The machine's owner sets the fee, so machines cost different amounts
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas requires all banks to follow the Acquirer-Based Fee Charging model. Under it, the bank that owns the ATM decides what a non-customer pays, rather than every withdrawal costing the same across the country. Interbank withdrawal fees therefore sit at P10, P15 or P18 depending on whose machine you use.
That makes the choice of machine a real decision rather than a matter of convenience. BPI charges non-BPI cardholders P18, DBP charges P15, and Security Bank charges P10 — the same withdrawal, nearly twice the cost.
| ATM | Fee for other banks' cardholders | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Security Bank | P10 | Among the lowest under the ABFC model |
| DBP | P15 | Wide branch presence outside Metro Manila |
| BPI | P18 | Highest of the three, and one of the largest networks |
| Your own bank's ATM | Usually free | Subject to your account's own monthly limits |
Withdrawal limits differ more than the fees do
UCPB and UnionBank allow up to P20,000 per transaction, while PSBank goes up to P30,000. Most banks set a minimum of P100 per withdrawal, with BDO the exception at P200.
Because the interbank fee is a flat amount, the limit is what actually determines your cost. Needing P30,000 from a machine capped at P20,000 means two transactions and two fees; the same amount from a PSBank ATM is one transaction and one fee.
Foreign cards pay twice
A card issued abroad is charged the local ABFC fee by the ATM owner and then charged again by its own issuer, usually as a foreign transaction fee plus a currency conversion margin. Neither charge is visible on the other's receipt.
If the screen offers to bill you in your home currency instead of pesos, decline it. That conversion is priced by the ATM operator and is almost always worse than the rate your own bank would apply. Choose pesos and let your issuer convert.
If the machine keeps your card or debits without releasing cash
Write down the time, the location and the ATM number, and keep the receipt. Lodge the complaint with the bank that issued your card rather than the bank that owns the machine — only the issuer can raise the dispute through BancNet and the payment system and return the funds.
When the amount is deducted but no cash appears, the settlement between the acquiring bank and your bank normally identifies the discrepancy within a few banking days. File the report at once anyway, so you have a date and a reference number to follow up with.
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Three things that make a withdrawal cost more
- 1The ATM owner's fee is charged on top of your own bank's fee.
- 2If the ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, always pick the local one — the machine's own conversion (DCC) is usually worse.
- 3Every card has its own per-withdrawal and daily limit.
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