1
I, Orlando Berges, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this Form 10-Q of First BanCorp.;
2.
Based on my
knowledge, this report
does not contain
any untrue statement
of a material
fact or omit
to state a
material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light
of the circumstances under which such statements
were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge,
the financial statements, and
other financial information
included in this report,
fairly present in all
material respects
the financial
condition, results
of operations
and cash
flows of
the registrant
as of,
and for,
the periods
presented in this report;
4.
The registrant's other certifying officer
and I are responsible for establishing
and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as
defined in
Exchange Act
Rules 13a
-15(e) and
15d-15(e)) and
internal control
over financial
reporting (as
defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f))
for the registrant and have:
(a)
Designed such disclosure controls
and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures
to be designed
under our
supervision, to
ensure that
material information
relating to
the registrant,
including its
consolidated
subsidiaries, is made
known to us
by others within
those entities, particularly
during the period
in which this
report
is being prepared;
(b)
Designed such internal control over financial
reporting, or caused such internal control over
financial reporting to be
designed under our
supervision, to provide
reasonable
assurance regarding the
reliability of financial
reporting and
the preparation
of financial
statements for
external purposes
in accordance
with generally
accepted accounting
principles;
(c)
Evaluated the
effectiveness of
the registrant's
disclosure controls
and procedures,
and presented
in this
report our
conclusions about the effectiveness
of the disclosure controls
and procedures, as of
the end of the period
covered by
this report based on such evaluation; and
(d)
Disclosed in this
report any change
in the registrant’s
internal control over
financial reporting that
occurred during
the registrant’s
most recent
fiscal quarter (the
registrant’s fourth
fiscal quarter in
the case of
an annual report)
that
has materially
affected, or
is reasonably
likely to
materially affect,
the registrant’s
internal control
over financial
reporting; and
5.
The registrant's
other certifying
officer and
I have
disclosed, based
on our
most recent
evaluation of
internal control
over
financial reporting,
to the
registrant's auditors
and the
audit committee
of the
registrant's board
of directors
(or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
All significant
deficiencies and
material weaknesses
in the
design or
operation of
internal control
over financial
reporting which
are reasonably
likely to
adversely affect
the registrant's ability
to record,
process, summarize
and
report financial information; and
(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material,
that involves management or
other employees who have a
significant role in the
registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Dated: November 9, 2021
By:
/s/ Orlando Berges
Orlando Berges
Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer
