First BanCorp. Receives Regulatory Approval for Acquisition of Banco Santander Puerto Rico

(the Corporation) (NYSE: FBP), the bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico (FirstBank), announced today that it has received the requisite regulatory approvals from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of Puerto Rico for FirstBank to consummate the previously announced acquisition of the Puerto Rico operations of Banco Santander Puerto Rico (Santander).