EastWest has rolled out its comprehensive “Banking Made Safer” initiative, a robust set of upgraded security and fraud prevention measures designed to safeguard customer accounts and savings while maintaining the ease and accessibility of digital banking. Launched in direct response to growing customer demand for greater financial security and control, the program marks a key operational and strategic advancement for the bank, aligning services with evolving consumer needs and strengthening overall account integrity.
A centerpiece of the new offering is EasyLock, a self-service security feature available via the EastWest EasyWay and EasyBiz apps. The tool empowers customers to designate and secure a specific portion of their account balance, restricting those funds from being used in digital transactions while leaving remaining funds fully available for daily banking use. Customers retain full flexibility, with the ability to adjust or unlock the protected amount at any time—delivering an added layer of confidence that savings earmarked for long-term use stays shielded from unauthorized activity or account compromise. For corporate clients, EasyLock operates within existing approval workflows to ensure seamless integration with business account management.
Beyond EasyLock, EastWest has deployed three additional critical safeguards to reinforce account security across digital channels. Emergency Shield enables customers to instantly suspend all digital account access and outgoing transactions at the first sign of suspected compromise, putting immediate control in the user’s hands. The Transaction Pause Period temporarily limits digital transactions following any update to key account information, blocking potential fraudsters from exploiting changed details. Temporary Holding of Funds meanwhile allows the bank to set aside funds linked to disputed transactions while verification processes are completed, preventing improper losses and supporting timely resolution of reported issues.
“Financial scams continue to become more sophisticated, and for many customers, the concern is not only convenience but the safety of their hard-earned savings,” said EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo. “Through Banking Made Safer, we are giving customers practical tools such as EasyLock that help them take a more active role in protecting their funds. At the same time, we remain focused on making banking easier by providing security features that are simple to use and readily accessible when customers need them most.”
The full suite of measures supports EastWest’s full compliance with Republic Act No. 12010, the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, and all applicable Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulatory requirements, underscoring the bank’s operational commitment to upholding industry standards and legal obligations. As digital financial threats grow more complex, these enhancements reinforce EastWest’s position as a provider of secure, user-centric banking, equipping both individual and corporate customers to manage their finances with greater confidence. Customers are encouraged to activate EasyLock for funds not required for regular transactions to maximize the benefits of the updated security framework.
