Manila, Philippines – Global payment solutions company Mastercard in the Philippines has recently appointed Simon Calasanz, former executive vice president and head of consumer lending at commercial bank Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), to be its new country manager. Calasanz brings with him nearly 20 years of experience in the banking and finance industry. Aside from his position at RCBC, he also became the president at credit card issuance industry association Credit Card Association of the Philippines, and the senior vice president and head of sales at multinational bank HSBC Group's Retail Banking and Wealth Management department. In his new role, Calasanz will be responsible for accelerating the acceptance and usage of digital payments, especially for smaller merchants and businesses, while also expanding on Mastercard's ongoing digital and financial inclusion initiatives in the country.