(BCA Advertorial: 4 x 27: 108cm)

(BCA Advertorial: 4 x 27: 108cm)
(Publishing date: December 1, 2004)

Serving the people through education and health

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an integral
part of today's business world, in both developed and developing
countries.

CSR reflects a company's attention to community welfare in its
country of operation. A company generally selects a community
development activity from a broad range of programs -- depending
on its financial condition -- to match the identified needs of
the surrounding community, including education and health.

Many corporations focus on education for the younger
generation, and provide scholarships or other academic aid
programs. In health, many companies offer specialized medical
treatments for free to those who cannot afford them, such as
cataract surgery, harelip reconstructions and skin grafts for
burn patients.

In Indonesia, the recognition of CSR as an inherent part of
business activities has increased enormously over the past few
years. Many companies have begun to implement CSR, realizing that
business growth and community support go hand in hand.

Community development is a fundamental concern of Bank Central
Asia (BCA), a publicly listed private bank. Under the Bakti BCA
program, the bank focuses on providing assistance in education
and health to raise the standard of living in surrounding
communities.

The current educational programs include an accountancy course
(PPA), university scholarships and an internship program for
senior high school graduates as a teller at one of our branches.

Educational aid programs are ongoing for several elementary
and secondary schools in Gunung Kidul regency, Yogyakarta
province, and in Gadingrejo subdistrict, Lampung province. The
programs are geared toward the needs of each individual school,
so that the schools can gain optimal benefits that lead to future
improvements.

For instance, in view of the poor condition of classrooms at
select elementary schools, the aid was used for renovation work,
expanding educational literature collections in libraries and
improving sanitation systems.

For junior- and senior high schools, BCA has developed
computer labs, provided library books and donated sewing machines
toward vocational training courses for financially challenged
students.

Through the Bakti BCA computer programs in Gunung Kidul and
Gadingredjo, which last for three year, respectively, the bank
provides computer training in cooperation with PT Rintis
Sejahtera, PT Microsoft Indonesia and Hewlett Packard Indonesia.
Further, in cooperation with Microsoft Indonesia, Bakti BCA
provided computer training to teachers, so they could keep
abreast of developments in this technology era.

The bank's efforts have been on the right track, as Emy
Gunarti Saptarini, vice principal of SMUN I in Gunung Kidul, a
recipient school, commented: "The educational aid program
provided by BCA is extremely helpful, because it is designed to
meet our needs."

Under the Bakti BCA health care program, the bank has
established an active cooperation with the Indonesian Red Cross,
and holds periodical blood drives at branch offices nationwide.

We also provide humanitarian and medical aid to victims of
natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, droughts and
earthquakes.

As vision is a vital component of our existence, the bank, in
cooperation with PP Perdami, provides free cataract operations to
those who cannot afford this delicate and costly procedure.
Within this year alone, BCA has been able to help people regain
their sight in Lampung province, Gunung Kidul and Sukabumi, West
Java.

An active and continuous corporate commitment to education and
community health, in fact, is integral to the bank's overall
development and welfare.

With more and more companies providing aid, it can be expected
that more and more of the younger generation will complete a
higher education degree. Thus armed, they will be better prepared
to enter the global competition -- and excel for the benefit of
many.