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Do you know of someone who has made an exceptional success overseas? If you do, then here's your chance to nominate them to be among this year's outstanding Pinoys.

This is a search being conducted annually by the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), as a tribute to exception overseas Filipinos in their respective fields. The deadline for the nomination is June 30, 2009.

You can send your nominations by email to bpinoyawards-@bpi.com.ph or by mail to Paul Joseph V. Fonte, Marketing Department, Overseas Customers Division, Bank of the Philippine Islands, 6/F BPI Family Savings Bank Center, Paseo de Roxas cor. Dela Rosa St., Makati City 1226, Metro Manila.

An individual or an organization my submit a nomination, as long as their nominees: has established a name and is currently active in his or her field; worked or lived overseas; of good moral character; and has not yet received similar awards from other banking institutions.

The winners will be receiving a BPInoy trophy and P100,000 worth of cash to be donated to their chosen charity.

Two winners will be chosen - one for Arts and Media or Sports category, and another for Business or Science and Technology category.

The BPInoy Awards Steering Committee Nominations will be screening all nominations.

Recipients of this award in past are, singer and musical artist Lea Salonga, heart surgeon Dr. George Garcia, entrepreneur Diosdado Banatao, fashion designers Monique Lhuillier and Josie Natori, and BBC anchor Rico Hizon.

Finally, a bill which seeks to regulate the hidden charges imposed by the ATMs (automated teller machine) to the user has filed in the senate. Some customers may not be aware of it, but some banks impose a charge even on a simple account balance inquiry transaction.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago authored the Senate Bill No. 3046 which requires operators of ATMs to properly disclose how much they charge customers when they inquire about their balance.

According to the Senate bill, the machine should display on its screen the amount that users will be charged when they do an account balance inquiry transaction, and that it should allow them to cancel the same transaction without any charges being imposed on them.

Violators off the bill would be made to pay a fine of between P10,000 and P50,000 and may also be imprisoned for anywhere from two months to one year.

The Senate committee on banks and financial intermediaries headed by Senator Francis Escudero has already started the hearing on the bill. Likewise, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and private banks were asked by the Senate committee to submit position papers regarding the Senate bill.

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