As one of the Philippines' most dynamic bankers, Nestor Tan has overseen a series of acquisitions and mergers that have transformed Banco de Oro into the largest bank in the country by assets. Now he is eager for further growth by capitalising on opportunities presented by the recession. Writer Michelle Price

Asian banks have avoided the worst of the credit crunch and shown steady economic growth. China is predictably the big winner, accounting for 41 of the Top 200 and dwarfing India’s aggregate sum. Writer Stephen Timewell .

The impact of the international slowdown on the Philippines economy has been more severe than expected, but revenue collections are on track and overseas remittances remain strong, says the Philippines finance secretary.

Despite the international credit crunch, banks in the Philippines grew lending by 24% in the first half of 2008 and asset quality continues to improve, says the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) governor.

The Tan brothers, Nestor and Lorenzo, are helping to reshape the Philippines’ banking industry. Ian Gill  reports on how their international expertise is helping to break the shackles of traditional financial empires.

An unprecedented array of mortgage products is putting home purchases within reach of lower-income Filipinos – and helping banks achieve their best loan growth in a decade.