the new facility 24 hours a day.

THC Vice President Eloy Inos said the ATM would be of significant help in meeting the workers’ banking needs who had to drive to Garapan or some other place to do their banking. “Thanks to HSBC, they can now check their balance, withdraw or deposit within the confines of the factory.”

HSBC Head of International Operations John Carpenter, who graced the new facility’s inauguration with HSBC CEO for Guam and Saipan Guy Priestly, said the ATM allows workers easy access to banking services when they need it.

HSBC, one of the biggest financial institutions with over 8,000 offices worldwide, installed the ATM after months of pouring in data of the 3,500 workers assigned at the Lower Base plant. This included the preparation of the ATM plastic cards, which were inscribed with Chinese characters.

According to Mr. Carpenter, the inauguration of the ATM also showed the growing bond between his company and Tan Holdings. “This, in a way, is also a concrete example of where the relationship between HSBC and Tan Holdings is going. It is also the icing in the cake following months of hard work.”

Mr. Carpenter, moreover, sees the inauguration of the ATM as testament to HSBC’s commitment to serving both its corporate and regular clientele. As well as fulfilling the banking needs of the garment workers, the ATM also eliminates the arduous manual and physical payment of payroll by the company.

Eli Arago, THC Vice President for Finance and Administration, said in his closing remarks that the inauguration of the ATM is a fulfillment of a dream that was hatched some three years ago.

“The ATM is part of our efforts to be known as the best garment manufacturer in the world, not only because we produce the best apparel products but also because we give our employees the best care they deserve,” Mr. Arago said.

The new facility frees employees from added burden of observing banking hours and enduring long queues. Yesterday’s ribbon cutting ceremony was also graced by key officers of THC including human resources director Jack Torres and Connie Yeung, vice president for production.