[OR] [CBC] [E2] [P1 to P3] [C1] OR Planning Methodology

Operational Resilience Planning Methodology for BDO Unibank

Introduction

As one of the oldest and most established financial institutions in the Philippines, China Banking Corporation (China Bank) operates within a highly interconnected, technology-driven, and regulator-intensive environment.

With increasing exposure to cyber threats, third-party dependencies, digital banking disruptions, and systemic risks, the need for a structured and comprehensive Operational Resilience (OR) framework has become imperative.

To address these evolving challenges, China Bank adopts a three-phased Operational Resilience  Planning Methodology—Plan, Implement, and Sustain—designed to ensure the bank can prevent, respond to, recover from, and adapt to disruptions while continuing to deliver its critical business services. This methodology aligns with regulatory expectations such as the BSP Circular No. 1203, which emphasises resilience over traditional recovery by focusing on service continuity under severe but plausible scenarios.

Each phase builds upon the previous one, forming a continuous lifecycle of resilience enhancement. The Plan phase establishes the strategic foundation, the Implement phase operationalises resilience capabilities across critical services, and the Sustain phase ensures long-term embedding through governance, culture, and continuous improvement.

Purpose of the Chapter

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a structured overview of China Bank’s Operational Resilience Planning Methodology, enabling readers to clearly understand how the organisation systematically builds, implements, and sustains resilience across its operations.

Specifically, this chapter aims to:

• Explain the three phases of the Operational Resilience lifecycle and how they interrelate
• Clarify the objectives and outcomes of each stage within the phases
• Provide a practical framework that can be replicated or adapted by financial institutions pursuing compliance with regulatory requirements such as BSP Circular No. 1203
• Prepare the reader for deeper exploration of each phase in subsequent chapters

By the end of this chapter, the reader is expected to gain a clear conceptual roadmap of how operational resilience is designed, executed, and continuously enhanced within China Bank.

Overview of the Three Phases of Operational Resilience Planning Methodology

The Operational Resilience Planning Methodology is structured into three key phases:

Phase 1: Plan – Establishing the Foundations

Stages in Phase 1

Outcome of Phase 1 
 

This phase delivers a clear strategic blueprint for operational resilience, ensuring alignment
  between business objectives, regulatory expectations, and risk tolerance.

Phase 2: Implement – Translating Strategy into Action

The Implement phase translates strategy into action by focusing on the identification, analysis, and strengthening of critical business services (CBS).

Stages in Phase 2

Outcome of Phase 2

This phase ensures that China Bank develops operationally resilient capabilities, supported by tested processes, defined tolerances, and a deep understanding of service dependencies.

Phase 3: Sustain – Embedding and Continuously Improving Resilience

The Sustain phase ensures that operational resilience becomes an integral part of China Bank’s culture, governance, and continuous improvement processes.

Stages in Phase 3

Outcome of Phase 3

This phase ensures long-term sustainability, with resilience continuously monitored, improved, and embedded into the organisation’s DNA.

China Bank’s three-phased Operational Resilience Planning Methodology represents a holistic and iterative approach to managing disruption in an increasingly complex banking environment. By systematically progressing from planning to implementation and ultimately to sustainability, the bank ensures that resilience is not a one-time initiative but an ongoing strategic capability.

This structured methodology not only supports compliance with regulatory frameworks such as BSP Circular No. 1203 but also strengthens China Bank’s ability to protect customers, maintain trust, and ensure financial stability, even in the face of severe disruptions.

Blogs marked [x] are under construction.

ebook 2: Implementing Operational Resilience for BDO
C1	C2 [x]	C8 [x]	C14 [x]

	ebook 2: Implementing Operational Resilience for BDO
	BSP OR Policy	eBook 1	eBook 2	eBook 3	C20 [x]	C21 [x]
	"Plan" Phase of the Operational Resilience Planning Methodology
	C2 [x]	C3 [x]	C4 [x]	C5 [x]	C6 [x]	C7 [x]
	"Implement" Phase of the Operational Resilience Planning Methodology
	C8 [x]	C9 [x]	C10 [x]	C11 [x]	C12 [x]	C13 [x]
	"Sustain" Phase of the Operational Resilience Planning Methodology
	C14 [x]	C15 [x]	C16 [x]	C17 [x]	C18 [x]	C19 [x]

  

For organisations looking to accelerate their journey, BCM Institute’s training and certification programs, including the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course, provide in-depth insights and practical toolkits for effectively embedding this model.

More Information About OR-5000 [OR-5] or OR-300 [OR-3]

Gain Competency: For organisations looking to accelerate their journey, BCM Institute’s training and certification programs, including the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course, provide in-depth insights and practical toolkits for effectively embedding this model.

To learn more about the course and schedule, click the buttons below for the OR-300 Operational Resilience Implementer course and the OR-5000 Operational Resilience Expert Implementer course.

	If you have any questions, click to contact us.